I'm an introverted writer who likes being social

What to do when you have the need to hide away to write, yet have friends you'd like to see at the same time? How does a writer juggle it all?! We writers are stereotyped as the person who hides in their room, sits at their computer, smoking, drinking, hiding. But are we all like that? Maybe that's way too much like JD Salinger who supposedly spent the last 40 years of his life in almost total seclusion. But the writers I know, don't seem to be such social pariahs. Alas, we do need to find time to write and put our writing first. So it's the subtle dance of finding time to write along with finding time to socialize and come out into the world. I know for me, I think I used to think I owed friends and family my time. Like if I wasn't spending time with them or making the rounds, they'd think I didn't care. But more recently I realized that being true to myself and my passion and art was actually more important than worrying about everyone else's needs. So even though I have found myself being less social and writing a lot more, which makes me happy, I do find that I miss making time for the other things I enjoyed, like friends. So what's a writer to do? Well, for me, I just remind myself that yes, I might not be seeing friends as much, but my writing career is benefiting from being more recluse. Plus, I do have a husband and child, so it's not like I don't have any social contact. I am also a gym rat and visit the gym five days a week. So I do get to chat with my other gym rat friends at least almost every morning. On occasion, that doesn't seem to be enough and I find myself getting cranky around the hubby and my son and that's when I know I've been holed up too much and it's time for some girlfriend time. It's a hard balance fitting it all in. Being a writer can be a lonely job. I've had people who don't really get what it means to be a writer and they'll say, "That's so exciting!" And since I've yet to work on a set yet, I say, "No, not so much. But it makes me happy." And that's what matters. So, alas, I'll be home writing tonight, being anti-social but happy at the same time. And summer is fast approaching so I'll be very social with my son out of school and making plans with his friends and other moms. And as social as I will be, I'm sure I'll be longing from my solitude when I can hole myself up and join my other friends we like to call, "characters" in screenplays.