A Nosey Old Lady Writer
I'm a people-loving introvert, luckily that is a great configuration when writing fiction.
As a writer, I live on the periphery. I’m an observer of actors and action, the collector and curator of experiences that are rarely mine alone. It’s a solitary, strangely invasive kind of pursuit and it doesn’t suit everyone but I love it.
I’m an introvert and, although I find people an endless source of fascination and inspiration, it has been difficult for me to find my place in the scheme of things that we generally call reality.
Becoming a writer was like coming home. When I discovered that my place in the world, where I fit in, is all wrapped up in ‘not fitting in’—it was like sinking into a favorite chair.
I’ve always known I prefer the sidelines to being at the center of attention but finding a place where that’s a feature, not a bug has been liberating.
The power of the introvert
It’s generally accepted that most writers are introverts; while extroverts seek out human interaction, we prefer our own company and keep our social circles tight.
Not that all introverts shy away from drama, some of us prefer to live our inner life up close to the extrovert action.
As a community organizer, I worked with activists who varied in style. Some marched, punching the air with slogans demanding change, while others walked quietly alongside taking in the atmosphere.
I soon learned that loud voices are great for attracting attention but it’s the quiet people, the wonky nerdy types, that do the heavy lifting of making progress happen.
Change is a creative process and it benefits from detailed observation, asking questions, and thoughtful reflection. Much like in writing, a nuanced understanding of the situation leads to richer, more robust results.
While the air-punchers can write their truth as a slogan, those of us watching quietly from the sidelines have to write stories to capture the full depth and breadth of ours.
An under-rated superpower
Although I hadn’t always wanted to be a writer, I have always relished being in the thick of life and I have a long history of people-watching. (I try not to be too sleazy about it.)
Working in service roles provides an invisibility cloak for those whose job it is to help others.
I worked as a hospital nurse, in various roles in the hospitality industry, and as an administrative assistant. In those careers, it was my job to place myself next to the action and pay attention.
To be effective, I had to notice details that were often highly personal without getting in the way of the spotlight or what needed to happen next.
My life is quieter these days and I potter around looking like someone’s mom. It’s a superpower I embrace—it leaves me free to go about my writerly life in stealth mode and anyone who notices dismisses me as just another nosey old lady.
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This story is abridged from an article I wrote for The Writers Cooperative on Medium.
If you are a Medium subscriber, read it HERE
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