Author Archetypes
About
Every author's journey is as unique as the stories they tell. While traditional publishing advice often presents a one-size-fits-all approach, we believe in embracing the beautiful complexity of different creative styles, working methods, and publishing paths.
Think of these Author Archetypes as your personal publishing compass. They're not boxes to confine you, but mirrors to help you understand your natural strengths and potential growth areas. Just as a character can embody multiple traits, you might see yourself reflected in several of these archetypes – and that's exactly how it should be.
We've created this system to help you navigate the publishing resources, courses, and strategies in a way that aligns with your authentic self. Whether you're a research-loving Investigator with a splash of Wizard's manifestation magic, or a spotlight-avoiding Ninja who channels your inner Bard when necessary, understanding your primary and secondary archetypes can help you:
• Choose learning paths that resonate with your style
• Recognize and leverage your natural strengths
• Identify growth opportunities that feel authentic
• Find community with like-minded authors
• Develop strategies that work for YOU
Read through the descriptions below and notice which ones make you think, "Yes, that's so me!" Remember, most authors are a blend of several archetypes, often with 2-3 dominant traits that shift and evolve as they grow in their career.
Your unique combination of archetypes isn't just valid – it's your superpower. Let's discover yours.
Art by Angel Art
Ninja
The Ninja Author glides through the literary world like a shadow, preferring their words to speak louder than their presence. You might be a Ninja if you feel most powerful when your real identity remains veiled, allowing your stories to take center stage without the weight of personal recognition. While others chase the spotlight, you find freedom in the ability to craft bold narratives from behind the safety of a pen name, separating your private life from your public work.
Bard
The Bard is a natural-born promoter who sees every interaction as a chance to share their story-loving spirit with the world. You might be a Bard if you light up at opportunities to connect with readers, whether through engaging social media content, dynamic book signings, creative newsletter campaigns, or innovative cross-promotional partnerships. While others shy away from self-promotion, you recognize marketing as another form of storytelling – one where your book, your author journey, and your unique voice are the main characters. From crafting the perfect elevator pitch to designing memorable swag, you approach the business of books with the same creativity you bring to your writing.
Investigator
The Investigator is a meticulous architect of authenticity, armed with notebooks full of research and a mind hungry for details. You might be an Investigator if you can't write a single scene without first understanding the complete historical context, technical specifications, or real-world mechanics behind your subject matter. While others might sketch a rough outline and dive in, you find your creative flow only after building a foundation of facts, turning research sessions into treasure hunts that often prove as engaging as the writing itself.
Hermit
The Hermit crafts worlds in careful solitude, building treasure chests of stories that remain safely locked away. You might be a Hermit if you feel a deep personal fulfillment in the act of writing itself, but the thought of sharing your work makes your stomach twist. While others race toward publication, you find peace in private creation, your manuscripts becoming intimate companions rather than public offerings. Your desk drawer or hard drive might be filled with completed works – each one a testament to your passion for storytelling, even as they remain your cherished secrets, safe from the scrutiny of outside eyes.
Astronaut
The Astronaut is a fearless genre explorer, refusing to be tethered to a single literary orbit. You might be an Astronaut if you find yourself launching from steamy romance to hard sci-fi, or navigating from cozy mysteries to epic fantasy with the same enthusiastic curiosity. While others build their brand in one genre, you see the entire literary universe as your playground, letting your stories dictate their form rather than forcing them into a predetermined box. Traditional publishing wisdom might suggest picking a lane, but you thrive on the creative freedom of crossing boundaries and discovering new storytelling territories.
Professor
The Professor Author is a passionate student of the craft who delights in sharing the journey with others. You might be a Professor if you find yourself deep-diving into writing techniques, publishing processes, and story structure - not just to improve your own work, but because you can't help sharing these golden nuggets with fellow writers. While crafting your fiction, you weave in layers of meaning that both serve the story and offer deeper insights to readers. Your bookshelves overflow with craft books, and you're often found enthusiastically breaking down story elements in your favorite novels or explaining publishing paths to newer authors. Whether through your blog posts about writing discoveries, your fiction rich with life lessons, or your excited conversations about story architecture, you're always teaching while learning.
Nomad
The Nomad follows the wind of inspiration, wandering through their stories with an adventurer's heart and an explorer's curiosity. You might be a Nomad if outlines make you feel caged, and your best writing happens when you let your characters lead the way. While others map their plots with careful precision, you thrive in the spontaneous journey of discovery, finding magic in those unexpected story turns and character revelations that surprise even you. Your writing sessions might strike at midnight or dawn, wherever and whenever inspiration calls, and your first drafts are less like carefully plotted roads and more like exciting wilderness expeditions.
Wizard
The Wizard harnesses the power of intention and visualization, transforming creative dreams into tangible reality. You are a manifester. You might be a Wizard if you believe in the magic of setting clear goals and using tools like vision boards, affirmations, and mindset work to manifest your writing aspirations. While others focus solely on the tactical aspects of writing, you understand the profound connection between energy, belief, and creative success. Your writing space might be adorned with crystals, inspiring quotes, or carefully chosen talismans, and you approach your author journey with a blend of practical action and spiritual alignment, knowing that success leaves clues and that mindset shapes outcomes.
Apprentice
The Apprentice stands at the beginning of their publishing journey, wide-eyed and eager to learn, yet sometimes overwhelmed by the vast universe of publishing that's slowly revealing itself. You might be an Apprentice if you find yourself frequently saying "Oh, I didn't know that was a thing!" or discovering there's much more to writing a book than just writing a book. While you may have mastered the courage to put words on paper, each step forward unveils new territories - from story structure to query letters, from book formatting to marketing plans. You're like a sponge absorbing information, sometimes excited, sometimes daunted, but always discovering that this craft has more layers than you initially imagined. The hardest part is that you don’t know what you don’t know.
Archivest
The Archivist finds comfort in the familiar routes of publishing, cherishing traditional methods even in the indie space. You might be an Archivist if you prefer proven marketing strategies over trending tactics, stick to classic genre conventions, or feel most confident following established indie publishing paths that others have successfully blazed. While the publishing world constantly evolves with new tools and techniques, you thrive on time-tested approaches - carefully edited manuscripts, professional cover design that follows genre expectations, and marketing methods with proven track records. You might take longer to adopt new platforms or experimental formats, preferring to wait until something has demonstrated its staying power before incorporating it into your author toolkit.
