Are all writers introverts? Are you? Take the Jung Typology Test and find out.

[Julie Lomoe]

I've recently been collecting scores from writers who take the free Jung Typology Test online, and so far all of us are introverts. I wrote a guest post about this on Jane Kennedy Sutton's blog during my book tour last month, and I've just reprinted the article on my own blog.

The test derives from the Myers Briggs Personality Test. It involves answering 60 yes/no questions, takes only a few minutes, and has some genuine validity. You'll learn which of 16 personality types you are. For example, I'm an INFP, an "idealist healer." The initials stand for introvert, intuitive, feeling and perceiving. My type "can seem shy, even distant around others. . . they can work quite happily alone. . . demonstrate, like the other Idealists, a remarkable facility with language. They have a gift for interpreting stories, as well as for creating them, and thus often write in lyric, poetic fashion."
Here's the link to the test: www.humanmetrics.com.

I love the description of my type, but so far, I haven't found any other INFPs among my respondents. Please take the test and post your results either here or on my own blog at the link below. I look forward to hearing from you!

Julie Lomoe's Musings Mysterioso

[Edward G. Talbot]

ENFJ for me. I've taken these before and I am usually an Extrovert and I am always Judging. But the Sensing/Intuition and the Feeling/Thinking can go either way. Most people who know me would say I am Sensing and Thinking, but I tend to pay a lot of attention to emotions, which messes up the tests. I think that my natural tendency is not to pay attention to emotions, but over the years I have learned the value of doing so. And I suspect the reason for my natural tendency is as protection because emotions are so fragile. I can cry easily, and in fact I avoid reading or watching movies that are dramas for the most part because they hit me hard.

I am definitely an extrovert, although I am perfectly comfortable by myself. I think the problem is that in this day and age the definition of an extrovert has gotten distorted. I think our society is so crowded, fast, and intense (in some ways, not in others), that most people would prefer to spend less time huddled with the masses. That doesn't mean they are all introverts, it just means they have a healthy inclination to shy away from extremes.

Whether most writers are introverts, I don't know. I suspect that being an extrovert makes the co-authoring relationship I have very appealing. It's a lot more fun writing with someone else - yet I know many writers who would hate it.

[Julie Lomoe]

You have the same results, ENFJ, as my husband and my 10-year-old granddaughter. Obviously that's a great type! He and I have been together 36 years. He's an excellent writer and has published some nonfiction books. Like you, however, he enjoys collaborating with others and talking over his ideas, while I would detest that!

[Edward G. Talbot]

Interesting. My wife is I believe ESFJ, which would suggest that we are pretty similar, but we're worlds apart in many personality traits. I think on many of these tests I do wind up more thinking that feeling usually, just not this time for whatever reason.

[Jessica]

Me too

[I. J. Parker]

I hate those tests. Bet that makes me an introvert.

[Pepper Smith]

INTJ. When I clicked the link for specific personality type, it came up with Mastermind.

Hmm.

I'm never certain how accurate these tests are.

[D.R. MacMaster]

My test said I was an "Mad Scientist."

I found that insulting, so I had the building destroyed with a tornado from my Weather Machine.

BWAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!!!!

Anyway, the term "mad scientist" is degrading. We prefer to be called "Ethically Colourful Intellectuals."

[Jessica]

My test said I was a "Mastermind".

We should take over the world.

[minervaK]

I'm an INTP and score 100% introvert. I find introversion to be very poorly understood by the population in general -- people are always surprised that I'm an introvert, because I'm not shy, and they think that's what introversion is. Here is one of my favorite on-line articles about us:

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200303/rauch

I've read that not very many women score in the 'T' category, and it was helpful for me to read about T's and understand some of why I have trouble with very 'feely' people -- I've always tended to get on better with men than women, and I wonder if the T/F difference is why.

Also, funnily enough, my type is designated 'the Engineer' or 'the Architect,' and I am, in fact, an architect in my Day Job. Go figure.

MK
www.minervakoenig.com

[Sarah E Glenn]

I loved the Introvert column. The author has a good grasp of what it means to be introverted vs. "shy".

[Jon Loomis]

Mine came up "homicidal psychotic." That can't be right...

[Pepper Smith]

You just sublimate it into your writing is all...