12 Reasons Why Introverts Make Great Writers
Introverts make excellent writers. In fact, famous writers like Ernest Hemingway and John Green are introverted. Swiss psychiatrist and author Carl Jung, whose ideas were used to create the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, was also a self-proclaimed introvert.
When you ask people to describe writers, many might list traits common in introverted individuals. There’s no denying that introverts and writing go hand in hand. It seems like writing comes naturally to introverts, although it’s a skill they must learn like everyone else.
Why is it that introverts make great writers? In the article below, we’ll share twelve reasons why introverts make excellent writers.
1. Introverts enjoy working alone.
Writing requires a lot of alone time to get work done. Since introverts prefer working alone, any work that allows solitary effort will be a huge plus for them. This doesn’t mean extroverts are automatically bad writers, but the amount of time spent alone won’t be a problem for introverts, who are drained by social interactions.
Introverts often do their best thinking when they’re alone, which is a good thing for introverts who write. Studies show that writing uses a lot of mental energy because it uses the whole brain. While extroverts are energized by time with other people, introverts are energized by alone time.
This doesn’t mean that writing won’t be exhausting, but it does mean that introverts are better equipped with the energy they need to focus on writing.
2. Introverts love to read.
Most introverts have a passion for reading. As children, many introverts are called “bookworms” because of their high appetite for reading and other solitary activities. One of the most important traits for writers is a love of reading.
There’s something about reading a lot that helps writers sharpen their craft. Reading helps them increase their vocabulary, observe story building, and get a glimpse at the inner workings of a piece of writing.
When a person reads more, they’re better prepared to write. Their writing will improve as they observe things they like and dislike about the things they read. Reading can also stretch them to try new styles of writing they hadn’t considered before.
We talked to one introvert who recently wrote and published a biography about a friend’s dad. She typically reads several memoirs or biographies a week, making her an expert of sorts when it comes to that genre. When she started writing this biography, she drew on the wealth of knowledge about the genre to organize stories in a way that would appeal to readers.
3. Most introverts find it easier to write than to speak.
Introverts love written communication. During verbal conversations, they must think on their feet and respond quickly or risk getting lost in the conversation. With written communication, they have time to thoughtfully put together their ideas without feeling like they’ve committed some sort of social faux pas.
All too often, extroverts assume that since an introvert is quiet in person, they have nothing to say. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Most introverts have minds full of things just waiting to get out. Writing, fortunately, gives them an outlet for all their ideas.
We talked to one introvert who said it was often easier for him to have important conversations through online messages or email. It allowed him to put together his thoughts and communicate them with others. Because of this, he’s sharpened his skill as a writer over the years (even if he doesn’t formally write anything).
4. Introverts have great attention to detail.
Most of the work of writing is in editing. Introverts tend to have a great eye for small details. They’re the ones most likely to find typos or other errors in books. This attention to detail makes them exceptional writers, since writing involves stringing together a series of tiny details.
This doesn’t only come through when they’re editing their work. Their attention to detail impacts the level of detail they include in a story or other piece of written work. Since their minds are constantly working through the hundreds of details they notice every day, their work will naturally reflect the same level of detail.
5. Introverts are constantly thinking.
Introverts flourish in the world of thoughts. Since they spend most of their time thinking, they never have a shortage of ideas. If writing is one of their main interests, the number of ideas they have far outweighs the amount of time they have to write those ideas down.
We talked to one introvert whose childhood best friend was also an introvert. When they’d have sleepovers, the two of them would stay up all night talking about story ideas they had. They were never short on ideas, so it’s no surprise that both ended up writing professionally in adulthood.
Introverts don’t just think about writing while they write, but while they go about other tasks. They may be running to the store for groceries or taking a walk, but their minds are overflowing with ideas for their writing projects.
6. Introverts are the masters of introspection.
Throughout history, writers have inserted themselves into the stories they write. Introverts spend so much time thinking about their feelings and motivations that it’s only natural that those things spill out onto the page.
Introverts have a high level of self-awareness. Because of this, introverts who write fiction tend to write characters with well-developed emotional lives. The characters’ inner dialogues and personal motivations can often mirror aspects of the author’s own experience.
This isn’t just true of introverted fiction writers. Nonfiction writers (like the writer who wrote this article) often draw on their own experience to inspire their writing. Even if they don’t explicitly use the thoughts and emotions on their mind, those inner workings heavily influence the finished piece of writing.
