Writing Tips - Character MBTI

Though I don't consider myself an expert on MBTI, it's one of my favorite tools to use in writing realistic characters. MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) is a personality test that categorizes people based on a combination of four traits: introversion/extroversion, sensing/intuition, feeling/thinking, and perceiving/judging. Over the years, I've found it to be very helpful at describing the way my friends and I think and interact. Although I would argue that it's rare if ever that someone fits the "type" perfectly, these four-letter personality types are certainly useful for determining how someone may be likely to think or respond in certain situations.

When writing a character, one has to think like that character. Your protagonist might have a dinner invite from a colleague, and his acceptance could fit your book plot very well, but consider this - is this really the character's acceptance, or yours? Perhaps your extroverted nature would lead you to accept without a question, but the man from your story would prefer to stay home and play games that evening. Is the dinner party really the best way to advance the goal for your plot? Maybe it would be better to set the pivotal conversation during his regular workday - or as a series of messages sent through the chat feature of his game!

Researching personality types can be especially rewarding when writing conflicts between characters or developing relationships, such as romance. Perhaps two individuals don't get along, but have you assumed they will be shouting at one another? Perhaps one or both argue in a more passive-aggressive manner. Or one may not appear to be angry at all - some people are unlikely to share emotions with others or even find ways to express themselves with humor rather than addressing the issue at hand. Additionally, as I write stories with a romantic genre/subgenre, I like to examine the personality traits for the main characters and whether they are actually a good fit for one another. Although two mature individuals of nearly any personality combination can find relationship success, there are definitely some types that seem to "belong" together.

At the end of the day, MBTI is only a tool, and overusing it can create writing that is full of stereotypes. I recommend instead using it more as a guide for some of the trickier phases of character design. Try it in one of your stories! Would your character fit the description of an ISTP or perhaps an ENFJ? You may be surprised how much you can learn about the people who build your story.