Some people give me a funny look, or even laugh a little, when I say I'm a writer. Not a poet. Not a novelist. Not a playwright. Not a screenwriter. Just... A writer. A vague, yet broad, term to most. To me? Well, labels can be restricting. Especially when I want to be more than a poet, more than a novelist, more than one type of textual expression.

I aspire to be a wordsmith: a skilled user of words. But that's an extraordinarily subjective ordeal, as art is never quite objective in any form. So writer will do. It will suffice. Writer encompasses all of my writerly aspirations, giving me the freedom to peruse the literary waters and dip my toes in each one that catches my eye. However, each pool has done more than simply grab my attention.

Just as a creative can draw inspiration from anywhere, a writer can expand - and even sharpen - their present skills through studying other artistic mediums. Apart from my focus on fiction (flash to serial length), I have also dabbled with: lyrics, poetry, speeches, scripts, and plays. These have introduced me to both a multitude of concepts and considerations. The fluidity of form, across the board. Plays have surprised me in that right, especially. The subject of agency and structure. Or, agency vs. structure, depending on the piece. The angles and perspectives by which each are examined, analyzed, and edited.

In my experience, the final stage is the most crucial one. Being able to wholly reflect on a work. See it for what it is rather than what you intend it to be. For me, being exposed to a plethora of pieces allowed me to view what I do in another light.

But on top of these revelations, having multiple mediums to draw from adds something else: continued inspiration. Writing can be taxing. The amount of hours spent on a piece varies, from the initial conceiving of the project, the mindful planning and consideration, to eventually articulating it upon paper.

And then, you have to tear that beloved piece of yours apart. After all of this, it can sometimes be difficult to love what you do and continue to pour all of your passion into it. Drawing from various mediums - if a writer find the ones that hit them in their heart, just right - they can fall in love with the craft all over again.

With words.

With their possibilities.

Please, share your thoughts with us below! If you're doing NaNo, how is that going? If not, how are your other projects going? And if there is any writerly topic or subject you would like to see discussed, please don't be shy!