To a Fiction Writer, What is Enneagram?

No, you won’t find this in your dictionary unless you are lucky enough to visit the National Library of Congress; an easier way, check out Wikipedia on you  computer.  It has to do with the study of personalities.  Enneagram became popular in the 1970’s. Actually, Enneagram developed in Chile, then to Europe; then to the United States in the 70’s.  Why is this an important gram, for fiction writers?  There are nine specific character traits that writers must take into consideration.  It really is not that complicated. Personalities are based on a mathematical scale, we as writers should attempt to learn these rules.  The Enneagram design, composes of three parts: a circle, an inner triangle, a irregular hexagonal, “periodic figure (connecting 1-4-2-8-5-7).” The circle symbolizes unity, the inner circle or inner triangle symbolizes the law of three and the hexagon represents the law of seven.  Why? Because 1-4-2-8-5-7 is the repeating decimal created by dividing one by 7 in a base of 10 arithmetic. Now don’t give up yet and stop reading this.  Some good stuff is yet to come from all of this, and you will need this information to explain your characters or protagonist in your next fiction. 

Using Enneagram is an excellent way to develop who your characters are, how they think and why.  Why do the act the way they do.  Look at it this way, most fictions don’t deal with just one character but many.  Who are they why did you bring them into the scene. What relationship do they have to others and why.  

Let’s discuss the various types of character which can be found Wikipedia:

Type One (Character Role)

1. Reformer
2. Helper
3. Achiever
4. Individualist
5. Investigator
6. Loyalist
7. Enthusiast
8. Challenger
9. Peacemaker

Type Two (Ego Fixation)

1. Resentment
2. Flattery
3. Vanity
4. Melancholy
5. Stinginess
6. Cowardice
7. Planning
8. Vengeance
9. Indolence, self forgetting

Type Three (Holy Ideas)

1. Perfection
2. Freedom
3. Hope
4. Origin
5. Omniscience
6. Faith
7. Work
8. Truth
9. Love

Type Four (Basic Fear)

1. Corruption, evil
2. Unworthiness of love
3. Worthlessness
4. Commonness
5. Uselessness, helplessness
6. Isolation and vulnerability
7. Boredom
8. Loss of control
9. Loss, annihilation

Type Five (Basic desire)

1. Goodness, Integrity, balance
2. Unconditional love
3. Value to others
4. Uniqueness, authenticity
5. Competency
6. Safety
7. Experience of life
8. Self protection, autonomy
9. Stability, peace of mind

Type Six (Temptation)

1. hypocrisy
2. Manipulative
3. Pleasing everyone
4. Self-castigation
5. Over thinking
6. Suspiciousness
7. Moving too fast
8. Self-sufficiency
9. Giving in

Type Seven (Vice/Passion)

1. Anger
2. Vainglory’s
3. Deceit
4. Envy
5. Avarice
6. Fear
7. Gluttony
8. Lost
9. Indifference

Type Eight (Vice)

1. Right action
2. Altruism
3. Truthfulness
4. Equanimity
5. Detachment
6. Courage
7. Sobriety
8. Magnanimity
9. Serenity

Thank you Wikipedia for showing us what we can’t find in dictionaries.

As you may have notice out of the eight different psychology of characters in series of nine traits, as writers, we have large choices of personality traits. It will do you well to memorize these various complex personality traits in order to become better comprehensive writers.  You almost would think we all need a degree in psychology or/and sociology.  After all, those are the two main elements that tells us a little bit about the characters in our novels and what motivates them.  It makes for better writing.  Now we have to improve on our grammar and spelling! In one of my many techs, one that goes into detail as to how Enneagram helps us from pages 83 to 99. It worth a study: “Write Great Fiction (Dialogue) Techniques and exercises for crafting effective dialogue buy Gloria Kempton.  In her book she refines it this way:

Enneagram:  (1) The Reformer; (2) The Giver; (3) The Achiever; (4) The Artist, (that’s us);  (5) The Observer; (6) The Questioner; (7) The Adventurer; (8) The Leader; (9) The Peacemaker

Her books are available at Amazon, Bookstores, College Book Store and is usually required reading for psychology and sociology students.  Now I hope you will make it required reading for all our fiction and non-fiction writers.

I hope this has been helpful to you.  This world of writing encompasses so much and there is so much more to learn.  It is never ending.  If you enjoyed this article, please let me know. Send me an email: eelcik876@gmail.com By the way,  check out my new book “Desperation of Souls,” found at Amazon.com and Kindle.  Coming this summer, “The Lobsterman of Deep Cove Maine,”  ”Challenges” will be ready this fall; all fictions are powerfully written. Your comments are always appreciated and helpful.

By Eugene Elcik, Author