3 Ways I Use MBTI for Characters // because lists and letters are fun

The words 'Myers Briggs Personality test' has haunted me basically from right at the beginning of my blogging life. People randomly used letters to describe their personality. People asked me what 'MBTI' I was and for all I knew that might've meant 'massively bouncy tiny iguana.' 

It was actually only this year-ish that I really bothered to work out what this mysterious thing actually was.

Each of the older half of the family took the test. I almost gave up halfway through because I was bored, BUT NO. I persevered until the end. (And that was the day that I discovered that I was an extrovert. And it absolutely made sense, I'd just never considered the fact that it was even a possibility. I thought I was just hyper. xP) 
For anyone who was wondering and doesn't already know - I'm ENFP. For anyone who is still as clueless about the Myers Briggs test as I used to be - yay I'm not the only one. Go check it out. :P

But since my personal discovery of these mysterious four letters and the meaning they have, I've found them really intriguing and actually quite useful when it comes to characters. And that's what we're going to talk about today.

How does the MBTI help me with characters? Well, there's multiple ways I find it useful, but let's go with three...

1: It's an easy way to describe a character if asking for personality advice

No one's the same, obviously, but it can really be quite useful to be able to ask an ENTP friend (for example) about how they react to situations and how they think and show emotions, as research for an ENTP character. I've done this multiple times and it has absolutely helped with the realistic aspects of the characters I've done it for. I don't copy off everything they say (and I often try get as many of that 'type' as I can to see a lot of points of view) but it really good to have that inside perspective on how they see things.


2: Researching in general

If you look up 'angsty characters' you'll get a huge variety of posts and articles.
If you look up 'INTJ characters' it narrows down the search and in a matter of moments becomes at least 50% more applicable to said character.

I've used this tactic multiple times too and it really does help weed out the less related articles.


3: Doing the test from their POV is actually a really good experience

Whatever test you're doing (there's a fair few out there), there are always questions that honestly just don't relate to your characters and their situations. BUT it can be really interesting to work out what would so-and-so do in that sort of a place? How would he react? It's just another way that I've worked out some teensy little details about my characters that really do help me know them better as an overall person.


Bonus - the MBTI of some of my characters!! Because you definitely wanted to know this. (Shh, don't argue. Of course you wanted to know.)

Rogue Escarlate and co.
- Will Escarlate: ENTP
- Ben Kit: INFP

A Sprig of Green
- Braden Argo: ISTJ
- Michayla: another INFP

Adventures of Lando Erif
- Lando Erif: ISFJ
- Titus Kanter: ISTP
- Thomas Kanter: ISFP
(Interesting note: the twins were 1-3% off identical in everything but the thinking/feeling section which they were 10% apart in. So - very similar.)
(Also interesting note: all three of them start with 'IS' which is interesting. Although Lando was close to 'IN.' *strokes chin thoughtfully*)


And there you have it! Keep your eyes open for a BIG and IMPORTANT and EXCITING post this Friday. *looks mysterious*


Do you use MBTI for your characters?
What are some of the benefits you've found?

Disclaimer: I'm absolutely not advertising this test or site or anything. I've just used it in the past and have found that it can be somewhat useful. :P

Comparing Your Work to Others' // dealing with low confidence and fear

Do you ever feel like you’re a failure? Like you’re not as good as so-and-so? Like it doesn’t matter how hard you try, you’ll just never be enough?

Sometimes comparing our work to someone else can help. It can spur us on to work harder, strive more, learn how to be better.

But other times, it simply pulls us down.

It’s so easy to look at someone else and see their work—or even them as a person—and the compare it to your own work, your own self. The problem is that when we do this, so much of the time, we don’t measure up.

We can’t measure up.

We’re all different people, we’ve all been given different talents and gifts. Of course we can’t all be as good as each other. But we know that, and somehow it doesn’t seem to help.

So often I see people hiding back in the corner and not wanting to show their work. For some people they can pass it off as perfectionism. For others—introversion.

But I think for everyone, it’s also just that little seed of doubt.

Everyone has it. That fear that they won’t measure up. That they’re actually a failure. That, quite honestly, they’re wasting their time—and everyone else’s.

And then even worse, there’s the moments of timid bravery when the little artist (not necessarily drawing, I’m using the term in its broad definition) steps out and show some of their work. Some of the art they poured their energy and heart into. And then someone laughs. Or not even laughs, but just passes it off as ‘good’ or ‘nice.’

It hurts. It pulls down the timid hope and our little artist soul scuttles back and hides.

The problem isn’t with the person who betrayed the trust (though they are at fault—a topic I shall be rambling on next week), it’s actually with the artist.

The problem is that so often we look to man to fulfil our desires, to fulfil our identity. We look to our family, our friends, our acquaintances. But they can’t fill that role.

The One who gave us the gift in the first place can.

If you write a chapter, draw a picture, do whatever you do and look at your work and say “I’m a failure” you’re saying that God’s gift is worthless. That he gave you something that is a waste of your time. It’s a ridiculous thought.

You don’t have to measure up to so-and-so. You don’t have to be as good as anyone.

Because that’s not the point.

We need to be looking to God to find our purpose and identity, not the world around us. And when we do that, it doesn’t matter what other people think or do. It doesn’t matter if they all seem better.

Right now, God has you in a special place.

Don’t scorn it and hate it because it’s different than someone else. Accept it and embrace it because it’s a gift.

It’s not easy to accept, and the fear can still be there. But you need to go back to God over and over and over. Every. single. day. Commit it to Him.

I promise you. You won’t regret it. And it certainly won’t be a waste of your time.