Maybe thinking inside the box is the truly subversive thing these days.
But it’s still not about limiting yourself.
No, it’s about figuring out everything that goes on inside the box.
Take, for example, something like a stage play.
You write it for the actors, director, etc. It’s about guiding them, and giving them something to come to life.
But what could, say, a novelist learn from the story form of stage plays?
Well, perhaps they might think about how the characters express themselves (which of course is a big part of the presentation of theatre).
They might think about the ways in which characters develop.
They might think about the three-act structure.
Thinking across disciplines offers a lot of rewards to the writer.
Here’s some more ideas for you:
Refuse to choose: 4 reasons to write novels, screenplays, and stage plays
How to think outside your writing toolbox — and four skills you’ll build doing so
Break outside the boundaries of story formats to learn these six skills