You don't have to look far to find people who will tell you writers are strange people. Everyone who knows us, certainly everyone who's married to us, can tell you this with much eye rolling and nodding, for emphasis.
We stare out the window and claim to be working (and this is true), we spend hours staring at a computer monitor, we claim to be listening to our loved ones but are, in fact, on another planet. However, what many people don't realize-- and even writers themselves don't often realize-- is that most of us are hybrids.
The vast majority of careers out there require someone who is right- or left-brained. If you're a left-brained thinker, you are analytical, organized, logical, and sequence-oriented. These folks do well with computers, accounting, math, science, law, and engineering.
Right-brained thinkers, on the other hand, are emotional, creative, social, and intuitive. They make good artists, chefs, salesmen, designers and entertainers.
Most folks think writers are right-brain folks, because we're creative. But guess what? Language, spelling, grammar and reading all fall under the left brain column. Following through, being disciplined, and having a keen eye for detail-- absolute keys to writing success-- are also left-brain traits. Right-brainers are sensitive, daydreamy, and passionate. Hmm... writers need to be those things, too.
So we're actually a blend. If you're too left-brained, you will lack the poetry, romance, and creativity to get swept away in a fictional story. You'll prefer nonfiction and documentaries. But if you're too right-brained, you might be too disorganized ever to outline or finish your story and submit it for sale.
Just for fun, take a few free online tests, and see if you tend to one side or the other. Chances are, you're a hybrid-- just enough of each side to make writing the best career choice for you.
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