3 Struggles of the Introverted Writer

How can you be a talented writer and yet find it so hard to be successful at your craft?

Famous physicist and introvert Hawking states that “quiet people have the loudest minds.”

And a lot of these quiet people are introverts.

And while you usually won’t hear introverts spouting their feelings aloud, it doesn’t mean they are shallow or simple-minded.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Though introverts may often seem aloof or averse to conversation, the truth is many times they’re having inner conversations with themselves.

While others are ruminating about life through dialoguing with others, introverts spend this time inwardly contemplating the complexities of the world and the people in it.

And this obsession with understanding the universe lends itself to significant insights that make introverts wonderful writers.

However, while this gift makes it easy for introverts to write, it also makes it much harder to do other things necessary to a writer’s success.

Here are three of the most common struggles the introvert faces in the highly competitive industry of writing.

Introverts struggle more than most with imposter syndrome

An article entitled “How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome as Writer” defines imposter syndrome in its simplest terms.

“In a nutshell, imposter syndrome is a mental pattern of self-doubt. You have this nagging feeling in the back of your mind that if people ever looked too closely, they’d realize that you have no idea what you’re doing.”

And if you ask a lot of writers why they suffer from imposter syndrome, they’ll tell you they doubt whether or not they are talented enough to be good writers.

But for most introverts, this is not the type of imposter syndrome with which they struggle.

For example, many introverts know instinctively that they have writing talent because introverts are usually highly intuitive. Still, they often wrestle with feeling fraudulent when they write things they perceive as inauthentic or misleading.

Those viral listicles that get so much attention? The articles that say “Do These 3 Things and It Will Repair Your Marriage,” or “Everyone Can Be Successful If They Avoid These 4 Huge Mistakes”?

Most introverts hate writing these things.

And the reason for this writing hurdle is that introverts possess great self-awareness. Very Well Mind elaborates on this quality of the introvert, saying:

“Introverts tend to enjoy simply thinking about and examining things in their own minds. Self-awareness and self-understanding is important to introverts, so they often devote a great deal of time to learning more about themselves.”

In other words, introverts spend a lot of time figuring out the “why’s” and “how’s” of life. And what they understand through this contemplation is that nothing is as simple as people make it out to be.

And the irony is that even though introverted writers often find it difficult to dole out guidance, they often have the best advice because they subscribe to Greek philosopher Diogenes’ belief that “we have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.”

And those who listen first and talk later are often wiser than the majority of people.

But the clickbait headlines that make the most money by playing on people’s desires? The ones that make struggling readers think true happiness can be found in three steps?

When introverts write these things, they feel like liars. So it takes a lot of time for introverts to write self-help that feels authentic and honest, rather than all-knowing.

This often puts them at a disadvantage in the writing world because the truth is readers often want quick fixes, so while other writers hand out “band-aids” as cures, introverts shy away from the very technique that could be bringing them profit.

Introverts struggle with self-promotion

In the writing world today, the skill of self-promotion is almost as important as the quality of a person’s writing.

Writers tweet, market, and seek higher and higher follower counts because they know more eyes on them means more eyes on their work.

But for the introvert, the spotlight is a very daunting place to be.

Harvard Business Review explains the struggle introverts often face in the workplace:

“In a culture where the typical meeting resembles a competition for loudest and most talkative, where the workspace is open, and desks are practically touching, and where high levels of confidence, charisma, and sociability are the gold standard, introverts often feel they have to adjust who they are to ‘pass.’”

And for introverted writers hoping to gain audiences for their writing, “putting themselves out there” is extremely stressful, so much so that many avoid promotion at all.

For example, here are the wide range of negative feelings that self-promotion causes in the introvert:

• More angst over imposter syndrome.

The introvert thinks, “Who am I to boast about my accomplishments when I know the truth about my shortcomings?” So once again, self-promotion makes the introvert feel deceitful, like a snail oil salesman trying to manipulate readers into believing they are something they’re not.

