Why Being an Introverted Makes It Hard for Anyone Being an Artist

There's this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/20/introverts-signs-am-i-introverted_n_3721431.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003&ir=Books.

What is this? "I can't click the link." "I think it might be spam." It's a new article from the Huffington Post called "23 Signs You're Secretly An Introvert."

It's absolutely right...about introverts...about me. It's no surprise to anyone who has met me that I'm a bit of an introvert. "Why don't you like parties, Martin?" Look at number 2 or 3. When I'm at a small group gathering, say 5-8, I'm perfectly happy, social, etc. Hell, I may be ribald and interesting At a large party, hell no. I'm in this mode of "these people are talking about stuff that sound stupid."

"You're pretentious." Look at number 5, "You're too intense." Do I have a penchant for thought provoking movies, books, music, etc? Oh hell yeah and I ramble on this with a genuine interest that most mistake as faux interest and therefore pretension.

"Why don't you want to go to this audience participation improv show?" Number 13; hell for me is a performance requiring audience participation. The worst professional show I've even been a part of (literally) was in Austin, Texas for Rude Mechanicals. If you are an attractive lady that enjoys audience participation you are ugly to me.

It's interesting for me to read this article today. I've always known I'm a bit of an introvert. Contrary to my writing, I'm reasonably anti-social, perfectly content with watching a movie marathon in a theater (see number 7). Yet, I read this article after reading some old stuff I've written in the past and it led me to thinking (intensely) about what I said in my old stuff in regards to confidence.

Per my last few posts I've been working on a spec pilot script. I'm also doing some pre-planning on a one act draft I had in my senior year of university. I did three drafts, but I want to fine tooth it even more for a one act contest in New Orleans. I started reading into some old poems (because I'm trying to get more poems written by the end of the year) and also my old senior thesis. My thesis isn't impressive, but it brought up an interesting quote: "Being a writer or an artist is 75% confidence." Well I don't need quotations because I'm paraphrasing, but I'll leave it.

The truth is that art, creating art, writing, etc, requires confidence. It requires a willingness to showcase what you do, can do, to other people. Art isn't art if it isn't shown to someone. Art only becomes art when it is engaged with someone taking it in. "The Son" by Philipp Meyer isn't a work of art until someone reads it (like I am and enjoying it...shameless promotion).

This poses a problem for many aspiring artists and creative types who are coincidentally introverts. Most of us that are introverted have little confidence, overthink, and end up not going through with showing our work. If we want to do art as a living, there's a hierarchy that requires penetrating. That requires small talk (number 1 in the article), shameless self-promotion and networking (number 4).

We, introverts, often have friends who post pictures of themselves on facebook of them at parties, looking carefree, posting about new opportunities coming their way, talking about their new trips to the beach where they have the hand on their hip and smiling. There's an equal amount of envy I have as well as a critical eye due to a perceived psychopathy among these individuals (which isn't often really psychopathy).

Those are the kind of individuals that end up in MFA programs when they are in their twenties, and the ones who live in Portland, Brooklyn, and end up getting published, getting in plays, etc. We don't...always.

There are several writers, artists, etc, who are introverts that make it. It's not impossible. It just requires a hell of alot more effort. We live in a society that favors extroverts and it's easy to withdraw from the world and reject them.

Now, many are going to read this article and immediately see this as me whining like the poon I seem. I've been working on my introverted disposition. My trip to South America seemed to elevate me more than anything. It's true that I'm easily distracted, which leads me to not be so focused on my work. It's true that I can take a day without being seemingly productive and enjoy it compared to someone who makes "To Do Lists" and reads McCovey's "Seven Habits of Highly Successful People." Yet, I put dedication in my writing and work. I send my work to journals and don't give into depression after being rejected. Hell I got a poem published in "Deep South Magazine." Since I've come back from my trip I've been stepping up my presence on the internet through the promotion of this blog, through using twitter to promote my writings, to uploading my writings into "Scrib'd," etc.

Yet it is a struggle many of you, extroverted, cannot understand. It is a struggle to feel left out of everything yet have very few people who understand what it's like. Instead they cast you out for not drinking with them.

That being said, introverted people need to face their struggle and if you are an artist continue to work and work. As phony as promotion is, nothing good will ever happen until you put your work out there for everyone to see. Eventually the right person will see or hear what you have, and something good will happen. If you give up and reject society though, it won't benefit you or anyone.