Identity is an important thing.
It’s what defines how you act, how people see you – it’s who you are.
So it’s important that, as writers, we identify ourselves as such. In fact, I think the first step in being a writer is being fully convinced that you are one. The great thing is that you don’t have to wait until you’re published or a bestselling author to be a writer – all you have to do is write.
Sometimes one of the biggest steps in starting to write is knowing that writing is a part of you. I remind myself of this every time I begin to psych myself out about a big project. I’ll think, “oh, I don’t know if I can write this genre.” But then I remind myself that writing is what I do, and it makes everything a little easier.