• Anxiety

The Huff Post explains the angst that an introvert feels when he or she attempts to network through social channels and public exposure saying:

“Networking might be the closest thing to hell for an introvert.”

And even though face-to-face networking is the greatest source of apprehension, simple networking such as engaging in online conversations and tweeting to bolster reading audiences can make introverted writers extremely uneasy.

• Embarrassment

It takes a certain amount of confidence for any writer to openly display their image and proclaim their talents and achievements to others. And it takes even more mental toughness to make yourself the center of attention.

This challenge is especially difficult for the introverted writer.

For example, I got an email from an old friend who told me she follows me and reads all my articles. Even though she was full of praise, it took me a whole week to get over the embarrassment that she had read my articles.

The article “Introvert Social Needs and Preferences” explains that feelings like this are common for many introverts. They state:

“Introverts tend to be quiet and subdued. They dislike being the center of attention, even if the attention is positive. It’s not surprising, then, that introverts don’t brag about their achievements or knowledge. In fact, they may know more than they’ll admit.”

It details that introverts may even try to “dumb down” achievements to avoid looking like persons who put themselves on pedestals or exalt their abilities in front of others.

Introverts dislike controversy and conflict

An article entitled “The Petty Personality — PsychTests’ Study Reveals Why Certain People Tend to Pick Fights” mentions that some people seem to have “an amazing superpower that allows them to see insults where there aren’t any or uncover villains who seem determined to ruin their day.”

And many writers seem to have the superpowers described above.

And why wouldn’t they?

Picking fights is profitable. This is why many writers make their living by stirring up conflict in a world of people who often find it stimulating to pit their opinions against another.

And it seems the more emotionally volatile the topic, the more quickly some writers run to it.

However, these writers know controversy comes with a cost: a slew of negative commentary from audiences who disagree with their point of view.

And it’s worth it to many writers because bashing means reads, and reads mean bucks.

To most introverts, though, these written thrashings aren’t worth the dollar bills they bring in.

The two main reasons for this?

• Most introverts are conflict-avoidant.

Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, states that the advice other writers give introverted writer friends to “come out of [their] shell” and embrace the writing revenue that comes from “stirring the pot” are wasting their time. She states, “Some animals carry shelter everywhere they go, and…some humans are just the same.”

And introverts carry shells. Most are extremely sensitive, and biology has proven that introverts become overstimulated by emotionally charged environments, especially when they are the target of others’ outrage.

• Most introverts are peacemakers.

The World Counts adds a psychological reason some introverted writers stay away from heated topics. They use the enneagram to explain that most introverts are by nature peacemakers.

The American Journal of Psychiatry defines the enneagram as “a personality theory describing nine strategies by which the psyche develops a world view and relates to self and others.”

They go on to mention that “each of the nine “types has a basic fear, basic desire, and predictable behavior pattern in times of stress and security — all of which shape motivations underlying behavior.”

And most introverts fall under type nine, a type labeled “the Peacemaker.” This type desires to “keep themselves insulated from a world where chaos is ever-present” and are “gentle peace-loving people [who] would like nothing more than to maintain a harmonious environment.”

So it makes perfect sense that introverted writers would rather put out the flames than fan the fire, even if this means less money in their pocket or less prestige in the writing world.

The bottom line:

Mahatma Gandhi says, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”

And what introverted writers need to remember is that many readers need the lessons they have learned from a life spent doing more observing and less talking.

They need a wise voice that speaks humbly to them, urging them to look inside for answers rather than looking outwards to others who may not understand who they truly are.

They need someone to help them find peace instead of falling prey to a world that thrives on drama.

And, dear introvert, your words can do these things. So don’t be afraid to use your gifts to change others’ lives.

Oh, and while we’re talking introvert to introvert, it wouldn’t hurt us both to try to poke our heads out of ours shells more often.

Readers want to know the person behind the words, and the truth is that means they need to see us now and again.

And after we give them a few glimpses of who we are, we can then retreat into our shells and spend more time figuring out how to give people the truths they want and need to hear.