I once watched an interview with Ricky Gervais, where he talked about how a lot of people don’t like his stand up comedy. He said he didn’t care. All he needs is 5,000 people in each town to fill a theater, and then he’s set. Whether the rest of the population like him or not is irrelevant.

It’s the same with your blog.

You might be extremely passionate about obscure German movies, or maybe you’re obsessed with antique books; or perhaps you happen to have an unusually large amount of knowledge about Mongolian fruit. Whatever it is, that’s your niche.

And sometimes you don’t even know your niche—at least, not at first. The important thing is to get writing—to discover your niche. What do I mean by “discover your niche”?

I mean: figure out who you are.

At first, I blogged generically about movies. I thought my passion was film. Turns out, I think most films are terrible. But I love it when you really hear a voice in the writing; when a film is actually saying something. When you feel you’ve witnessed a real piece of art.

Gradually, my blogging changed—it became more about auteurs, writer/directors, and about the incredible opportunities of independent film.

I found my niche. I found myself. And the blog exploded after that.

Once you’ve figured out what you want to write about, then you can really become an expert within your field. That doesn’t mean that you know everything; it means that you’re leading the quest.

On my blog, I interview screenwriters and directors who inspire me, in the hope that they can lead me further to the truth of what it is to be an artist. They help me figure out why the struggle to produce great films is worth it. They keep me on track.

I’m in a constant dialogue with the readers. Sometimes I inspire them with my insight. Other times, they shoot me down for talking nonsense—which in turn teaches me a lot. We learn from each other, and we’re on the same quest.

Having a niche is about that one corner of the world that is totally yours. Everything about it, you’re in love with. Lots of people might have blogs about how to make cupcakes, but your blog is about how to make cupcakes without sugar; or using only chocolate; or using leftover pieces of chicken—who knows? Only you do!

Whatever it is, you’ll figure it out along the way.

Once you truly focus on being yourself, you’ll stand apart from the rest, and the readers will flock to you, because you’re telling the truth, and your excitement makes them excited.

When that happens, you know you’ve found your niche.

Kid In The Front Row is a cult film blog with a more personal outlook. It’s not about reviewing movies, it’s not about criticising movies – it’s about loving movies. About loving them so much that still, after all these years, we’re just Kids In The Front Row, shoving popcorn down our faces as we stare up at those wonderful people on the big screen.