It’s a
Niche Thing
Know your place!
Color inside the lines! Get in where you fit in! Well, the last one has too
many meanings that… Moving on.
Knowing the niche is important in many ways and
yet it also stifles creativity (to a point). We all want to have the next big
thing and achieve notoriety and wealth enough to turn back the hands of time.
(Money does help ugly better then makeup and cosmetic surgery.) But, I don’t
want to go down that long and humorous road. No! I was asked a question and I
shall answer it in the only way I know how. I’m going to throw the dice by
giving my opinion as I see it and hope I
don’t crap out (in more ways than one).
Niche according to; http://dictionary.reference.com . Niche (#3)
is a distinct segment of a market. Number 3 best describes the direction I’m
heading. Now down to the pros and cons of this Niche Thing.
As I had
mentioned earlier, knowing your niche is both a good thing and a bad thing. The
bad thing is, of course, suppression of creativity. I had also mentioned this
wasn’t a solid roadblock. Depending on the subject and the way it's presented
(in your manuscript/book) it can be used as a solid foundation and yet allow in
less possibilities to be possible. We will end with that mind-blowing thought
last. First is the pros for staying within your niche. The Good Niche.
Good Niche
Books like most things we search for the perfect one that we are interested in, are categorized in genres. My experience in this area outside of the literary world (being an old DJ) gave me a clear understanding about the good niche and bad niche. Depending on the crowd you wish to reach partially depends their interest. Yes I said partially. Even the most rigid of persons have some leeway in their opinions. Trust me when I say this. On a good night, the world is yours until you put the right record on for the wrong Niche and it’s an uphill battle to win them back. Now don’t get me wrong. You are writing for an audience who has similar likes and for yourself or one that has similar interests close enough to give you the opportunity to recognize your genius (talent). And, I should not have to mention that sales, for the most part, are tied to a particular niche, genre, or category. I must also point out that sales (in some cases) are also tied to notoriety, fame, and more money. People do like buying books that are listed on the best seller or an author whose name is on everyone’s’ tongue. The best pros of the niche is that it has a built-in audience, allows you to focus on a singular topic, and allows for a new seed (author) to grow in both readers and notoriety. Now for the cons or Bad Niche.
Books like most things we search for the perfect one that we are interested in, are categorized in genres. My experience in this area outside of the literary world (being an old DJ) gave me a clear understanding about the good niche and bad niche. Depending on the crowd you wish to reach partially depends their interest. Yes I said partially. Even the most rigid of persons have some leeway in their opinions. Trust me when I say this. On a good night, the world is yours until you put the right record on for the wrong Niche and it’s an uphill battle to win them back. Now don’t get me wrong. You are writing for an audience who has similar likes and for yourself or one that has similar interests close enough to give you the opportunity to recognize your genius (talent). And, I should not have to mention that sales, for the most part, are tied to a particular niche, genre, or category. I must also point out that sales (in some cases) are also tied to notoriety, fame, and more money. People do like buying books that are listed on the best seller or an author whose name is on everyone’s’ tongue. The best pros of the niche is that it has a built-in audience, allows you to focus on a singular topic, and allows for a new seed (author) to grow in both readers and notoriety. Now for the cons or Bad Niche.
Bad Niche
Authors who are known in one category or genre have difficulty branching out into other niches. It isn’t unusual to learn, after several years had passed, that your favorite author had written under a different name all because those who had tried to cross into other genres has caused resentment from their old fan base and isn’t accepted openly by the new fan base. This happens in all areas of entertainment (yes, including books, especially book). My favorite example of this (being an old DJ) is Garth Brooks and Robin Williams.
Authors who are known in one category or genre have difficulty branching out into other niches. It isn’t unusual to learn, after several years had passed, that your favorite author had written under a different name all because those who had tried to cross into other genres has caused resentment from their old fan base and isn’t accepted openly by the new fan base. This happens in all areas of entertainment (yes, including books, especially book). My favorite example of this (being an old DJ) is Garth Brooks and Robin Williams.
Garth Brooks is
still listed to this day as a Country, country rock performer. But, back in
1999 he came out with the persona name Chris Gaines. The self-titled Chris Gaines project, pissed off a crap load
of country fans, but this vacation outside of his niche gain him his first and
only US Top 40 pop single called
"Lost in You". You can laugh
about it now with how you have other country stars floating from one category
to another and sharing the stage with Rap Artist, but back in the late 1990s,
it was an outright betrayal. Garth Brooks retired (he’s back now) the following
year. One particular comedic/actor had his share of problems as well.
Robin Williams
began his journey to comedic notoriety on the Richard Pryor Show and followed
that up with a guest role as an alien named Mork on the TV series Happy Days.
His character was so widely accepted that he was given a show of his one named
Mork & Mindy. His catch phrase “Nanu Nanu and Shazbot” drove everyone nuts.
Oh, but isn’t publicized is that Robin Williams had attended Juilliard. Yes the
man was and is that good. However, like all good things, or ruling your
particular niche, one wrong turn and everyone stops and leaves the dance floor.
Robin Williams had cause just as much of a controversy as Garth Brooks when he
stepped out of his fan based niche that had given him his fame when he stared
in a movie called One Hour Photo. I must point out that several days later, the
Nay Sayers were back in line to see it again. This is the best place to end
this with the No Niche Applies.
No Niche Applies
There are numerous examples where no niche applies. In music there are the Bing Crosby and David Bowie, Run-D-Mc and Aerosmith, and the ultimate of all collaborations; The KLF and country megastar (for me) Tammy Wynette. With movies you have Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte, and Samuel Jackson twice. Geena Davis in the Long Kiss Goodnight and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction. You can say that in each of these examples that they were due to clever marketing or casting, but you have to admit each come from particular Niches. And, before you ask what does this has to do with literature? I shall end this with several questions in return. When has opposites not attract. When has love and hate not lived on opposite sides of the same coin. What had caused you to finally realize that there truly is no niche that hasn’t started from another niche to stand on its own? As with music, fashion, literature, and understanding of others, that thing called a Niche is ever evolving. It is waiting for you to change it once again from the solid foundation you feel comfortable to a new niche that will force you to grow.
There are numerous examples where no niche applies. In music there are the Bing Crosby and David Bowie, Run-D-Mc and Aerosmith, and the ultimate of all collaborations; The KLF and country megastar (for me) Tammy Wynette. With movies you have Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte, and Samuel Jackson twice. Geena Davis in the Long Kiss Goodnight and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction. You can say that in each of these examples that they were due to clever marketing or casting, but you have to admit each come from particular Niches. And, before you ask what does this has to do with literature? I shall end this with several questions in return. When has opposites not attract. When has love and hate not lived on opposite sides of the same coin. What had caused you to finally realize that there truly is no niche that hasn’t started from another niche to stand on its own? As with music, fashion, literature, and understanding of others, that thing called a Niche is ever evolving. It is waiting for you to change it once again from the solid foundation you feel comfortable to a new niche that will force you to grow.
Color outside of
the lines once and awhile. Listen to music you have little experience. Try a falafel
in place of a bugger. And most of all, take a trip outside your comfort zone
and enjoy the journey and not the destination. SD Tracy Harper
Illustrations from Smosh.com
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