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Face it, we've all been the procrastinator at some point before.

Everyone, No Matter How Much You Write, Falls Into A Certain Writer Archetype — Here's Which One You Are

What Kind Of Writer Am I? Quiz

Let's Find Out Which Writer Archetype You Fit Best

You're given a syllabus with all the major writing assignments for the semester, what do you do?

The big midterm paper worth 25% of your grade is due in two weeks...what's your progress?

And when was the last time you wrote something?

Procrastinators avoid writing, putting it off until the last minute. All writers procrastinate sometimes, but procrastinators make a habit of waiting to write until there is only enough time for a final draft.  
**Advantages:**  
1\. are able to write under pressure  
**Disadvantages:**  
1\. have minimal chances of success  
2\. have difficulty managing the writing process efficiently and effectively  
3\. create added stress!

Copyright has expired on this artwork. From my own archives, digitally restored.

The Procrastinator

Heavy planners usually think about ideas and plan their writing so carefully in their heads that their first drafts are often more like other writers’ second or third drafts. As a result, they often spend less time revising than other writers. Some heavy planners write this way because they prefer to; others develop this strategy out of necessity.  
**Advantages:**  
1\. possess great mental discipline  
2\. are efficient writers who spend less time drafting and revising than other writers do  
**Disadvantages:**  
1\. can lose ideas to unexpected interruptions  
2\. are less likely to benefit from the exploration of new ideas that result from extensive drafting and revising

UNITED KINGDOM, CIRCA 1843:  La lettre. Artist b. 1824 d. 1862 (Photo by Abraham Solomon/Fine Art Photographic/Getty Images)

The Planner

Heavy revisers, or tinkers, prefer to find out what they want to say through writing. When faced with a writing task, they prefer to sit at a desk or computer and begin writing. Writing out their ideas in a sustained spurt of activity reassures them that they have something to say and helps them avoid frustration. Heavy revisers typically spend a great deal of time revising their initial drafts. To do so effectively, they must be able to read their work critically and throw out large portions of their first drafts if necessary.  
**Advantages:**  
1\. can write quickly and capture lots of ideas on the page  
2\. can discover new ideas and improve their writing through rereading and rewriting  
**Disadvantages:**  
1\. must be able to critique their writing ruthlessly, cut large sections, or start over if necessary  
2\. must be careful to allow enough time for revision, or the quality of the work may suffer

GERMANY, CIRCA 1888:  In the library. Artist b. 1850 d. 1927 (Photo by Johann Hamza/Fine Art Photographic/Getty Images)

The Tinker

Sequential composers devote equal time to planning, drafting, and revising. Rather than planning their writing mentally, as heavy planners do, sequential composers rely on written notes and plans to shape their ideas. Unlike heavy revisers, they need to have greater control over form and content as they draft. Allotting equal amounts of time to planning, drafting, and revising helps them deal with writing anxieties: generating notes and plans gives them the confidence to begin drafting, and they generally draft more slowly, rereading and revising their writing as they go.  
**Advantages:**  
1\. possess more control over the writing process  
2\. are realistic about the time and effort it takes to manage a writing task effectively  
**Disadvantages:**  
1\. can develop rigid writing habits  
2\. may waste time developing detailed plans when they are ready to write

Vintage engraving of Napoleon Bonaparte at Auxonne, in the Cote-d'Or department in the Burgundy region of eastern France, 1788. From the painting by Francois Flamenc.

The Balancing Act

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Everyone, No Matter How Much You Write, Falls Into A Certain Writer Archetype — Here's Which One You Are

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