This archived newsletter issue covering problem-based positioning for freelance writers was originally sent to subscribers on March 19, 2026.
A little over 20 years ago, I ran a PR firm specializing in indie musicians.
At that time, digital music sales were new and about to change the industry. Indie artists found themselves with more control over their careers and incomes, without the need to pursue traditional label backing.
But they often didn’t know how to make that shift work. They needed more than run-of-the-mill publicity.
What I Was Really Hired to Do
On a base level, I offered PR services (press release writing, EPK development, social media management, merch design, street team building, radio campaigns, event organization, etc.).
But in practice, I helped artists become more entrepreneurial. I helped them build full-time livings doing what they loved without relying on the usual gatekeepers.
The press releases and outreach were part of it. But they weren’t really the point.
The real value was in solving a problem (or, in this case, helping clients take advantage of a new opportunity most publicists and PR pros weren’t equipped to tackle).
The Same Thing Happens in My Freelance Writing Work
My writing work evolved in a similar way to my PR work, gravitating more towards similar problems and opportunities than simply my specialized project types and client types.
For example, my most common project types these days include:
- thought leadership content for small to mid-sized business leaders;
- cleaning up content-related messes caused by unqualified SEO firms and freelancers;
- working on original research and reports (from improving research design for better results to writing reports and related promotional material).
In the first case, the problem I solve is the lack of time (and sometimes confidence in writing skills) clients have. They have expertise and want to share their insights, but they need someone to help them do that.
In the second example, the problem I focus on is helping clients move from algorithm-chasing tactics to more sustainable ones that restore traffic and visibility and leave clients less vulnerable to future algorithm updates.
In the last example, the problem I solve often revolves around fixing issues with bad data resulting from poorly-designed surveys. I help clients pull more meaningful results from future research, help them properly analyze and interpret the data they collect, and then I handle the write-ups (and often promotional projects like press releases or blog posts about the report’s release).
Any writer could be handed survey results and asked to write it up into a report. Not every writer is equipped to analyze the data provided, point out problems or misinterpretations, and help clients fix those things before they publicly release misleading claims that could hurt their reputations.
“Niching Down” is Only the Start
“Niching down” is a great way to specialize as a freelance writer. Subject matter expertise will always offer more value than a generalist can provide. But problem-based positioning takes that to another level.
This is what comes from experience, when you start to recognize patterns in your work and in the problems your clients face.
That problem-based positioning means you define yourself professionally based on the outcomes you create more than simply what you write.
That’s a very different way to run a business. And it adds a premium to your work.
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