Are most writers introverts?

Hiroko said:

Whenever I do a search on introverts and marketing, at least one online presence states that "most writers are introverted." Is this true? How many of you would consider yourselves introverted?

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I know lots of writers. Some are extroverted, some are introverted. I am somewhere in the middle.

I myself am introverted, but I seem to know more extroverted writers than introverted. In fact, five of the writers I know are extroverted, and I only know six (not including the entire AW community).

Kitty27 said:

I have no problem spending hours by myself with imaginary folks and writing until my wrists ache. I find this highly pleasurable and don't miss people at all.

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yanno...taken out of context...

By nature, I'm somewhere in between an introvert and an extrovert. But the writing itself, the hours spent alone, the sedentary hours, the act of observing, of always analyzing people and their actions in real time or in retrospect, has me leaning towards one a lot more than the other.

(I've always wondered why people feel the need to share insights like this - do they actually think they will help?)

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People generally react to me in one of three ways: 1) Assume that, because I'm not talking, I'm a bitch/misanthrope/assface/anger-ball; 2) Take it upon themselves to force me to speak/socialize, or poke fun at how quiet I am ("we thought you were mute ha ha!"); 3) Treat me like a normal person. Number three is the least common.

I have all sorts of problems with socializing, in addition to being of introverted type (which isn't the same as shyness, like a lot of people in my life seem to assume, but it can go hand-in-hand). I like people (er...most people), but am drained by any social interaction and need a lot of privacy to recharge, and I spend a lot of time in my own head, which is kind of like living in a gremlin-infested toilet. I can't say it's pleasurable, but it is what it is.

I wouldn't say that all (or most) writers are introverts, necessarily, but I could easily see how writing would appeal to introverts, or be something we'd naturally gravitate toward. We're off in our own worlds so much anyway--my boss, I'm sure, thinks I have some sort of hearing deficiency, because when she starts speaking to me it takes so long for me to drag myself back to reality that I never hear the first few words--and can sit in solitude for longer than average without going nuts. You can sort of do what comes natural, which is nice for a change.

I don't think there's any rule that says most are introverted, though this poll shows otherwise.

I, myself, am extremely introverted and more so as I get older. My ideal evening is a glass of wine and a good book with my husband beside me, and my daughter playing nearby.

We rarely go out, though I do love a nice dinner out once in awhile.

Aside from family and a few close friends - by few, I mean...I have 1 friend I get together with for lunch or dinner maybe twice a year, and my husband has a couple friends he knew in high school that we still see maybe once a year...we really aren't social. We're both happiest at home, or at least, alone together. Camping, fishing, whatever.

I prefer online communication to in person or on the phone.

*shrug*

I'm like a hermit...who's female...and married and loves sex (with the husband).

I have all sorts of problems with socializing, in addition to being of introverted type (which isn't the same as shyness, like a lot of people in my life seem to assume, but it can go hand-in-hand).

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Just wanted to say that extroverts can also be shy (or uncomfortable in social situations without being shy), just like introverts can be outgoing.
A lot of people confuse those things.

Nothing to do with buzhidao's post, but made me think about that.

I'm an introvert, but I do like going out and meeting new people. I just don't like meeting ALOT of new people at once, and like small crowds better.

I also need to go home and recharge my batteries. I can't be out as long as other people can, and I need my alone time.

Sometimes though, I feel like I have too much alone time.

I'm definitely an introvert, but I'm not an introvert because I write. I just don't like people.

Introversion isn't shyness... it's finding being around other people draining. You could be bouncy and loud around other people and be an introvert, because you need space away from them to recharge afterwards. On the other side, an extrovert might be a shy person, because though they find being around others energising, they never know what to say.

So when I say I'm an introvert, I mean introvert. I was not shy at all as a young child, became very shy in school, and then gradually less shy once I escaped from school. Now I'm mainly shy in formal situations. But I was an introvert the whole time.

Someone said that a writer must be a wellspring of compassion for humanity. As far as I can see, a writer can love people or hate people, but he damn well better be interested in people.

Though I think a fascination for things may suffice in some genres.

Interest in nothing? Back away from the keyboard now, don't make us have to hurt you.

Phaeal said:

As far as I can see, a writer can love people or hate people, but he damn well better be interested in people.

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He or she.

And I am interested in people, they fascinate me.
and some day I hope to be one.

