Book character design – simple illustrations

Some time ago I’ve noticed that there is a finite number of secondary characters that I use in my novels. They’re always skinny, a bit androgynous males, mostly ISTJ’s, ENTJ’s, INFJ’s, ESTP’s, ISFJ’s or ISFP’s. Despite of being in totally different circumstances and having a different personal history all my “Alans” look alike and behave alike (they’r usually ENTJ’s or ISTJ’s), all my “Flawiuszes” looks and behave alike (they’re always INFJ’s), all my “Eugeniuszes” look alike and behave alike (they’re always ISTJ), all my “Cecylians” look alike and behave alike (they’re always ENTJ), etd. Like Zuzanna (always INTJ), the secondary characters of each category differ in their history, life experiences, interests, etc., but they are always similar in behavior and appearance.

Why is that? I suppose it’s because I like patterns and schemes. As an INTJ I love to have things organised, so I’m pleased that my characters had arranged themselves in such an order. I didn’t forced that. I didn’t even planned that. It just happened and I think it’s awesome how book characters write themselves. There is this time they start to speak for themselves and live their own lives, and as a writer (even a amateur and hobbistic one) you can only regulate they behavior some way, but not control them entirely – If you did that, they would be rigid and unbelievable, it would be easy to feel false in them. Actually you don’t even really want to control them. You are curious how they will react and behave in situations you will put them into. It’s all like speculating the different situations and exploring aaaaaall the possibilities. And I find it really relaxing and wonderful.

There are 13 such types.