“If you had to describe your niche in ONE word…what would it be?”
Fellow writer, Carrie Watts, posed this question earlier this week via Instagram and elaborated upon the question in her newsletter Friends of Faith. According to Carrie, your niche is not your genre, book, marketing approach, or which shelf your book might (someday) be found in stores.
Your niche isn’t just what you write. It’s your calling. Needless to say, Carrie’s question and what she had to say about it got me thinking.
What is My Niche?
My ONE word is…Heritage. I thought about this a lot, threw around a few ideas—resilience, hope, determination—all of which echo through women’s fiction. But, heritage plays a role in my life and and writing.
Merriam Webster defines heritage as the following:
property that descends to an heir
something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor : legacy, inheritance
especially : the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation
an established or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior
something possessed as a result of one’s natural situation or birth
Can ONE word really define who am I as a writer…and what calls me to write? I thinks so.
Where Does “Heritage” Show Up in My Writing?
Ummm….Everywhere!
My first ever publication, “Tracing the Spirit,” was driven by my love for my home state and my 3x great grandmother’s Cherokee declaration. I wondered about the Indigenous women who operated stands along the Natchez Trace.
“A Whispered Miracle” was spun from yarns of my ancestors’ lives in Southern Appalachia and a wondering set into motion years ago when my grandfather took me to the grave of Union soldier in Jackson County, Alabama.
My stories featured on The Sundial Writers Corner have both been about my grandparents and how their legacy stays with me.
Beyond the Page
It’s no secret—I love history! Learning knew facts. Discovering stories. The concept of shared ground. Curiosity about those who came before us. Heritage sparks my genealogical research, volunteer work with Ancestry and Find-a-Grave, antiquing escapades, backroad destinations, social media content, books, and on and on…
Heritage Can Be…Feisty and Delicious
Passed down through generations, recipes are heritage. The contributing authors (spearheaded by Heather Dodge Martin) have compiled a Feisty Deeds II companion recipe collection. Introducing, Our Best Batches and Brews: The Vintage Recipes Behind the Stories! Click the title to download your free copy!
*The recipes for the fried potatoes and pinto beans from “A Whispered Miracle” (my family recipes) are included in the recipe book.
Final Thoughts…
Do you have to be a writer to have a niche? I don’t think so.
What’s your calling? What do you want to bring to the world? As I often ask my students, who do you want to be known as? What is your ONE word?
That’s all for this month! If you’re interested in my library of stories or want to learn more about my writing, please check out my website.
Warmly,
Beth Anne Hill
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Heritage is the perfect word for your writing. At least, the stories I've read. I wish
I could narrow mine down. Thanks for the inspiration!
"Heritage" seems like such a great descriptor (and underpinning) for your work, Beth Anne! I admire how you dug until you found the one word that brought it all together.
I know what I'll be thinking about on my walk this morning!