How I Unintentionally Found My Copywriting Niche
Pexels by Anthony Shrkaba
Yes, picking a niche is overrated. But what if it picks you?
Niches are overrated. This has always been my stance. In a world that demands you do five jobs for the price of one, why limit yourself to getting really good at one thing when you need to be moderately good at a lot of things just to get a job or a client?
I didn't find my niche. My niche found me.
My degree is in Biology, and I think when people hear my pitch about why this makes me a great science writer, it often produces eye rolls. Why would I pay you when I could pay someone with a Master's or a Ph.D.?
If you've never received your degree in Biology, you may not know that we don't simply learn that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. We spend four years looking like we are chronically sleep-deprived (because we are) because we're running around talking about G-coupled protein receptors, the RAS tumor receptor, and memorizing the role ribosomes play in translating RNA into proteins - and so much more.
Biology is minute, an entire world and language unto itself. What kind of degree puts 21-year-olds in a pitch-black room for an hour - or was it two? or three?- to see if they can spot any E.coli glowing?
After you've spent an entire year writing a paper on the role of the unfolded protein response in the endoplasmic reticulum in cancer while being yelled at for why your research methods are simply not good enough, you too will think you have the mettle to graduate, decide not to go to medical school, and become a science writer instead.
Except no one will hire you for science writing jobs for 2 years. Everyone wants people who have sacrificed more and have more letters after their name than you do.
I resigned myself to the idea that I would be a generalist copywriter as I routinely got passed over for jobs in the scientific sphere. I wrote about pets, yard work, and science-adjacent things, like mindset, lifestyle, and even dermal fillers.
Earlier this year, I landed a long-term client who wanted me to write overviews of diseases. Shortly after, I landed another, long-term client in the medical aesthetics and plastic surgery sphere. Then came a science writing job that was beyond my expertise.
However, the client believed my background was an asset. They weren't looking for a subject matter expert, but the combination of marketing, copywriting, and science experience I had was an asset. It happened again last week.
Finally, I said it out loud to my fiance.
"I think my niche is becoming B2B Healthcare/Science writing."
And to a friend. "All of my clients are in the B2B Healthcare/Science space right now."
It makes sense, but I didn't intend for it to happen. Yet, all my clients cited the same reason for hiring me: "Your background will be a real asset to this job."
I have 3 takeaways from this experience that slowly crept up on me.
Believe your professors when they say you can do more with a Biology degree than become a doctor.
I don't know if I want to be pigeonholed, but I like writing in this space - and it's not going anywhere.
If you need a B2B Healthcare or Science Writer - you know where to find me!
In all seriousness, I'm not completely giving up on other copywriting and SEO skills I've honed. I'm working on rewriting a friend's website, and I still keep my SEO skills sharp for myself and my clients, often incorporating that into projects. I'm going to keep getting certifications in other areas to remain marketable in case this niche doesn't work out for me.
However, I really enjoy scientific communication. While I always wished I had majored in something "liberal artsy", like Gender Studies, instead of getting the degree I needed to get into medical school, I loved biology when I got past Physics and Chemistry.
Neurons and microglia were the most beautiful things I had ever seen. The intricate mechanisms of cellular response to stress were infuriating to try and memorize but fascinating all the same. Knowledge empowered me, and I'd love to stay tethered to the girl who spilled Salmonella on herself throughout my writing career.
Now more than ever, effective scientific communication is a skill our world needs to combat the climate crisis, to combat global health crises, and to very possibly make the Earth livable for future generations.
Perhaps scientific communication is more than just my niche. Maybe it's the way I use the skills I was given to affect positive change. Or maybe I'm just being an optimist.
