Writer Confessions: 66 Days of Play, Weeks 5 & 6: Play Personalities

Hi Merworld friends. A pattern has emerged during Weeks 5 & 6 of 66 Days of Play. My pastimes have coalesced around a handful of endorphin-boosting activities, namely: writing, dancing, and reading. Other entertainment such as yoga, swimming, singing, and movies make the list as well but with less intensity of passion. Varying degrees of obsession aside, it struck me as curious that the hobbies I gravitate toward seem to be focused on movement and imagination.

To further validate this revelation, I went back to the source where I started this journey and re-read through the National Institute of Play website. Turns out, most people favor a certain “Play Personality,” that is, a category or two of activities that most ignite positive emotions. I skimmed the list of eight archetypes and immediately resonated with the following two:

1. The Kinesthete – Play through movement. Different from playing sports for the joy of competition, it seems this Play Personality appreciates an active lifestyle simply for the joy of stretching and moving their bodies. This explains why my happiest memories are dancing, swimming, hiking, kayaking, etc. It also explains why I feel like a caged zoo animal when I spend too much time at my desk job.
3. The Storyteller – Play through imagination. Aside from the obvious writing and novelist angle most applicable to me, I was surprised to learn that Storytellers also enjoy performing – an activity I used to enjoy but have long since retired.
   
   Bonus Tip: Singing seems to fall naturally in the Storyteller category which is a win-win for me because, 1) I adore signing; and 2) singing stimulates the vagus nerve, a key part of the parasympathetic “rest and digest” nervous system that helps with relaxation. See article, “Sing in the Shower to Make Friends with your Vagus Nerve” for this and other relaxation pointers.

So, now that you know my Play Personalities, I won’t give you a daily run down of my 66 Days of Play activities this time. Instead, here’s a quick update on the general well-being of my primary wellness activity.

• Writing Update: Book 2 in my YA fantasy series is coming along nicely. Much like the first novel, Ice Floe, our heroine, Glacia, embarks on an adventure filled with mystery, romance, and a healthy dose of resistance. New to the series, this book introduces additional human and mermaid characters. You’ll explore the Merworld in an expanded, vibrant way with new mercreatures who exhibit some of the quirky and impressive traits of real-world sea life. Think mercreatures with built-in poisons and electricity. Predator instincts and crazy fast strike-speeds. Basically, any skill or defense mechanism in the real ocean is up for mermaid-ification in my novels. Add in a little creative licensing and…VOILA…improved fantasy Merworld coming your way. Can’t wait to share Book 2 with you! I’ll keep plugging away on the manuscript.

Until next time, Merworld. You flipping rock!

~Melissa