It's a question circulating on social media and in writers' conversations everywhere: when is the right time to start offering a new service or explore a new niche? And equally important—when do you know it's time to call it quits on an experiment that isn't working?

As a long-time full-time freelancer, I've weathered many seasons in my business. I'm also someone who thrives on experimentation. While not every shiny object catches my eye, when I discover a new niche that seems adjacent to ones I already serve, I get genuinely excited about the possibility of expanding my business.

That adjacency is key criteria for most pivots I consider—the change should be just a sidestep away from my current offerings. I also do a gut check: am I genuinely excited about this potential new niche or service? If both boxes are checked, I know I'm ready for the work it will take to move into new territory.

A Tale of two niches

Sometimes the new niche chooses you. Recently, I landed a client in an unfamiliar industry through a referral and discovered I genuinely enjoyed the work. That got me thinking: are there other potential clients in this space?

 

Armed with fresh samples and years of experience in adjacent domains, I decided to start reaching out. I researched potential contacts using everything from LinkedIn to Google searches, and asked my network of freelance friends if they knew of clients in this sector looking for writers. My combination of warm and cold outreach yielded several promising leads and ultimately added two new clients to my roster.

I've run this outreach experiment multiple times—sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Both experiments passed my adjacency and gut-check tests, but the unsuccessful one revealed a crucial third criterion: whether the niche values and budgets for outside writers. In that case, while the work was interesting, the industry simply didn't have the resources to make cultivation worthwhile.

My example focuses on niches, but other freelancers experiment by adding new services. I recently spoke with a junior colleague who's testing the waters by adding proofreading to her book editing business. The service meets all my pivot criteria: it's adjacent to her current work, serves the same client base, and draws on her existing skills. Plus, I could see her genuine excitement about the potential uptake.

How to gracefully retract your pivot

Eventually, the dreaded question arises: when do you know it's time to move on from a pivot that isn't gaining traction?

 

The key to a smooth exit starts with a smart entrance. Avoid pivoting too far—take a baby step rather than a leap by choosing something adjacent to your current offering. Longform content writers probably shouldn't jump into TikTok video creation without relevant samples. A successful food writer will struggle more moving into automotive writing than expanding into wine coverage.

But if you've identified that promising niche, dove in with enthusiasm, and heard nothing but crickets—that familiar sinking feeling when a pitch gets rejected—it's time to take action.

I give my pivot projects two quarters (about six months) before reassessing what deserves my continued attention. I try to evaluate objectively: how much new work has this pivot actually generated? How much effort have I invested? And emotionally: am I still energized by the thought of offering this service?

Remember, giving up doesn't need to be dramatic. If you've advertised the new service on your website, you can leave it there in case the right clients eventually surface. Simply scale back your outreach and social media promotion in favor of content focused on your successful niches and services.

After all, your time is the ultimate trade-off. If it's better spent elsewhere, reclaim it and apply it to your next venture.

Suzanne Bowness is a longtime freelance writer/editor whose book The Feisty Freelancer: A Friendly Guide to Visioning, Planning, and Growing Your Writing Business was published in January 2025 by Dundurn Press.