Once upon a time, there was a girl, and from an early age (10), she knew she wanted to be a writer.  She went to college to study writing.  After she was done with her schooling, she got her first full-time teaching job.  This was in 1990.  But she ran into some bad luck in 1991.  She was diagnosed with bipolar illness.  And this wasn’t the end of her experience with sickness.  Decades later, in 2011, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Yet, she wanted to look on the bright side, so she became a wedding speechwriter.  She got a dog to help her cope.  Her writing and her spirituality carried her through, and today, her bipolar disorder is managed, and she is cancer-free.

So, how does a freelance writer publish more and, consequently, make more money?  By mining all of her personal interests. Write about (almost) everything you know.  I say “almost” because there are some things writers should keep unwritten.  We all have our secrets, and this is good, even in the writing world.

Below are some of my interests (niches) and how I’ve turned them into publications and cash:

Education – As a teacher for over 40 years, I have something to say about life in a classroom.  My articles on education have appeared at Reading Today, The Adjunct Advocate and at Women in Higher Education.  All of these venues are paying markets, so I’ve managed to make money discussing aspects of teaching writing and literature.  For instance, I wrote an article about using disability literature in the writing classroom for Reading Today; this venue is now called Literacy Today.

Mental Health – As a person living with bipolar disorder since 1991, I know firsthand about dealing with a mental health issue.  I’ve written about this aspect of my life for Psych Central,  Abilities Magazine, Kaleidoscope Magazine and bp (bipolar) Magazine.  These are paying markets as well.  In the mental health area, I’ve written fiction and nonfiction takes on this subject.  For instance, for The Missouri Review I wrote a short story called “Having Anne,” and once for bp Magazine, I wrote a humorous piece entitled “Missing My Mania.”

Cancer – I’ve had two bouts of breast cancer and have written for Cure Today, a cancer website and magazine, for almost ten years.  My cancer experiences have been plentiful, and in my own way, I’ve racked up layperson expertise about the issue.  I’m a regular blogger at this venue.  For instance, a recent blog I wrote for Cure Today concerned a nurse who saved my life when I had an infection in my chest after my mastectomy.

Weddings — Years ago, I took a job writing wedding speeches.  I did this for about a year for a company called Instant Wedding Toasts.  This enabled me to understand the topic well enough to compose “Want to Be a Wedding Speechwriter?” for The Toastmaster.  Recently, I’ve written articles about wedding clothing, which I’m trying to market at a bride magazine.

Dogs — My husband loves dogs and for this reason, we always have a pooch in the house.  Observing them over the years has given me knowledge of their behaviors and quirks.  I’ve turned this expertise into cash by writing articles at Dogster.com and Fetch Magazine.  An example of one of my dog articles, which was published at Dogster.com, is “Do Dogs Hold Grudges?”

Writing – I started writing early in my life, which makes for a lot of years’ practice.  From this area of my life, I’ve written for several venues including FundsforWriters, Writers Weekly, The Writer Magazine and WOW.

Religion – My lifetime as a Catholic has given me a wealth of knowledge about spirituality.  I’ve written about religion for Aleteia, Busted Halo, Guideposts, Angels on Earth, and The Liguorian.  For instance, one recent religious article concerned my learning of the naming of the new Pope Leo the XIV, for Busted Halo.

In conclusion, I recommend not sticking to one subject as a freelancer.  Try to write about (almost) everything you know.  You, the world and your pocketbook will be better off for it.

BIO – Laura Yeager is a cancer blogger at curetoday.com.  She teaches writing at Kent State University at Stark and creative writing at Gotham Writers.  She is currently looking for an agent for a middle grade novel that is set in the village where she grew up.