After taking the Myers-Briggs test about my writing, I was given the personality profile of an INTJ – Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging. Looking at the various attributes of each personality section, I find it very interesting to see the things I am meant to be identified with – I agree with many, disagree on others. Either way, this test helps me better understand the process by which I write and think about writing.
Introvert
According to the writing test, Introverted writers write in isolation – I do agree with this; I find myself going off by myself, as it is the best place to write. With no distractions, I can focus on my assignments. I do not find that my writing is easier than with extroverts; I am introverted with my writing as well, which means I am unsure about what to write often. I do often engage in prewriting activities, like writing outlines, but I find them hard to do much of the time as I do not know how to organize my information sometimes. Unlike most Is, I don’t write any of the paper in my head; I lose my thoughts if I don’t write them down. I don’t ask for advice, instead having others seek it out from me. I usually don’t seek out advice for writing, so I just keep to myself. With these introverted attributes, I find myself agreeing with some more than others, so I feel as though I somewhat match this personality trait when writing.
Intuition
For the Intuitive (N) attribute, I agree that I like general instructions that permit me some room to be original and allow me to set my own goals. This allows me to write much more easily, and provides me the chance to know more specifically what I’m writing about. According to the test, Ns also have first drafts that are usually full of grammar errors and generalized speech without a lot of detail; I agree with this, since I tend to write general ideas first then think of the details after the fact. However, I don’t fit the N attribute of being able to write quickly; often, it takes me 2 hours to write a single paragraph. I don’t have a good grasp of stream of consciousness writing; perhaps this is part of my introverted nature that I am insecure with what I wrote often. I agree that I am usually focused on adding support to my papers; I feel like this creates variety and permits me to change things up when writing. I do feel I recognize what creativity I have, but I often think I have to temper it to whatever situation I am working with. At the same time, I don’t feel that I am creative when it comes to writing. While I do often write generally, I do think I work hard to make sure my facts support my ideas; I feel that this gives my paper more credibility. Given all of these traits, I feel my writing personality very closely fits the perspective of an Intuitive personality type.
Thinking
Considering the Thinking personality traits, I agree that I prefer to analyze works when writing. I do like to write about the reasoning behind things, and use critical thinking in my works. I also agree that I tend to think of unclear assignments as without meaning; I feel like, if the purpose of the paper is not clear, it is a waste of time. When I am assigned a writing assignment, I like to know what the practical purpose of it is and what it would come to – otherwise, I am not as invested in writing the paper. I organize ideas well, and like to make sure my content is clear more than focusing on creativity; I tend to be a very workmanlike writer, and so I think this reflects in my papers. However, I will admit I am unsure as to whether or not I am successful in writing with clarity. I do like constructing outlines and following them, as previously mentioned, but this also means my papers can often end up dry and uninteresting – or I at least worry about that when writing. As for their advice, I agree that I should focus more on details and try to put in interesting examples of the points I am trying to make. I should also make them less dry and add more personal touches; one of my fears is that my writing is too academic, and that it doesn’t turn out as interesting as I want it to. Judging
I am also said to be a Judging personality type; when it comes to this, it seems that I tend to limit my topics to certain subjects. I disagree with the J tendency to strictly adhere to a plan; I do often deviate from the plan if needed, so I feel no special fealty to this strategy. I also do not get my first drafts done quickly; I spend a lot of time trying to get every little detail right. However, I do agree that my first drafts are shorter than later drafts; it takes me a while to get started, and it is only in later drafts that I start adding the details that flesh out the earlier points made. In my first drafts, I just tend to spit out my broad thoughts and basic organization, taking later drafts to expand on those ideas. Drafting is often slow for me, I agree, as I am still in the middle of research after I start writing. This means I have a vague idea of what I want, and often just hope that the research will support it, which is a problem. The suggestions for Judging personalities very much apply to me; I need to keep in mind the differences between my ideas and the research I have. Research must support my points, and I have to excise stuff that I write that does not work for it. I should also stop from time to time to adjust my outline and my plans to change the writing based on new, pertinent research.
In conclusion, the INTJ personality profile seems to perfectly sum up my writing style, except for a few key areas. I am much slower with my drafting than the personality profile implies, but I agree that I focus a lot of isolation and outlining. I often put my writing ahead of my research, and I need to fix that tendency by keeping track of research and not letting my writing contradict it.