Well...
mmmm maybe,
verdicts still out on that...

Yeah, people confusing introversion with being shy gets really annoying.

I certainly don't think you HAVE to be introverted to be a good writer, but, as this poll shows and I've always assumed, writers are far more likely to identify as introverts than the general population. A profession that requires you to work alone for extended periods of time attracts more introverts than extroverts. Shocking.

KellyAssauer said:

He or she.

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They.

extrovert...if I'm out and about, the more people the better.


even though sometimes I want to stab many of them.

I always come up 50-50 on the Myers-Briggs. And it's true! I love people and going out and having fun, and I also need my alone time at different times (and quite often).

Alpha Echo said:

I don't think there's any rule that says most are introverted, though this poll shows otherwise.

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Keep in mind that this is a poll on the Internet. Introverts might spend more time on the Internet; I don't know. But this might or might not be a representative sample of writers, the data from whom we might or might not be able to use to prove a point.

Just saying.

I'm extroverted among people I know well. However, I'm introverted among strangers. So getting to know people well can be a bit of a challenge.

I'm Introverted. I wasn't always. In the past I was on reality tv a couple of times and was a child stage performer. I was very outgoing and loved to be the center of attention. Now I don't enjoy interacting with people in person at all. I feel it sucks all the energy right out of me. I like to be alone.

I am outspoken and sociable, but still introverted.

Basically that means I have learned to play the part of an extrovert, but doing so mentally exhausts me and I either need a break or booze to do it for prolonged periods of time.

That, and I LOVE silence too much to converse all the damn time.

I'm a high-functioning introvert, meaning that I've learned to overcome vast amounts of shyness and can now actually do pretty darn well in a crowd.

I was another of those who was bullied as a kid, so something of a learned shyness. And for awhile I had no social skills and couldn't handle being around people I didn't know at all. I wouldn't speak, wouldn't make eye contact, and so on.

Nowadays I'm actually pretty sociable and I've gotten over a lot of awkwardness and learned to be more confident. I can still only handle crowds for about two hours before I start feeling drained and wanting out of there, and certain high-stress situations (staying with the in-laws anyone?) still make me pretty anxious, but I can honestly say I've come a long way, to the point that I actually enjoy being around people.

backslashbaby said:

I always come up 50-50 on the Myers-Briggs. And it's true! I love people and going out and having fun, and I also need my alone time at different times (and quite often).

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The Myer-Briggs test is very consistent. I always come up as an INFJ no matter which test I do, and the description is very accurate for me. I especially love this line: "Usually self-expression comes more easily to INFJs on paper, as they tend to have strong writing skills."

Any other INFJ's out there? Apparently we make up only 1-3% of the population so I can't help feeling a little special

Here's a link to a test for anyone who is interested (it's the Jung Typology test)

What I get from this thread is that bullies frackin' suck. Wow. Just wow. It's so sad to read some of these comments. I was bullied as well and I feel that did contribute to me being an introvert as an adult, but, I also think I was a very introverted child and that might have made me a target for bullying. Kind of a catch 22 there.

I think most writers are introverts. We have to spend a lot of time in our heads when we write and, well, for some of us, we're quite comfortable there.

kaitie said:

I'm a high-functioning introvert, meaning that I've learned to overcome vast amounts of shyness and can now actually do pretty darn well in a crowd.

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Good for you Katie! I'm glad to hear that you set and met these personal goals!

kaitie said:

Nowadays I'm actually pretty sociable and I've gotten over a lot of awkwardness and learned to be more confident....

...but I can honestly say I've come a long way, to the point that I actually enjoy being around people.

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I'm also fairly certain that you are not implying that any of the rest of us introverts who haven't reached your goals are any less confident or any less functioning!

I'm kinda satisfied with the introvert I am,
-as I'm sure- many of us are as well. =)

JustJas said:

The Myer-Briggs test is very consistent. I always come up as an INFJ no matter which test I do, and the description is very accurate for me. I especially love this line: "Usually self-expression comes more easily to INFJs on paper, as they tend to have strong writing skills."

Any other INFJ's out there? Apparently we make up only 1-3% of the population so I can't help feeling a little special

Here's a link to a test for anyone who is interested (it's the Jung Typology test)

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Yup, I'm an INFJ. I love that test. Not to derail, it's really fun to take it as one of your characters. The answers are always so spot on!