Why Are Writers Strange?
~ Jeff Goins
Last night, I finally got around to seeing the movie Saving Mr. Banks. A short synopsis is that it's the story behind the anguished author of Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers. Great movie. Freak of an author. Which raises the question: why are writers so weird? What is it that causes such eccentricities?
I think it's a mixed cocktail of imagination and a set of filters that are a grade too wide. Creative types sometimes say exactly what they're thinking, and often that's way different than what others are thinking. But again, that begs the question why?
Scientific Answer:
According to neuroscientist Nancy C. Andreasen, creative people are open to new experiences, have a high level of tolerance for ambiguity, and their approach to life enables them to perceive things in a fresh and novel way. This is opposed to the average Joe Schmoe who generally "quickly responds to situations based on what they have been told by people in authority, while creatives live in a more fluid and nebulous world."
Psychologically, writers often live in two worlds: the real one and the other that is a repository for their creative ides. Being able to escape reality--which yes, could be construed as psychotic--is actually an advantageous necessity.
My Answer:
Writers are freaks.
