Is it possible for a writer to be an extrovert? To clarify that question, I need to explain how I'm using the term "extrovert."
Myers-Briggs personality tests are based on the identification of four tendencies that form our personalities.
By taking a test, you will find out if you are:
I (Introverted) or E (Extroverted)
N (Intuitive) or S (Sensing)
T (Thinking) or F (Feeling)
J (Judging) or P (Perceiving)
None of the tendencies is positive or negative in itself. Each simply describes a way we tend to interact with the world.
Back to my original question. The most difficult characteristic to figure out for many people is whether they are Extroverted or Introverted. For example, I'm a highly-social person who likes other people and loves to get to know them. Nonetheless, I'm an Introvert according to Myers-Briggs. That's because I derive my energy from private time alone. If I spend time with other people for too long without getting my private time, I become tired and crabby. Contrast this with my husband, who is a true Extrovert. He derives energy fom being around other people. If he spends too much time by himself, he feels out of sorts and will go seek company.
When I think about the nature of writing, I can't imagine that anyone who is an Extrovert would find herself drawn to a writer's life. The solitary task of writing can even wear on an Introvert after a while; that's why online groups like ACFW are so valuable. I don't think an Extrovert could handle the amount of time that a writer spends in an inner world of her own.What do you think? Are there any writers out there who can call themselves Extroverts after reading the Myers-Briggs definition? Let me know if you are out there!
Here's a quick explanation and mini-test to help you take a guess at what your type might be. (Scroll down for the mini-test.)
http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html
I'm an Introverted Intuitive Thinking Judging type (INTJ). Here's what that means:
http://www.personalitypage.com/INTJ.html
If you can figure out which four letters describe you, type the letters into Google and you should find a number of sites explaining your personality type. Look for the ones that include drawbacks as well as strengths; they're more accurate than the glowing positive descriptions!
I would love to hear from a few writers who either know their types already or have a good guess. Post in the comments section if you have a chance!
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18 comments:
Hi Rosslyn
I took this test years ago as part of pre-marital counseling.
I'm not positive (I've been married 31 years) but I think I was
ESTJ
My husband was an exact match except he was an introvert and I was an extrovert.
Okaaaaaaaaaaaay
I disagreed with my pastor. I'm a shy person. Prone to withdraw and hide in any situation.
He said people define Extrovert and Introvert incorrectly.
It's not about being shy or being relaxed in social situations, it's about revealing yourself to people. A shy person who is open about their feelings and lets others know them on a deep level is still and extrovert and my husband, while he can go talk to anyone about anything without hesitation, doesn't really take about his inner feelings and reveal himself to them.
(I'm probably botching this explanation--after all, it's been 31 years!)
Anyway, put like that, maybe I am an extrovert. That doesn't mean I'm brave in social situations.
I've got a writer friend who goes to coffee shops to write. She says she's such an extreme extrovert that she draws energy from the people and noise and motion.
Trouble is, she starts to get to know the people in the shop, regular customers and the staff and starts talking to them and pretty soon she's not getting any writing done...she she has to go to a new coffee shop.
Rosslyn,
I am an ENFP. Most people think I am a lot more E than I really am. It must be the previous life as an attorney. (g) The more I write full time the less that way I am, however. I like the blog by the way.
Dennis Bates
Hi, Rosslyn. I've taken the MB test a number of times, a result of both my brother and my best friend in college becoming psychologists. My results vary a little, depending on my mood when I answer the questions.
The two middle letters never change: I am always NF. But the tests have shown me as INFJ, INFP, ENFJ, and ENFP. My brother said this is because I "straddle" the percentages, making me only "slightly" extroverted or introverted, judging or perceptive.
I translate this as craving alone time, but also loving to be around people. I can write ANYWHERE, but I have to write - or I get unbelievably cranky.
First of all, Rosslyn, you're doing a good job teasing your blog (with me, at least), because this is the second time I've been drawn to it today!
I'm an ENFJ and have always tested that way (I've been tested by three different testers over a span of thirty years). And I definitely love my alone time. But I have to say, I'm completely buzzed with energy after spending time with friends. My writing thrives on that buzz, but only if I can get alone again to do it.
I'm with Mary's pastor's definition of E and I, and would take it a step further. Many extroverts, while possibly shy, not only are open about their own feelings, they're intrigued about the feelings of others. That sounds pretty writerly, doesn't it?
Hi Rosslyn,
You've drawn a few "E"s already I see. I'm the opposite of Ramona, whose middle two letters are constant. My middles I couldn't get today from the simple test, and I don't remember them. I'm always an I and a J though. Such an I that the last test I took, ranking 0-10, I was a zero on the E. My sweet husband is a strong E, so we balance nicely.
Mary, I've heard this too, that E's can be shy. In fact, I know a shy E.
This was my presentation paper (and I had to teach it, also)on my college masters in learning theories. I have done a lot of research in this and taken the test in various forms. I always come out as an INTJ.
If you go to Ball State University's page (and know your profile)http://www.bsu.edu/students/careers/questassets/type/
you can discover some of the possible careers suited to your type.
Love this topic and discovering students' (and friends') personality types and learning modes.
