In my last two posts, I examined how the Judging/Perceiving and Thinking/Feeling dimensions of personality affect our mental energy when we approach a writing project. In this post, I look at the Sensation/Intuition dimension. This scale measures how we gather information. In a writing project, it affects what content we prefer to present.
Sensing types are motivated to write by a desire to report information that serves a practical purpose. They want a specific writing goal and a clear path to achieving it. They follow approaches that have worked well in the past, building on existing knowledge. They tend to move in a linear way from start to finish. They try to present details accurately and focus on the practical aspects of the topic. They’re straightforward and action-oriented. During revision, sensing types should ensure that they’ve provided context and a unifying theme to tie the details together.
Intuitive types are motivated to write by a desire to express new insights. They want a general idea of the project goals so they can plan their own approach. They try to bring a unique angle to each project. They tend to jump around as they write, letting one idea suggest another. They’re more interested in how the facts interrelate than they are in the facts themselves. They enjoy complexity and abstract theories. During revision, intuitive types should ensure that they give enough specific details to ground their work in reality.
In an upcoming post, I’ll explore how the Extraversion/Introversion dimension of personality affects our energy to write.
Image courtesy of chadou99.
Sources:
The Art of Dialogue by Carolyn Zeisset
Writing and Personality by John K. DiTiberio and George H. Jensen
Related posts:
Energy to Write: Extraversion vs. Introversion
Energy to Write: Judgment vs. Perception
Energy to Write: Thinking vs. Feeling
Write with Personality 
Andrea, great post! Thanks for commenting on my blog so I could discover yours.
It’s so funny to read this. My husband and I were just talked about what his next Toastmasters speech will be about. He said, “I don’t know anything I could talk about that people would want to hear.” I responded airily, “Oh, no problem! There are LOTS of thing you could talk about”, and proceeded to give him all sorts of abstract, big picture ideas he could present. None of my ideas were practical, useful or linear. He, of course, has a huge S preference and I’m all the way on the other side of the spectrum with a strong N preference.
I didn’t realize until I read this that our differences even in something so small were so polar! Now I can go back and suggest some “how to” topics instead. 🙂