Sometimes the strongest person in the room isn't the one at the head of the table, the one shouting, the one at the center of everyone's attention.
Sometimes the strongest person is the quiet one, listening, learning, studying everyone else.
Sometimes the strongest person is the one who doesn't join in the drama that never solves a problem but looks good to others.
Sometimes the strongest person is the one who seems to do everything for others, forsaking their own needs.
Strength comes from knowing who you are, where you want to go, what you want to accomplish then getting there. It comes from knowing who you should include in your journey and who you should leave out.
I'm in the process right now of creating the main character of my next series of books and the above quote is a great clue to the enigma that is Vivienne. Like Carrie in Burnouts and Steve in Popstars she is somewhat of an antihero. Her natural place is not at the center of attention. But Vivienne is a little older than the other two characters and much more secure in her introversion. She may not have a clear vision of exactly what she wants from life (in the first book), but she is confident in her skills and abilities.
I love that her strengths are the opposite of the classic (and obvious) definition of strong. Vivienne is the quiet girl who is easily overlooked. She's the willing ear for office gossip, the team supporter who bakes brownies for the Monday staff meeting, the girlie-girl in the pink sweater and lace. She's the dark horse in the race to the top who surprises everyone, except herself, when she's presented first prize then walks away from the cheering crowd to find her next challenge.
But it's also Vivienne's introverted nature that I hope isn't overlooked by readers. There is a temptation to create an over-the-top character that stands out in the crowd. There is a definite risk in pinning an eight-book series on the power of quiet. But, like Vivienne, I can't walk away from the challenge. All I can do is let you, my readers, get to know her as well as I have and hopefully fall in love the beguiling nature of a powerful introvert.
Labels: #amwriting #IndieAuthor #mondayblogs #wwwblogs, #introvert
