As an INFP, I love to write. It’s such a natural extension of myself, that not a single day goes by without me doing some writing. I know this is not only true for me, but many other INFPs feel the same.
Although I have followed through on many of my projects, I still face the pitfalls that are common for my personality type: losing focus, being disorganized, collecting a graveyard of abandoned projects, and so on.
I also have faced situations that have made writing difficult, such as working a retail job with an insane schedule or working through depression. However, I was able to overcome the roadblocks, and I want to share what has helped me.
This post is in many ways a celebration of my latest book, I Can’t Help Being an INFP Writer: 100+ Tips to Help INFP Writers Capture Ideas, Stay Motivated, and Overcome Problems.
So here are 25 Ways to Thrive as an INFP Writer:
- Keep in mind what role writing has played in your life.
- Don’t give up in the face of setbacks. Look for solutions.
- When working on a rough draft, don’t critique yourself. This will only hurt your motivation and cause you to unnecessarily doubt your writing ability. Only edit after finishing your rough draft.
- Lean into telling stories, even when writing nonfiction.
- Journal regularly.
- Write about your writing goals and dreams.
- Keep a list of book ideas.
- Keep a list of creative works that have impacted your life the most.
- Don’t compare yourself to other writers. Each writer is different.
- Keep in mind that everything has been said before. What makes writing unique is the way YOU say it.
- Journal about your writing problems. This will allow your mind to start working on solutions.
- Always keep in mind who your writing is helping, even when writing fiction. And it’s okay if you are writing to help yourself.
- Start a blog. Using Blogger or Tumblr is fine. All that matters is that you start (and both services can handle custom domains and have professional template options if that’s an issue for you).
- Experiment with different types of writing, from poetry to essays.
- Support other writers instead of competing with them. We’re all working together.
- Support the platforms where you share your writing.
- Use Draft2Digital to self-publish. Not only is publishing an ebook there a breeze, but creating a print book is just as easy.
- Make time to work on your writing projects daily, even if it’s only for 10 minutes before breakfast.
- Challenge yourself. See how much of a book you can write within a week or a month.
- Start with the big picture of your writing project. Then figure out the details as you go.
- When you feel like giving up, journal about it.
- Talk about your writing problems with an understanding friend.
- Always keep in mind how your writing project is meaningful to you.
- Maintain your love of reading.
- Always be ready to take note of what inspires you.
How to Thrive Even More as an INFP Writer
If this list resonates with you, here are two more things you can do to find your unique way of flourishing as an INFP Writer:
- Discover more inspiring and valuable information from my book I Can’t Help Being an INFP Writer: 100+ Tips to Help INFP Writers Capture Ideas, Stay Motivated, and Overcome Writing Problems. This book is full of tips on how to align your writing process with your personality type.
- If you are looking to create an easy, compassionate writing practice that resonates with you as an INFP, you may also enjoy Love Your Writing Life - A Self-coaching Course for INFP Writers..