The Dragon's Loyalty Award is making the rounds again, with a set of brand new and dragonish rules. The stupendous Ashley has tagged me to share several truths and a few lies about myself and since the dragon in me heartily approves of spreading confusion and chaos, I have complied.

So here are seven facts or not-so-facts about me. Most of them shouldn't be too hard, so go ahead and take a guess in the comments, if you like.

...But I'm really bad at following rules, so I won't make any promises.

1. I am not British. (You probably already knew this, but...) I do, however, use mostly British spellings of words like "colour" and "centre" and "recognise". This is a) because I can rarely remember which is the British spelling and which is the American anyway, b) because I think they look better for some reason, and c) because someone at some point set my Chromebook and iPod to English UK, and I can't figure out how to switch them back. (This gets annoying when I try to write distinctly American stories.)

2. Don't let my pink, fuzzy persona fool you. I like villains and depressing books/movies and the colour black and creepy psychological thrillers and morbid poetry. I also like pink stuff and flowers and fashion and decorating and tea parties and fluffy anything. (But you already knew that.) Are these things contradictions? No. One can be cute and dark at the same time, and I like to think I pull it off pretty well. *is not vain at all*

3. Daisies actually aren't my favourite flowers. *cue gasps* My favourite flower is actually goldenrod-- a simple weed that grows in my backyard in September and October. But "Chasing Goldenrod" sounds weird and doesn't really have the same meaning behind it. So-- yeah, anyway. I do really love daisies, but they're not my favourite ever.

4. I began writing books before I could spell. And I don't mean before I could spell words like "baccalaureate" (never mind, I still can't spell that word). I mean before I found out that "of" is not spelled "uv" and that it's "girl", not "gurl". I still have my first book (it was a very short and badly illustrated graphic novel) kicking around somewhere, and I can read exactly 0.001% of it.

5. I hand out free advice, very freely. (And on practically any topic.) Some people have told me that my advice is really good, which is surprising, since I totally make it all up off the top of my head. If I ever give you advice (for instance, writing advice on this blog) and you actually follow it, let me know how it works out, because basically nothing I say has ever been tested and I actually have no idea whether it works or not.

6. I have some very diverse interests. Now that I'm sixteen, people are constantly asking me what I want to study in college. I usually answer, "Either cosmetology, office administration, or some kind of computer programming." They always reply, "Wow-- uh-- those are three very different fields--"

7. My spirit animals are Unikitty, Kylo Ren, and the twelfth Doctor. (But, just for the record, this does not translate to me particularly liking Unikitty or admiring Kylo Ren.) Do not ask me how I relate to three such totally different people as much as I do, all at the same time. Let's just say, I do. A lot. Somehow.

And I'm just going to leave this one up for grabs. You like sunshine? Go spread some around! You don't like sunshine? Fine-- crawl back to your Gollum cave and eat raw fish. Whatever you do, have a great day!

So maybe you're wondering, "What is an ENFP anyway? I know nothing of this type." In which case, my poor unfortunate friend, allow me to add a ray of hope and sunshine to your dismal life.

ENFPs, sometimes known as the "Champions" or the "Inspirers", are often stereotyped as being the "life of the party", having great social skills, and an infectious enthusiasm for life, the universe, and everything. And the stereotypes are there for a reason. ENFPs love new people, experiences, and ideas, and we love to get excited about the things we love. You know that one person who laughs constantly, is a notorious hugger, and might be a shape-shifting unicorn? You might just have yourself an ENFP.

We go way deeper than the stereotype though, and some ENFPs can get seriously annoyed if you act like their social butterfly side is their only (or even dominant) side, so do not try writing an ENFP character based on just the stereotypes. Just don't. We might be unicorns, but unicorns have horns and we can kill you with them.

I don't want to hurt you, though, so instead, let's talk about how to write an authentic ENFP.

