The Ten Types of Writers

There are many types of writers.

Wow, that sounded a lot like the first line of a high school research paper, didn't it?

True, though. And I think I've met most of them.

1. Doodler - loves to write short stories, poems, what-have-you for their own personal pleasure and amusement, but has no intention of ever putting them out there to be read.

2. The Talker - loves to talk about being a writer. May or may not actually put things down on paper.

3. The Researchist - the one who goes to all the conventions, conferences, classes to learn how to do it perfectly. Puts more work into research than writing.

4. The Zealot - has to write or shrivel up and cease to exist.

5. The Acrobat - the writer who actually writes, while balancing home, kids, career, etc. The Acrobat, by necessity, moves a little slower than others.

6. The Vacillant - the writer who can't decide what they really want to do- write which story, pick a genre or whether they even want writing as a career.

7. The Defensive Linesman - the writer who does write, and wants to be published, but can't stand to hear a negative word about their manuscript. They'll defend it to the death.

8.The Lackadaisy - the one who wants to BE a writer, but doesn't get around to putting in the work to actually do it.

9. The  Bibliomaniac - one who loves books and reading, who is driven to write that one story they'd like to read that isn't out there yet.

10. The Empiricist - the practical, the one who just simply sits down, writes, edits as necessary, jumps through the publishing hoops, and does what needs to be done to become a published author.

I highly doubt that anyone fits into just one of these categories.  I, for example, am a Vacillant Bibliomaniac Researchist Acrobat. I also know at least one Defensive Linesman Empiricist, though that has got to be the worst possible combination.

There's nothing "wrong" with any of these, if you're comfortable where you are then good for you. But there's also nothing saying that you must stay there. If you are now a Lackadaisy, but want to be an Empiricist - then do it. Nobody else can do it for you, but you can.

So let's hear from you - where do you fit in the writerly scheme of things? Where do you want to be?