Think You’ve Got A Crazy Writing Niche?

by Kimberly A. Cook            (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Spent several days at home recently when my head was declared a hazmat area by my doctor. Antibiotics were prescribed. I camped in the LaZBoy with the Hallmark Channel and Spec Ops Cat. Needing a diversion after 36 modern movies I slipped in the “White Christmas” DVD, my all time favorite holiday movie.

The clothes in the movie make me drool. My favorite is the dress worn by Rosemary Clooney when she sings her solo. Designed by Edith Head, this drop dead gorgeous gown is built for us women with curves. Those were the days!

After the movie I decided to see what I could find out about the gown on my trusty Nook Tablet. (Google “Rosemary Clooney black gown” and see what happens yourself) Pay dirt! Not only did I find pictures, I discovered a cottage industry around the clothes in the movie. One blog post followed a seamstress trying to make it from scratch http://sewing.patternreview.com/SewingDiscussions/topic/48642

Then I found the Rosemary Clooney Museum in Augusta, Kentucky! Who knew? www.rosemaryclooney.org Not only do they have costumes from many of her movies, but a reproduction of the red Christmas gown. The museum recently bought the sparkly blue dress from the movie’s sisters number off eBay; from a vintage store who didn’t know what they had. Boggles the mind. The museum has the largest collection of “White Christmas” movie memorabilia in the world and George Clooney items are at there too. Must book a trip!

This goes to show you, any topic can be a niche. I’m beginning to think the niches are getting their own niches these days. So if you love a quirky topic like 1950s dress designs, there might be an app for that, but there sure are blogs. Or start your own! My military niche is rather large but I can pick and choose my quirky topics so it gives me total freedom.

It also means I can find a military connection to almost any topic on the planet. “White Christmas” is a case in point. It’s a grand story about Army buddies, falling in love and honoring those who have served. Priceless.