ENFP: Core Traits

• ENFPs are often known as "the introverted extrovert". (This is because of the ordering of the functions, which would take too long to explain, but you can look it up if you want.) They require much more "alone time" than the typical extrovert, and are sometimes mistaken (and can even mistake themselves) for an introvert. However, they are extroverts, as they are energized and motivated by the external world of people and experiences.
• ENFPs are very curious. This is where the stereotype of the easily distracted, "Oooh-- shiny!" ENFP originates. They can come across as random and unfocused, but in reality, ENFPs are simply fascinated by every aspect of life and want to explore every opportunity that presents itself.
• ENFPs are often indecisive. This springs from their natural curiosity and fascination with everything (and I mean everything). They want to experience every possibility, and so when it comes to making decisions on which possibility they will experience, they are often caught in a dilemma. This is further aided by their Feeling function, as they want to make a decision that will make everyone happy, and this is often impossible.
• ENFPs value one-on-one, close relationships. As extroverts, they are stimulated by people and enjoy a wide variety of relationships, but unlike many other extroverted types, it is the emotional connections they make with others that they value most, not the sheer excitement and exhilaration of being with people. Because of this, close, personal relationships are more important to them than their wide circles of acquaintances.
• ENFPs are fiercely independent. "I do what I want!" is how they run their lives, and they feel stifled by norms and conventions. They desperately desire freedom to be creative and original. They are neither "leaders" nor "followers", but prefer to do their own thing and let others do their own thing. Control in all it's forms bothers them.

• Judgement. ENFPs hate being judged, and they hate to see others judged almost as much. They tend to be very tolerant people themselves (they are very set in their opinions, and are convinced they're correct, but they also realize that it's okay for people to feel differently on things) and so it especially irritates them when others don't return the compliment. (And, believe me, ENFPs can tell when they're being judged.)
• Manipulation. ENFPs believe in doing their own thing, and are extremely annoyed when others try to force them to conform to others' plans and ideas using unfair means. (Though it should be stated that unhealthy ENFPs are often quite skilled at manipulating others.)
• Conflict. ENFPs hate drama as a general rule, and will do a lot to avoid it, often to a fault. (However, remember that if someone goes to far and makes them mad enough, they can transform in a matter of seconds and become the scariest unicorns you've ever met.)

• Overly emotional. Anger, sorrow, happiness, depression-- ENFPs don't do anything by halves. They yell too much, cry too easily, and laugh too loud, and other people usually don't appreciate it.
• Get stressed easily. I'm not sure where this comes from-- maybe it's because they don't do anything by halves?-- but I know it's true in my life, and the research I've done is saying the same thing, so... any ideas why this is?
• Easily distracted. ENFPs want to experience everything, and there's never enough time to do it all in. They flit from idea to idea trying desperately to explore every possibility there is before it's too late, and often enough, they don't have time to finish with one possibility before another crops up and captures their attention.
• A bit too independent for their own good. Rules and authority are important aspects of life, but that's difficult for the ENFP to accept. Often times they are so set on their own way that they forget the rules are there for a reason and that breaking them rarely brings about anything good. This problem does usually diminish as the ENFP gains maturity, however. (And yes, a teenaged ENFP could quite conceivably fit into the "rebellious teenager" stereotype, but not necessarily.)

• Many ENFPs are easily bored.
• ENFPs tend to be very popular, because of their friendly, spontaneous, and accepting nature.
• ENFPs can shut up. Please stop this stereotype. I've known a lot of ENFPs, and while many of them (including myself) were the stereotypical obnoxious chatterbox when they were little, they all had pretty much grown out of it by high school. I'm sure there are older ENFPs who still talk way too much, but they are exceptions, not the rule.
• ENFPs are supposed to get along best with INFJs and INTJs. (And my best friend is an INFJ, so-- I dunno, there might be something to it.)
• That being said, some ENFPs do not get along with strongly expressed T types. This can be because they misunderstand a Thinker as being heartless, condescending, or just plain mean-- all of which traits are repulsive to the (healthy) ENFP. (Btw, personal note-- and, Thinker peeps, I love you and y'all are awesome people-- to be totally honest, I don't think I've ever met a T who didn't scare me to some extent.)
• Other people often think ENFPs are flirting, when they're really just being "nice".
• They procrastinate. A lot.

YES, these exist, and many of them are quite popular. It's possible to write a great ENFP, and here's a few examples you might want to check out of some very different characters who I think fit the type quite well.

• The Tenth Doctor (Doctor Who?)
• "Scout" Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee)
• Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (Star Wars)
• Peregrin Took (The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien)
• Anna (Frozen)
• Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins)

Some other fun resources, if you want to write an ENFP:

25 Struggles All ENFPs Will Understand
If ENFPs Were Villains...

The Ten Stages of a Depressed ENFP

My ENFP Pinterest Board

And that's the ENFP. If you have questions, don't be shy-- ask away!

