Own it. Claim it. Be it.

It's a hammer-out-as-many-words-as-possible-on-my-novel day, but it's also Tuesday, and I didn't want to miss sending you something, so here's a short message that I think we all need to hear.

If you write, you are a writer.

You're not... I repeat, not... an 'aspiring' writer.

You might be a beginner, yes. You might still be learning. But if you string one word after another, if you tell stories, you are a writer now, this very minute. Present tense.

An aspiring writer, as far as I see it, is someone who thinks about writing but doesn't actually write. Who plans to write, who would like to write, but hasn't actually got around to it.

So, even if you've only just started, claim the title. Own it. Be proud of it. Calling yourself a writer is empowering. It's encouraging. It says I am on this journey and I'm going somewhere. It says this is something that defines me. It's not just who I want to be, it's who I am.

And the same goes for other art forms, too.

I have been lino-printing for just over a year. I am a printer.

I have been painting miniatures for a matter of weeks. I am a miniature painter.

Am I a good lino printer? I'm doing okay, but I have a long way to go. Am I a good miniature painter? Again, it's VERY early days – but I'm heading in the right direction because I'm doing it now. I'm sticking with it. My only plan: keep going.

So let's ban the word aspiring. Stop dancing around who we are.

Own it. Claim it. Be it.