My natural state is introversion. In fact, it’s probably closer to ambiversion. So when I look around and see other people like me, children’s book authors and illustrators, I don’t feel like I fit in.
I’m not zany. I don’t have an abundance of bottomless energy. I can be silly, and imaginative, but in a quiet way. I look at illustrators playing dress up for kids and others making hilarious faces and being extrovertedly humourous. I think, Is this what kids like? Do the illustrators and authors who do it find it liberating? Is this what ‘works’ for kids? Or is it what works for selling books? Are they linked?
When I think about how I present myself to the world, it’s natural to compare myself to others, we all do it. But even if I try to adopt the zany creator persona, I can’t keep it up for very long, and sure enough, I end up back in my introverted, quiet state.
So, this is me. Quiet. In a world dominated and geared for extroverted people, I’m one of the quiet ones. I’ll build my audience, bit by bit, and connect to the other quiet ones in the world. After all, diversity in all things is important, and the way to present yourself online is no different. After all, Roald Dahl doesn’t have an Instagram account and he’s doing just fine.