Just remember: everybody is different, and nobody fits in a box. So don't write your ENFP by the stereotype-- but don't stick to these guidelines completely either. Sure, this is what the ENFP looks like to me, but I've only met maybe 10 (myself included) in my lifetime. I'm willing to bet there's a whole lot more out there, and that they're all unique and special. The above are some general rules, but you can break one or two here and there with your character-- go ahead! It's okay!

This is a tag, so I get to spread the Meyer's Briggs love to:

Aimee @ To The Barricade!

A. M. @ The Authorist

Lily @ Life of Lily

If I tagged you, don't feel obligated to participate if you don't want to, but I really would love to read about your personality types (especially since I have characters in all of them)! If I didn't tag you and you'd like to do it-- don't hold back!! Just make sure you shoot me the link so I can read your amazing post!

Here are the official rules:

1. Link back to my blog and let me know when your post is up so I can fangirl over it.
2. Title your post "MBTI Blog Challenge: How to Write an [insert your personality type]". This should help other writers find this resource quickly and easily.
3. Give your MBTI personality type and provide a list of their core traits, likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, and anything else you'd like to add.
4. Tag other bloggers to do the same.
5. Share your post with other writers to help them craft their characters.

Anything and everything. Especially chocolate (including hot chocolate). A few other favourites are: ice cream, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (don't judge), cookies, and milk tea (since first being introduced to the concoction via this lovely tag). And now I'm hungry. 

... Who am I kidding? I'm always hungry. I'm a dragon.

The rhythmic clicking of my keyboard, the far off lowing off cows, strains from the piano downstairs, and the distracting buzz of a trapped stinkbug.

That aside, I am a steadfast supporter of listening to music while I write. It might not work for everyone, but it sure works for me. And again, I pretty much listen to anything. I've got specialised playlists for both my major WIP and my upcoming NaNo novel, plus a collection of really gorgeous instrumentals when I really can't spare any extra braincells for lyrics (though singing usually helps me think better). And often enough I'll just turn my music on and let it play what it will.

If we're talking specifics, I adore instrumentalists like Audiomachine, Two Steps from Hell, and Martin Garrix.

I won't deny it-- I am easily distracted.

The internet is my bane. I constantly get side tracked scrolling through Pinterest, reading all the blog posts, checking my email, and chatting with my online friends. And I can't actually turn the internet off like some suggest because I write on Google Drive.

For the record, I actually adore Google Drive.

Write Horror: What is the worst thing that's ever happened to you while writing?

Write Joy: What's the best thing that's ever happened to you while writing? How do you celebrate small victories?

Write Crew: Who do you communicate with or not communicate with while writing?

My "Write Crew" consists of my sisters and my best friend, who are all writers as well. They are all wonderful humans and wonderful writers, and they're super supportive of my writing habit.

That being said, it doesn't bother me to talk to people while I'm writing, unless the person is the sort of annoying person that I wouldn't want to talk to even if I wasn't writing. Actually, it's another way of procrastination for me, and I really love procrastinating.

Now talking about writing is different. I will talk about writing online, or to my family, and definitely to my best friend, and if someone asks what I like to do, I'll say "I like to write", but around most of my friends and acquaintances, I keep my writing pretty hush.

There are actually lots of these.

Secrets

• Write whatever you want. Don't get caught up on "this idea is stupid", "these words suck", "my readers will be mad at me" or whatever else. Just write it. If it helps, write like no one is ever going to read it.
• Remember not everyone is the same. There's lots of really great writing advice out there, from really great writers, but if it doesn't work for you, it doesn't work for you. That is not a problem. Find something that does work. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with you-- it just means you're your own person, and that's a good thing.
• Sometimes you just need to scream, "WUT R WRDS" and turn on Chris Medina.
• You can't write if you're not experiencing real life to write about. Don't hole yourself up in your room and write all the time. Get out there and do stuff. Have fun. Be normal. Talk to annoying people. Then go write about it.

Write-spiration: What always makes you productive?

Write Words: Share one sentence from a project past or present.

"Damian!" cried Senator Robertson, throwing out his hands. "What a pleasant un-surprise!" 

"The corn is very cheesy, thanks."

Senator Robertson face palmed. "Seriously?" he said. "Communication problems in the middle of an epic villain speech? Humanity is so annoying."

I really love my villain. Just sayin'. He's seriously the best.

"Shoot if you like," said Damian. "Now's as good a time as ever. I'd do it myself if I had the nerve." 

He  stared across the empty space at Damian's dark shirt, barely seeing it. His hand curled around the grip of the gun, his index finger finding the trigger. Damian deserved it. The metal was cool against his hot skin. His anger surged and sank and surged again, with each surge attaining new heights. He could see Damian's chest heaving unevenly as he stood waiting. Damian deserved it.

