by Rachel Smith
23 May 2018
So, I’ve written for one publishing house for a long time. They’re fab to work for, except for one thing: they seem to think I specialise in one topic and have completely pigeon-holed me into that area. I’ve asked to write on other topics (which I’ve done for other magazines) but for some reason they always give those to other writers. I don’t want to stop writing for them, but what can I do to break out of this rut they’ve put me in!? Cara
This is a hard one. When you’re good at something, it’s easy for editors to slot you into that niche (and many do). I used to do a lot of writing for a health magazine that completely pigeon-holed me as their relationships / sex writer. On the one hand, it was an easy job as I had all the experts and case studies I needed on speed dial. But I knew I wasn’t a one-trick pony. And I craved a commission for a nutrition story. Alternate therapies. Weight loss. Anything!
I was one of many freelancers writing features for this monthly mag, and we got to know one another. We used to joke that we had all been pigeon-holed into our ‘areas’ and sometimes got bored, wishing we could swap commissions with one another. Looking back I wish we had; I doubt they would’ve noticed.
My solution was to talk to my editor about it and see if she’d let me branch out. She understood and would occasionally swing something my way that didn’t involve a sexpert or three. However, it was only when I started giving her good, targeted pitches for other sections of the mag that she started really using me across the board.
So if you’ve tried the ‘let me do x’ and they’re still making you do ‘y’, I’d go back to basics. Pitch them. Pitch some more. Find some great stories and bombard them with fresh angles they can’t say no to. Reiterate your other interests. If you sit in on features meetings, speak up and demonstrate your interest in other areas and suggest a few key story angles. And if they do say no to your amazing ideas, their loss! Definitely take your pitches elsewhere.
Good luck! I hope for your sake they’ll realise you’re more multi-talented than they give you credit for.
Have you been pigeon-holed by an editor or publication? How did you break free?
