Just My Type explores the ways our personality, fears and motivations impact our writing and, using personality types, provides suggestions for tailoring your writing practice to who you are as a unique, creative human.
Podcasts are not only a great way for writers to get writing advice and find inspiration but also learn about other writers’ processes and routines, as well as the publishing process and industry. Each podcast recommendation below is tailored to a group of MBTI types that tend to think or work in a similar way.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is one of the most popular personality type systems. According to the MBTI, there are sixteen total personality types. Each of the sixteen types is made up of four individual personality traits that impact the way we think, feel, work, interact with others and approach the world. Those traits are: introverted (I) or extroverted (E), intuitive (N) or sensing/observing (S), thinking (T) or feeling (F), and perceiving (P) or judging (J). To find out your type, you can take a free test here.
INTJ, INTP, ENTJ, ENTP
Analysts, which include the Intuitive and Thinking types, are rational and make decisions with their heads rather than their hearts. They approach things from a logical perspective and tend to work very strategically. They have an insatiable sense of curiousity and are always looking for a deeper understanding of the world. They are driven to improve themselves and love coming up with creative solutions to their problems..
On The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience, host Kelton Reid interviews a variety of writers and authors (notable guests include Emma Straub, Leïla Slimani, C.J. Box, Matt Haig and Tana French) about their writing habits, routines and inspiration, and also dives deep into the neuroscience behind creativity and productivity, providing advice to writers looking to maximize their writing time and stay inspired. Analysts will love learning about the scientific side of writing and how to write more productively and efficiently.
INFJ, INFP, ENFJ, ENFP
Diplomats, which include the Intuitive and Feeling types, are known for being warm, empathetic, generous and highly imaginative. They are very principled and tend to value cooperation, connection and harmony. Diplomats want to understand themselves and others, and can see beauty in the smallest and most mundane things, making them great artists. They have big dreams and goals, but their biggest challenge is knowing how and when to take action.
Diplomat writers will love the warm and encouraging energy of The Shit No One Tells You About Writing. Each episode begins with a segment called Books with Hooks, in which hosts Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra, both literary agents, read through listener-submitted query letters and provide suggestions to improve the query letters so that they will stand out more to agents. For the remainder of the episode, fellow host Bianca Marai chats with a variety of authors (including guests like Emily Henry, Courtney Maum, Tomi Adeyemi, Ken Follett, Ruth Ozeki and Lauren Groff) about their creative inspiration, writing routines, publishing journeys and more. Diplomats will appreciate the three hosts’ empathetic advice and genuinely helpful tips, as well as the inspirational interviews with authors that will motivate Diplomat writers to take action toward their dreams.
ISTJ, ISFJ, ESTJ, ESFJ
Sentinels, which include the Sensing/Observing and Judging types, tend to be practical and organized. They are often seeking stability and security in their lives, and are very focused and self-motivated in their goals. They love to improve their habits and find the best practices to follow, and because they like consistency and order in their lives and work, these four types thrive with a solid routine.
Sentinel writers will love listening to the Writer’s Routine podcast. On the podcast, host Dan Simpson talks to a variety of authors about how, where and when they write, and doesn’t shy away from the details but rather delves into them by asking the authors questions about anything from what time of day they write to the tiniest details like what items they keep on their desk and what’s hanging on their wall. Organized and detail-oriented sentinels will enjoy learning about the minutiae of different writers’ routines and might feel inspired to create or improve their own writing routine in the process.
ISTP, ISFP, ESTP, ESFP
Explorers, which include the Sensing/Observant and Prospecting types, are quick-thinking and flexible. They love to learn new things and try out different tools and techniques. Because they are spontaneous and are motivated by trying new things and pursuing new ideas, they can struggle with staying focused for long periods of time.
The podcast Helping Writers Become Authors, hosted by K.M. Weiland, is perfect for Explorer writers who aren’t a fan of longer podcast episodes and want to do a quick dive into one specific topic that they can immediately apply to their own writing. The episodes are short and to the point (around 20 minutes or less), but each episode dives into a particular aspect of storytelling and provides helpful, specific advice that writers can quickly implement in their own projects.