Creating Characters: Enneagram

I remember hearing about the enneagram several years ago when I was applying for a job. Part of their process was for me to take a two hundred question test to create an enneagram profile. The purpose was to see how our personality type would typically react to stressful environments. I met with someone who walked me through my different wing types, etc and we talked about what matched and didn't match with my personality. 

As a novel writer, one of the most exciting yet challenging tasks is creating believable, three-dimensional characters that resonate with readers. An effective tool to enhance this process is the Enneagram, a personality typing system that categorizes human psyche into nine interconnected personality types. This system can be incredibly useful for writers looking to develop complex, dynamic characters with realistic motivations and behaviors. Here’s how you can use the Enneagram to craft detailed character profiles for your novel.

Understanding the Enneagram

The Enneagram is divided into nine types, each with distinct motivations, fears, and behaviors. Here's a brief overview:

1. Type One: The Reformer – rational, idealistic, principled.
2. Type Two: The Helper – caring, generous, possessive.
3. Type Three: The Achiever – success-oriented, adaptable, image-conscious.
4. Type Four: The Individualist – sensitive, withdrawn, expressive.
5. Type Five: The Investigator – intense, cerebral, perceptive.
6. Type Six: The Loyalist – committed, security-oriented, anxious.
7. Type Seven: The Enthusiast – busy, fun-loving, spontaneous.
8. Type Eight: The Challenger – powerful, dominating, self-confident.
9. Type Nine: The Peacemaker – easygoing, self-effacing, receptive.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Characters Using the Enneagram

Step 1: Choose a Basic Personality Type

Start by selecting a fundamental Enneagram type that aligns with your character’s core essence or role in the story. For example, a protagonist who needs to overcome flaws to achieve personal growth might fit well with Type Four, while a supportive sidekick might resonate with Type Two.

Step 2: Add Layers Through Wings and Subtypes

Each Enneagram type can be influenced by one or both of the adjacent types, known as wings. These wings add nuances and prevent characters from being stereotypical. Additionally, consider the three instinctual subtypes (self-preservation, social, and sexual) to add more depth. For instance, a Type Three with a Type Four wing might be a highly ambitious character but with a deep-seated fear of failure and a desire for uniqueness.

Step 3: Determine Developmental Path

Each Enneagram type has directions of integration (growth) and disintegration (stress), which can guide your character’s developmental trajectory throughout the story. In moments of growth or under stress, how do their core behaviors change? This can be crucial for plotting key turning points in your narrative.

Step 4: Create Relationships Between Characters

Use the Enneagram to map out dynamics between characters. How might a Type Eight, the Challenger, interact with a Type Nine, the Peacemaker? Such interactions can drive the story forward and add layers of conflict and resolution that are vital for a gripping plot.

Step 5: Reflect on Motivations and Fears

Understanding the deep-seated motivations and fears of your characters can enhance how they react to various situations and obstacles in the story. This internal consistency is what makes characters lifelike and relatable.

Benefits of Using the Enneagram in Writing

• Consistency: Characters act in ways that are true to their personality, even as they grow and change.
• Complexity: The Enneagram’s layers help avoid clichés and create characters with unique, multifaceted personalities.
• Conflict: Natural tensions between different types can be used to create compelling interpersonal conflicts.
• Convincing Character Arcs: By knowing the growth and stress paths of each type, you can craft convincing developmental arcs.

Conclusion

Integrating the Enneagram into your novel-writing process isn’t just about sticking to a formula; it’s about understanding human nature and reflecting it authentically in your characters. Whether you’re sketching out a major protagonist or a minor side character, the Enneagram can provide a rich resource for bringing your novel’s inhabitants to vivid life. Dive into this dynamic tool and watch your fictional world deepen with complexity and realism.