Defining Yourself

Exploring many genres and styles will allow you to broaden your skills as a writer. And while this diversity of approach may be good for stirring the creative juices, at some point you will have to define yourself as a writer. You will need to find your particular niche in the broader literary world. The purpose of defining yourself is not to lock you into a place from which you can never deviate, thus curtailing any future exploration. Rather, the purpose is to allow you to develop your own style and voice. By finding your niche, you can deepen your thinking and focus as a writer and bring a unique message to readers. This intense concentration in a specific area allows you to become a "literary" expert who can enrich readers' understanding and experience, and by so doing, stand out from the crowd. How do you find your niche? Sift through your writing experiences and look for an area where you feel your writing shines, your interest is most intense, and your impact on readers is most significant. This area is your niche. If you excel in nature writing, for example,then that is what you should focus on, becoming enveloped in that area of writing until you become a master at depicting aspects of nature and changing your readers' experiences with nature. This skill will define you as a writer and allow you to achieve excellence. That doesn't mean you can't focus on other areas later, but it is of utmost importance that you first master one area and gain a reputation with that before you tackle another area. There is plenty of time to diversify. Look to your strengths and let them help you discover the best kind of writer you can be right now.