Lauren Sapala

Category: Introverts, INFJs, and INFPs

  • Writing Progress Does NOT Always Equal Word Count

    Writing Progress Does NOT Always Equal Word Count

    This week’s guest post is coming to you from a fellow writing coach, Anna-Marie O’Brien. Anna-Marie describes herself as a “little bit OCD+ADD+ESP and an INFJ.” And I can tell you from experience that she’s easily one of the most intuitive people I’ve ever met. If you’re looking for someone to help get you unstuck as you write your book, Anna-Marie is very definitely who you’ve been looking for. Big thanks to her for contributing this awesome piece on why your progress as a writer might not fit the conventional norms.

    Before I started my memoir, my idea of book writing was that it was a linear process—you show up to the page, you write your 500 words a day in perfect form, and in a few months you have a beautiful, publishable book. According to the writers I was studying, there were no pauses, breaks, or blocks allowed. Daily habit is a big theme among writers, and I was assured that if I showed up to the page every day, the muse would find me and the words would flow effortlessly. (more…)

  • Why It’s So Hard for an INFJ (or INFP) Writer to Show Anyone Else Our Writing

    Why It’s So Hard for an INFJ (or INFP) Writer to Show Anyone Else Our Writing

    As an INFJ, I live inside two worlds. There is the world outside of my body, made up of people and buildings and trees and things, and then there is the real world: the world inside my soul.

    When I tell people this, I know that they think they understand what I’m talking about. I’m a dreamer, and an idealist. I’m that girl, who always has her head in the clouds. They would be right. I am those things. But when I say that, for me, the real world exists inside my soul, it goes way beyond that. (more…)

  • The Pros and Cons of Being an INTJ Writer

    The Pros and Cons of Being an INTJ Writer

    I’ve been getting requests for a post specifically on INTJ writers for a while now. The only problem was that I didn’t feel at all qualified to speak on behalf of all the INTJ writers out there (as I’m such a solid feeling type myself). So I recruited my writer friend Phillip McCollum, who is an awesome blogger as well as an INTJ, to help me out on this one. (more…)

  • Why it’s No Coincidence so Many INFJs (and INFPs) Are also Writers

    Why it’s No Coincidence so Many INFJs (and INFPs) Are also Writers

    I have a really weird thing that happens to me whenever I receive a bit of emotionally disturbing news. Whether it’s something small (like someone tells me I said the wrong thing at the dinner table) or something big (like getting hit with rejection or betrayal) my system immediately goes into shut-down mode. I freeze like a panicked animal, my throat, chest and stomach lock up, and the rest of me feels totally numb.

    This numb feeling can last a few minutes, or it can last a few days. (more…)

  • The INFJ Writer Is Now in Print!

    The INFJ Writer Is Now in Print!

    print

    I’m one of those people who believe paper books will never go out of style. Whatever book I’m reading at the moment travels with me everywhere, ready to be whipped out at a bus stop or in a waiting room. I love airports and long flights because I always have something to read. Because of this life-long love affair with books I know what a huge difference there really is between a book sitting on my Kindle and a book sitting in my hand.

    And now, The INFJ Writer can be sitting in your hand.

    Because The INFJ Writer is now available in print!

    For those of you who don’t have a Kindle, don’t want a Kindle, or like to take a break from your Kindle once in a while…For those of you who love loaning books out to friends and use every birthday as an excuse to buy someone a book they just have to read…For those of you who process things better if you can see physical words on a physical page…this is for you.

    Happy reading everyone!