Conscientious Behavior and Writers

Some psychologists organize personalities into five groups: agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism and openness.  Each group has other facets. Agreeableness includes trust and altruism. Neuroticism features aspects of anxiety and impulsiveness.  Obviously, traits tend to blend into a complex mixture that defines a personality.

Personalities develop in childhood but are not set for life. Changes occur with age and circumstances that bring out different parts of a personality.

Patrick L. Hill, a psychology researcher at the University of Illinois and his colleagues, published a study that suggests conscientiousness may have cognitive benefits. If a person has self-control and is organized, both attributes of conscientiousness,  his or her cognitive functioning may withstand the effects of age and disease on the brain better than someone who lacks those qualities.

How does the concept of conscientiousness affect a writer's life?

A writer needs self-discipline to focus on and complete projects. A conscientious personality handles stress on a different level because of the ability to problem solve. Creativity and humor are also necessary traits.

For a writer, determination and reliability involve preparing daily writing plans and sticking to them. Setting one's own schedule and following though encourages the development of organizational skills.

Feelings of self-esteem help a writer grow from the inside out. Also necessity for progress, writers require support from family, friends and writing groups.

Examine traits to describe your complex writing self. What do you perceive as your writer's personality?  Do you have a mixture of neuroticism and conscientiousness?  Are you agreeable and extraverted?  In what ways have you changed from childhood to now?