I'm an ISFP, I think. I'm glad to see some other people vary on some of the letters, because I'm not sure about the P. Or potentially the I. I feel pretty solid on the SF, so that's good!
The main thing I remember about the test was, it was kind of a coin toss on the answers.
They'd ask some ridiculous question like:
Would you rather frolic in a pasture with sheep or go down a slippery slide on a hot day with shorts on........ uh...neither. Uh... sheep I guess.
Then the next question:
Would you rather have your fingers slammed in a window or be bitten in the lip by a rat...
uh......wow...... how big is the rat?
Eeks...fingers...no rat...no...
Then they'd grade you and say, "Oh, you're intuitive, how nice."
And I'd be ducking, looking for rats. Worrying about stepping in sheep droppings.
Very strange test.
I wondered if the whole point of the test wasn't the conversation it provoked afterward.
It was weird that my then soon to be husband and I came out very practical and thinking. Not what the pastor expected of a couple of 20 year olds. but a match for each other.
Rosslyn, with respect to the good team of Myers and Briggs, I'd like to suggest a new addition the I/E group. What if you're energized by being in a group of writers. I'll call it "W" -- and we'll say it stands for "writer" instead of "weird."
Rosslyn,
I use the MBTI types in my writing classes to help writers understand that different folks really do view the world differently and that they can use any insights they garner for character building.
I would love to give writers the test but as you know that is verboten unless you're certified to do so.
However, if a clear understanding of the types are presented, I think it's helpful.
I'm an INFP.
Hi Rosslyn,
I've taken the MB test several times, the first when I was eighteen or nineteen, the most recent about six or seven years ago. I have always scored as an INTP, except for once, when I took the test as part of a career exploration exercise. In that particular instance, I came out as an INTJ. The counselor who administered it the result probably reflected a tendency for me to be more "J" at work than elsewhere. This makes sense to me, and it fit the job I had at the time, too. Overall, the INTP profile definitely fits me best. It captures who I am, how I think, what I'm good at, and also identifies all the stuff I'm completely oblivious about.
I tend to revisit my personality type profile from time to time, usually once every couple of years. I don't do this religiously, just when the mood strikes. It seems to me to be a useful way of reminding one’s self of personal strengths and weaknesses, and thinking about things that need work. It's also a good reminder that other people have very different tendencies, and will react differently when faced with the same situation or set of circumstances.
I’m inclined to agree with you about most writers being introverts, but I’d raise at least one cautionary note. It seems to me that one of the most important skills for a writer to have is an appreciation for humanity, and I don’t think that’s necessarily related to introversion/extroversion. In fact, the ability to recognize and understand moments of human emotion, and to write about it in a compelling way, might be something that people who are reasonably close to the midpoint of the I-E scale can both do well. It’s certainly important for a writer to be willing and able to do the solitary work needed to get coherent thoughts out on paper, but if there’s no substance – no story to tell that captures something about the human condition – well, we all know what happens then. Substance comes in part from understanding people – feeling empathy, sharing joy, knowing heartbreak, and summoning the strength to persevere. And seeing others do this and more. Very shy people might have about as much difficulty as very extroverted people in forming close relationships and, in turn, witnessing and experiencing those emotions. I suspect that people who are somewhat to slightly introverted, and perhaps slightly extroverted as well, are likely to be better at both.
I could be totally wrong here, so if anyone has strong opinions to the contrary, please offer them up for consideration.
I’m not the least bit surprised to find that you’re an INTJ. Actually, that makes A LOT of sense.
Dan, I'm about to respond by email, but I have to say that I LOVE your point about the midpoint between introversion and extroversion. First, it's a good point. Second, I scored very close to the midpoint between the two, and had to file myself as an introvert according to the M-B definition of deriving my energy from time alone rather than time with others. So, yes, I wholeheartedly agree that people on the midpoint make the best writers. ;-)
Thanks to everyone for your input! And a special extra thanks to Mary and Joanna for making me laugh. :-) I'm definitely energized by being in a group of writers, to the point that I have to rein myself in from nuclear hyperactivity. (At least, with the right writers. Then there's the deadly enervation of the bad writers' group, which you have to experience to appreciate.)
I have never taken the test, but after looking at the web link you sent, I would be comfortable guessing that I am INFJ.
This is interesting. More Es than I would have expected. The number of IN-somethings is pretty striking, too.
Joanna's comment strikes me as being dead on. Maybe we need to have some t-shirts made up for this new W type?
Rosslyn,
You bring up a very valid point about the E&I in writing. I am an ESFP, which is probably why I have never really been into writing until now. The blog dynamic makes it much more interesting to me due to the connection I feel with my readers.
I am a member of http://www.blogcatalog.com I created a discussion there asking the community to take a 4-min version of the M-B test. I now have created a post, on my blog, with a list of blogs categorized by their M-B typology. You might be interested to know that the largest category is the INTJ bloggers.
You are welcome to come by and check it out at http://outsidemybrainagain.blogspot.com/2008/05/blogs-listed-by-meyers-briggs-typology.html If you would like for me to list your blog under the INTJ category (with a link back to this site), just come on by and leave a comment to let me know you would like to be listed. I have no ads on my site and I am not being compensated for this project by anyone. It's just for fun. I hope to see you over there. I enjoyed reading your post.
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