Because we had to end on a serious note. (We're so serious, son.)

And because I'm a dragon worth my salt, I'm going to ignore all rules and conventions and not tag anyone. *cackles*

But if you like this tag, by all means, help yourself...

1. I'm an extrovert, but I am very shy and insecure. I freeze up every time I have to talk to someone I don't know very well and I've never understood the need for the telephone. I tend to feel lonely in big crowds when no one is talking to me, but I am energized by talking to my friends and going to parties, as long as I know the people there. Seven days without talking to anyone outside my family and online friends is legitimate torture.
2. I have horrible hand-eye coordination, especially where sports are involved. Anything which involves throwing something I suck at (and hate), including volleyball, dodge ball, frisbee, water balloons, etc. But in spite of the fact that I can't throw or catch to save my life, I actually can kick a ball, and I adore soccer.
3. I like reading, but I'm insanely picky about what books I like, so I've actually only ever given one book five stars in my entire life, and I get really depressed when I try to read a lot, because I just end up hating everything I read. Ah, the troubles of a picky bookworm.
   
4. I think better when I'm singing. I sing while I do math, write novels, or bake cookies. I make it a point to memorize the lyrics of every song I add to my iTunes, so that the next time that song comes on while I'm thinking, I can sing along without having to look up the lyrics. Often times, I memorize the lyrics before I even memorize the tune, and it drives my sisters crazy when I sing a song with all the right words but the melody all screwy. (In return, I get really upset at them when they sing "and" instead of "but" in a song I've memorized.)
5. I defy all genre conventions in both books and music. I read thrillers, contemporary, classics, sci-fi, romance, mystery, and even a bit of fantasy and historical. It's not the genre that makes me like the book/song, it's the book/song that makes me like the genre.
6. I hate arithmetic, but I actually enjoy algebra and geometry. I honestly have no idea why.
7. My friends think I'm really sweet and I wouldn't hurt a fly. My acquaintances think I'm kind of stuck up and quiet. My boss thinks I'm insanely cheerful and always happy. My family thinks I'm a rebellious little demon. People from my church think I'm just another nameless girl from that big family. I like to think that I'm funny and cool. I am none of the aforementioned things. (I'm a dragon.)

Milk: a rich, smooth book

Hmm... Rich? Smooth? Lovely prose and deep themes? Now let me think...

I could go ahead and say Silmarillion-- (everybody says it's boring? Like, what even?)

Or I could say The Horse and His Boy-- (people say it's random? It was my second favourite of the series.)

But I already mentioned those, so I'll go with:

Ice: A book just for fun.

There are kinda a lot of these, but I'll keep it to two.

Silk Stocking: a book that's much better than it sounds.

Haha... I like this category...

Yingyang: a book with foreign influence

...

Can I go ahead and say Tikki Tikki Tembo again?

*sigh*

Guidelines: 

Take the banner and put it in your post

List as many things as you want in each category

Come up with more categories if you wish

Tag as many people as you want

This one is harder, because most of my favourite books are not the fluffy, comfortable sort of books that make you happy. Most of them are more the sort of book that rips your heart out with a spoon and then squishes it. But then, I guess that's still okay, because:

Sally Sparrow is my spirit animal.

So, having assured myself that it's not cheating and therefore satisfied my conscience, I must of course mention my favourite book ever--

Take that back, it is sad.

3. Some foods that make you happy.

4. Some words that make you happy.

There are a lot of these, and oddly enough, they are mostly names of trees. Like lombardy, birch, chestnut, poplar, maple, and beech. I also like the way analyse, glamorous, enchantment, and venn diagram roll off the tongue.

I have to say it again-- chocolate! Also the smell of:

• Freshly baked bread.
• Newly mown grass.
• Clean towels.
• Lavender.
• Rain at night.
• A campfire.

6. Some random things that make you happy.

• Moonlight.
• The ocean (or water in general).
• Family vacations and holidays.
• Forgotten money, candy, or even shirts randomly found in my dresser drawers.
• My lovely little Chromebook. (It's so tiny and adorable.)
• Orange leaves in the fall.
• People.
• RORY.

So there you have some things that make me happy. I tag A.M., Aneeqah, Annika, and Lily, but don't feel obligated to do it if you don't want to, and if I didn't tag you and you want to do it, please, feel free!!