7. Many introverts enjoy writing as a hobby.
You don’t have to be a novelist to be a writer. Many introverts develop a love of writing as children, often in the pages of a personal journal. Journaling is often an outlet for them to process all the thoughts and emotions they’re having.
When introverts develop an early love of journaling, they usually end up branching out into other kinds of writing. Many find that they’re pretty good at putting words on the page. If they get external praise for their words (from parents or teachers), this only reinforces their desire to spend time writing.
If you’re an introvert who wants to rediscover your love of journaling, we have a great guide about the benefits of journaling for introverts. For many introverts, writing with a pen and paper is a huge part of the experience. If that sounds like you, we recommend this journal for writing down your thoughts.
When you love something, you’ll spend more time doing it. When you spend more time writing, you get better at it. This is why an introvert’s love of writing as a hobby often translates into their skill later on.
8. Introverts are often very creative.
No matter what genre of writing you enjoy, creativity is a huge part of the process. Even for introverts who like writing informational articles, organizing ideas and phrasing things just right takes a lot of creativity. Since introverts are stimulated by spending time alone, the work of imagination often comes naturally to them.
While there are college courses and writing workshops designed to help people with creative writing, creativity cannot really be taught. It can be fostered and encouraged to grow, but it’s hard to teach creativity to someone who doesn’t have the desire to be creative.
Most introverts will have at least one creative hobby. While some may gravitate toward art or crochet, others enjoy writing as their creative outlet. Since they’re so full of ideas, they’re often brimming with the creativity they need to write well.
9. Introverts observe the world around them.
Introverts don’t just think about things that directly impact them. When they go out, they observe details about the world around them. They notice how people act, what they wear, and how inanimate objects appear. While many of these details are quickly forgotten, many end up pouring out into their writing.
Alexis M. Smith’s novella, Glaciers, follows an introverted library employee’s life for a single day. Smith details the young woman’s thoughts and encounters, giving readers an in-depth look at the inner workings of an introvert’s mind.
This charming book details what introverts already know: they notice things more often than extroverts notice things. The constant work of observation becomes an asset to their writing, allowing them to achieve a level of detail and realism that pushes their writing skill to the next level.
10. Introverts understand people.
A study by Social Psychology found that introverts tend to be better at reading social interactions than their extroverted counterparts. As the point above explained, introverts are constantly observing the world around them. This includes social interactions, which makes them experts on human interactions and behavior.
Introverts are usually stereotyped as socially inept recluses who don’t understand other people. However, this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. While it’s true that they tend to be quieter, choosing to think before they speak, they often have a firm understanding of what motivates other people.
That’s why introverts are often able to write characters from other backgrounds and motivations. Since they spend so much time observing other people, it’s easier for them to draw from those observations to create compelling fictional characters.
11. Introverts are often very empathetic.
Since introverts are so good at observing other people, they are often very empathetic. Empathy for others makes a writer more skilled, since the writer can more easily imagine themselves in the shoes of people with very different personalities from their own.
Their empathy makes it easier to write hard-hitting, emotionally charged scenes in fictional stories. They don’t have to be a supervillain motivated by a need for revenge to be able to write a character with that backstory. It’s easy for introverts to imagine themselves in the shoes of another person, even if that person is fictional.
An introvert’s empathy isn’t just an asset in fictional writing. No one wants to read an article written by someone who is clearly disconnected to the issues at hand. With so many topics that require a delicate touch, it’s no wonder that empathetic introverts thrive while doing this kind of writing.
12. Introverts have a huge vocabulary.
Since introverts are usually avid readers, they develop a big vocabulary. This allows them to write things in a precise way. Their love of language allows them to use the best words to describe things, giving their writing an edge over the competition.
However, it’s important for introverts to remember that even though they know a word, it may not be the right word for a particular piece of writing. In his memoir, On Writing, Stephen King reflects on his annoyance that some writers use long words to dress up a piece of writing when shorter words would fit better.
When introverts develop their writing skills, their large vocabulary allows them to describe things in concise, yet understandable, terms. Their large vocabulary allows them to tell stories and deseminate information in fresh and exciting ways.
When they use interesting words that most readers will readily understand, they’re able to breathe new life into their writing. People love to read things that are worded well, which is why an introvert’s vocabulary is such an asset to their writing abilities.