Wide Ocean, Shallow Pool
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So having the internet community as a big part of my life over the past three years, I love consuming and creating content. It's what I love to do. I have so much penned up Creative Energy that I love coming up with ideas to make so many different types of content. Whether it be written, spoken, or viewed, I am a fan of it all.
Sometimes I feel bad for my friend Shane for putting up with me for the eight years we've been friends, because I constantly tell him all kinds of crazy ideas. It gets to the point now where he sees this look in my eye that he knows when I come up with an idea. It's kind of scary in that regards.
Now being Creative is something I love to do, and I'm constantly on the lookout for a way to make a career out of it. I love watching any features on TV Writers, specifically when they are in the “Writer's Room”. In that room a group of writers have to come up with at the most 23 half hour or hour long episodes of creative writing for a show that would keep audiences entertained. Those writers, pitch ideas, discuss them, see how they work, and when an idea is fleshed out as an overall story arc, or a particular episode, a task is formed to one of the writers to go and produce that content. I always picture myself someday in a room like that where a group of like minded individuals come in and say, “What Creative stuff can we come up with today?” And ideas are pitched, discussions are made, and then we go off and produce it.
That to me is what I would picture the perfect moment where those moments would fill up every moment of what I would love to be my career.
The only problem with that idea of the perfect career is we live in a “Niche Market” Like it or not, everyone has a niche as to what they do, and what they are known by.
I am saying this right now, I do not have a niche.
Let me explain.
The one thing that has plagued me since I started creating content three years ago was the thought of “Someone will always know more about this subject than I do” It has happened to me on more than one occasion. I can accept that. There are projects I get involved in that I can't do justice because I don't have that expert knowledge to which to do that project justice.
The problem I have is that I do have a lot of expertise, just in a wider range of areas. The best analogy I could come up with is “A Vast Ocean, but a Shallow Pool” I have a vast knowledge of a lot of things, but in those specific areas I am not an expert. I am an advanced amateur. I do not have a niche.
Some might say it could be I don't have any focus. I can't focus on one thing and stick with it. Well I would disagree. I do have a lot of focus, just in more areas that I like to tap into. That is the problem with being in a society that looks into “Niche Markets” There are people who are successful today, online and offline, because of usually one particular thing they do well. I am not that person.
Sure there are exceptions to that rule. There are people who break out of that niche role and try something completely different and either flop or not. I applaud those people. I become fans of those people. I secretly am envious of those people.
Not envious of their success or not, but because I am stuck trying to figure out what I want to focus and tap onto, and those people have figured that out.
I tried being a geek, a blogger, a podcaster, a tech guy, a writer, an actor, and many other things; to which I have somehow always comes back to finding out that my pool is shallow but as wide as the ocean.
So I sit here in the prime of my life like I just got out of high school, not sure of what I want to do with the rest of my life. The only solace I have and why I'm not pushing the panic button yet is that I do have the goal to being a radio personality to which I feel would be an awesome career. But I can't stick with just that. The creative person in me wants to swim in the large ocean, try other things.
So the question I have before me is, do I focus on one thing? Or do I diversify?
Who knows what will happen. Maybe my niche is to be the vast ocean.
At least my ocean everyone can swim in without fear of drowning.
Just some random thoughts at 2am.
Thanks for listening.
As always I remain obediently yours.
Steve “Snowball” Saylor
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About The Author
Steve Saylor
Steve Saylor is currently the Web Content Editor at Blackburn Radio in Wingham Ontario for CKNX AM920, 101.7 The ONE and 94.5 The BULL. Steve is a New Media Specialist and has worked in this field since Spring of 2005. He is a self-published author, a techie and a geek. To read more about Steve, click HERE
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