Different Types of Writers

Last updated Nov 26, 2025 by Simon Späti

Here I collect the different types of writer I came across so far.

# Two Types of Writers

There are at least two types of writers:

The one that outlines first, and then fills in the information
1. This is the The Architect
The one that has a vague idea of what to write about, maybe a title, and then goes with the flow and sees where it takes him/her
1. Like Stephen King, having fun on exploring. This is The gardener to Brandon Sanderson in The Tim Ferriss Show. See also more in Type of Notetakers

# Writing Process

My Writing Process and everyones writer, see How I Write (Podcast), writes differently. Check out mine summarized here in Knowledge Management in the Digital Age: From Zettelkasten to Startup Owner | Obsidian Workflow as presented as part of My Gigs.

# What’s Your Choice?

How do you write? What’s your medium (paper, Markdown, proprietary format)?

What Archetypes of Notetakers are you, an architect, gardener, or librarian? What app do you use? What keyboard? What font?

It might not make all the difference on its own, but together it does. Choose wisely.

# Different Notes and Notetakers

There are also other Type of Notes that can be written and other Type of Notetakers. Which might help to organize your knowledge.

I think it’s important to have a place where you store your knowledge (notes from books, insights you read online, ideas, etc.) that can help you when you write too.