Extroverted Writer

I just recently found out that as an extroverted writer, I am in the minority. Turns out that most writers are introverts and I’m a true anomaly. I was very shocked when I first realized this, but when you think about it, it makes sense.

An introvert is someone who thrives on their time alone. They may be shy or reserved, but it mostly means someone who enjoys just being by themselves. They may get overwhelmed when hanging out with many people and would rather stay in and watch movies than go out and do things with others. This makes sense for writers, since the act of writing is a very solitary thing. There is no one else around to interact with. It is just you and the paper, and many people thrive off of that.

I, on the other hand, am an extrovert. I have no problem being around people and often find myself commanding attention. I want to speak and be heard and I want to go out and interact with others. (This pandemic nonsense, for instance, is very hard for me, but my husband loves it. TV and video games for just the two of us all day every day!) Well I didn’t realize I was in the minority until I participated in a very revealing Twitter poll. And I didn’t figure that this might be a hindrance for my writing career until I read Write Better by Andy Le Peau.

He had a whole chapter on dealing with writer’s block, with a particular section addressing extroverted writers. I was like, um, excuse you, but why would extroverts need extra help in dealing with writer’s block? But then it all suddenly clicked in my head. Le Peau said extroverts tend to find that they have plenty of words and ideas, but as soon as they sit down to write them, they disappear. He suggests talking through your ideas paragraph by paragraph with a friend who will listen to them. Duh! We extroverts are super great at talking to people, but once we are left to our own ideas, it may be hard to get them out.

I personally struggle with writer’s block all. the. Time. I had a not-so-great graduate school experience and that led to me not writing creatively for almost a year afterward. During the start of this pandemic, I didn’t write anything for months. I have Google Doc upon Google Doc of writing prompts piling up, and yet I hardly ever pursue those ideas. Maybe it’s because I feel drained in isolation. Because I have experienced seasons of feeling alone and that’s not when I’m at my best mentally.

If you aren’t on board with this train of thought yet, try to imagine an introvert attempting to write creatively in the middle of a party surrounded by people. I’m not saying that that’s how we extroverts like to write, but I am typically a multi-tasker. I like to listen to podcasts while I shower. I have Netflix on while I cook dinner. Sometimes I’ll even try to get my 10,000 steps in while reading a book. I like to feel productive and busy. I like having people around. And I like to tell them about my writing.

So why did I choose a hobby that is probably catered to a different personality type? Well, for one thing, it chose me. I still feel the need to get my thoughts out on paper. But also, as an extrovert, I have a need to share my writing. I want my words to get out in the world and help as many people as possible. For some people, writing is a very personal thing that they keep to themselves, but for me, I want to impact people. To change the world. To make a difference with my words. To share my story and to hear others’ stories. To interact and build community with people all over the world. And what’s more extroverted than that?

So to all of you other anomalies out there, I just want to let you know that you’re not alone. And if you feel like you particularly struggle with writer’s block due to your outgoing personality, find yourself a buddy. Someone you can share ideas with and talk about your writing projects to. Maybe break up your writing time into little chunks with some distraction breaks in between. And be sure to share your stories. I’m sure you will be amazed at how many people there are out there just like you.

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