In my last three posts, I examined how the Judging/Perceiving, Thinking/Feeling, and Sensing/Intuition dimensions of personality affect our mental energy when we approach a writing project. In this post, I look at the Extraversion/Introversion dimension. This scale measures whether we’re oriented inwardly or outwardly. In a writing project, it affects the environment we prefer to write in.
Extraverts gain energy from the outside world of people, objects, and events. They develop their ideas by talking with others. Extraverts tend to enjoy active and even noisy environments. They prefer to jump into the writing project and experiment with different approaches. They might use a conversational style during their first draft, which they may need to modify as appropriate for the subject matter. During revision, they require a quiet environment so they can focus on the task without distraction.
Introverts gain energy from the internal world of thoughts, concepts, and reactions. They prefer to begin a project by contemplating their ideas in a quiet environment. While conducting research, they may pause often to consider how the material relates to their project. They will likely jot down ideas and construct a rough outline in their head before they begin the first draft. Introverts are generally able to concentrate deeply and block out distractions. However, they don’t like interruptions when they’re lost in thought, so they work best in an isolated spot. During revision, introverts should seek feedback from a peer to ensure that what’s on paper (or the computer screen) accurately reflects what’s in their head.
Image courtesy of trublueboy.
Sources:
The Art of Dialogue by Carolyn Zeisset
Writing and Personality by John K. DiTiberio and George H. Jensen
Related posts:
Energy to Write: Judgment vs. Perception
Energy to Write: Thinking vs. Feeling
Energy to Write: Sensing vs. Intuition
Write with Personality 