Why do writers tend to be anti-social and isolate themselves?

Question

I'm a writer and I often find myself not wanting to be around even my best friends. I know of a few other writers who are like this as well? Why does it happen?

Answer 1

I think it might be so you keep whats in your mind and not let it be altered or swayed by the people or events around you. Keep your train of thought so to speak.

Just my thought.

Take care

Answer 2

I think it is because writers like to think, that way they know EXACTLY what to write

Answer 3

"Why do anything else when you could be writing?" I think that's the feeling.

Answer 4

If you were a genuine writer you wouldn´t be asking questions in this forum but I think most writers( authors) don´t want people to be asking them anything about their work.

Answer 5

I think it is because that you can't reveal your writer abilities while you are socializing, I'm not writer myself but when I'm drawing I find it hard to draw when I'm around other people that's why to able to draw I create me times or wait till everybody is not around much which makes me to become more of an anti-social.

Answer 6

I'm also a writer and i know that i like to be alone because it gives me a chance to think, and to gather my thoughts on different subjects. I think that writers just tend to think through things differently; maybe, you could say they over think some things, or just think about somethingfrom differentrent perspective.

Answer 7

I feel the same way.

I don't know if every writer on the face of the earth is anti social, but I am.

For me, there is more than one reason.

1) I can't seem to get my mind off what I was writing before I left the house. I think about it constantly, like a movie replaying itself in my head without a pause button.

2) (probably unrelated) I feel like I'm on a different wavelength than my friends. They're all out talking about their favorite TV shows, and what they'll do that weekend. I'm sitting there thinking about the best way to phrase a sentence. It's kind of hard to connect with them.

3) I'm always thinking. If not about my writing, then about something else. I always write in my mind, putting everything I see into words, analyzing everyone, noticing every detail of how they react. I've always had trouble "fitting in." I observe. It's hard to be social when you're mind is far away.

So basically, I think most writers simply can't get their mind off of writing. I know that writing has occupied every corner of my mind for as long as I can remember. It can be hard to focus on real life when there is something else going on inside your head, and when everything you see makes you think.

Answer 8

i've realized this too and i know at least for me i slowly get drawn into the story and the longer it's just me and this story, the more i feel as if i can watch the characters and i'm writing what i can see them doing... that may sound crazy but haha i like it it really improves the way i write

Answer 9

It's simply the nature of the beast. Writing pretty much demands isolation, due to the creative process. It's a lot of work being creative, and focus is important. Hence, we need less distractions than social butterflies.

Answer 10

Hard to explain, but I think it's because you are looking from the outside in, and analyzing a situation, and then providing some sort of commentary, it's hard for you to actually join in and be a part of what's going on. It naturally isolates you..

I'm a stand up comic and i often feel the same way.. and so do most of my comic friends.. i hadn't thought that it might apply to writers, but it makes sense!

Answer 11

   I think that most writers are thinkers. We live inside our heads. The outside world is just a strange place to most  of us. How can you think properly when everyone around you is yakking  away--invading your space. I like it that way.  

Answer 12

We can make up a more interesting world in which we can control everything in it when we sit at home and write, it's so much better than real life. I;ve also read that over 75% of writers have some kind of diagnosable mental disorder.