Writing Your ISTP Virtuoso

With a sample story: The Tortoise and the Hare as told by an ISTP

This is an experiment in point of view and character voice. In this series I’ll be using MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator)—to explore how they shape the way a character tells their own story.

• For writers, it’s a tool to sharpen your characters voices and deepen uniqueness.

• For AI users, it’s a way to refine prompts and narrative tone… to make your AI-generated prose feel more human.

• For readers, it’s a way to explore MBTI types in action, and reflect on how perspective changes everything—even in a familiar fable.

Let’s find out what happens when a classic tale gets filtered through a new lens.

🐢 The Original Fable: The Tortoise and the Hare

A hare made fun of a tortoise for being so slow. The tortoise challenged the hare to a race. Amused, the hare agreed and sprinted ahead, confident of winning. Halfway through, he grew bored and decided to nap. The tortoise, moving slowly and steadily, passed the sleeping hare and crossed the finish line just as the hare awoke and dashed forward. Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.

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📝 Retelling: The Tortoise as an ISTP

I didn’t challenge him to make a point.

I just don’t like being laughed at.

I knew how this would go. He’d sprint, grandstand, then coast. I’ve seen that kind before—flashy, fast, and always on stage. Me? I’d rather just do the job.

No drama. Just motion.

I lined up. Dug in. Let him yap.

And when the race started, I moved. Not fast. But steady. Each step locked into the next. I felt the ground. Listened to the wind. Kept my focus tight.

Somewhere behind me, he stopped. Maybe to nap. Maybe to gloat.

Didn’t matter.

The only thing I watched was the road.

When I crossed the line, I didn’t raise my arms. Didn’t look for the crowd.

I just nodded.

And kept going.

Because the race wasn’t about beating him. It was about finishing on my terms.

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Compare this story with other types:

ENFJ | ENFP | ENTJ | ENTP | ESFJ | ESFP | ESTJ | ESTP | INFJ | INFP | INTJ | INTP | ISFJ | ISFP | ISTJ | ISTP

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📚 If You’re Enjoying These Fable Retellings…

You might love my speculative short story collections under the Echoes of Aesop series.

Each book takes one of Aesop’s ancient fables and explores its themes through original speculative fiction—experience these timeless stories from the viewpoint of mermaids, vampires, ghosts, and aliens while they struggle to survive in settings that include desert caravans, space stations, haunted mansions and alternate realities.

Available now on Amazon.

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💡 MBTI Lens: ISTP – The Tactician

Commonly called “The Virtuoso,” “The Craftsman,” or “The Mechanic,” ISTPs are pragmatic, cool-headed problem solvers who trust action over talk. They move quietly and precisely, noticing details others miss. Skilled with tools, systems, and strategy, they tell stories with minimal fuss—and often from a comfortable emotional distance.

• Core Traits: Logical, independent, action-oriented, adaptable, observant

Additional writing prompts, including AI prompts, are available for paid subscribers: