Last month I shared how I begin creating characters for a new story by starting with assigning them each an Enneagram personality type. The reason I like doing this is because the Enneagram offers a wealth of information about the nine different types, and once I know which type each of my character emulates most, it can tell me a lot about them as a person.

This week I had planned to talk to you about how I tackle the plotting stage, but I decided to instead write a post about the Enneagram types to give you a little more insight. I spent hours this summer creating an Enneagram booklet to use when creating new characters. It’s 7000 words long, so I’m not going to post all of that in one blog post here on Go Teen Writers. I can shrink each type down a great deal to give you a better idea of what this looks like for character creation.

If you are interested in learning more about the Enneagram, I highly recommend the following two resources. The first is a book called The Road Back to You (affiliate link). You can likely get it from your local library. (That’s where I read it.) It goes into great depth about the Enneagram in general and each personality type.

The second resource I stumbled onto when looking up Enneagrams one day. Abbey Howe is a YouTuber who makes fun videos about personality types, many of which are based on the Enneagram. So once you’ve figured out your character’s Enneagram type, you can look up the best or worst traits of each type and have fun watching how she dramatizes them, and it might help you get to know your character a little better.

That said, let’s jump right into the nine Enneagram personality types. The information below is a summary of my understanding of each type. I am by no means an Enneagram expert. I’ve done this research for myself and thought it might help you as well. Of course people are complex creatures, and no one truly fits any personality type box perfectly. There will always be nuances. But I hope this at least gives you an idea of where to start.

Enneagram Type 1: The Perfectionist

Enneagram Ones have a strong sense of right and wrong. They are often advocates for positive change in their communities and the world at large. For strengths, they are pragmatic, organized, like schedules, and good with money. They have high standards. Weaknesses are that they can be overly critical of themselves and others and can become self-righteous.

Some famous Enneagram Ones are Hermione Granger, Atticus Finch, Bruce Wayne, Colonel Brandon, the apostle Paul, Gandhi, Hillary Clinton, Nelson Mandella, Michelle Obama, and Martin Luther.

Core Desire: To be perfect and make no mistakes.

Words they long to hear: You are good enough.

Lie They Believe: It’s not okay to waste time on fun when there are important things do be done.

Greatest Fear: Being defective.

Sin: Anger

Enneagram 2: Helper

Enneagram Twos are generous and empathetic. They are selfless and sometimes people pleasers. They love to support and take care of others and usually put the needs of others ahead of their own. They can be overly protective of those they love. Some strengths are having a positive outlook. Being able to recognize the needs of others. Often warm, loving and have a positive attitude and outlook of things. They are persistent and dedicated. For weaknesses, they can be easily offended by any form of criticism. Often need approval from others. Can sometimes be overbearing and bossy. And might overlook their needs in order to help everyone else.

Some famous Enneagram Twos are Molly Weasley, Samwise Gamgee, Emma Woodhouse, Mary Magdalene, the apostle John, Princess Diana, Princess Leia, Mother Theresa, Nancy Reagan, Whitney Houston, and Fred Rodgers.

Core Desire: To be loved.

Words they long to hear:  You are loved just for being you. (They would have loved Mr. Rogers.)

Lie They Believe: My needs don’t matter.

Greatest Fear:  Being unloved.

Sin: Pride

Enneagram 3: Achiever

Enneagram Threes are ambitious, driven over-achievers. They care about what other people think of them. Image and status matters to them. They want to feel valuable in the world. Healthy Threes are authentic, but those who aren’t as emotionally healthy might be tempted to deceive others or cheat to look better than they really are. Strengths are being determined, confident, driven, and efficient. They are productive, goal-oriented, and image-conscious. They have a strong work ethic and are great leaders and team motivators. Some weaknesses are that Threes tend to be workaholics and never have fun or relax. They can be overly competitive and might sometimes appear to be insensitive. Threes struggle deeply with failure and crave external validation.

Some famous Enneagram Threes are Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Professor Slughorn, Gaston, Boromir, Gimli, Scarlett O’Hara, Jacob/Israel, Oprah, Moses, King Saul, Justin Bieber, Michael Jordan, Elvis Presley, and Will Smith.

Core Desire: To be valued.

Words they long to hear: Your feelings matter.

Lie They Believe: If I work hard enough, I will feel better.

Greatest Fear: Being worthless or unknown.

Sin: Deceit

Enneagram 4: Individualist

Enneagram Fours are sensitive, creative, and in touch with their own emotions. They often feel like they’re different and don’t fit in, so many Fours seek to find themselves. Fours can be moody. Some are self-conscious and/or self-indulgent. Many fours are actors. Some strengths are that fours often are introspective and empathetic—understanding the needs and feelings of others. Many are deep thinkers and very creative. Some weaknesses are that Fours can be self-centered and overly dramatic. They can be self-indulgent yet might withdraw in hard times and become depressed.

Some famous Enneagram Fours are Anne Shirley, Frodo Baggins, Marianne Dashwood, Loki, King David, Edgar Allen Poe, Nicholas Cage, Prince Charles, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Angelina Jolie, and Vincent Van Gogh.

Core Desire: To be their authentic self.

Words they long to hear: You are seen and loved for who you are.

Lie They Believe: I am different from everyone else and don’t belong.

Greatest Fear: Inauthenticity. Forced to live a mediocre or fake life.

Sin: Envy

Enneagram 5: Investigator

Enneagram Fives are rational problem solvers. They are quick learners and are often very smart individuals. They are observant resourceful. Other strengths are being curious, perceptive, detail oriented, and can remain calm in a crisis. Some weaknesses are that they can become isolated loners, nihilistic, or emotionally detached from others. Sometimes have difficulty understanding or relating to the feelings of others. Might sometimes be considered condescending. Might also hoard their resources like time, money, emotions, knowledge and so on.

Some famous Enneagram Fivers are Klaus Baudelaire, Sherlock Holmes, Elrond, Severus Snape, Arthur Weasley, Nicodemus, Einstein, Bill Gates, Stephen King, Marie Curie, Charles Darwin, Alfred Hitchcock, and Isaac Newton.

Core Desire: To be competent, capable, and knowledgeable in the world.

Words they long to hear: Your needs are not a problem.

Lie They Believe: If I get too involved with others, they will overwhelm me and zap my strength.

Greatest Fear: Being incompetent or incapable.

Sin: Greed

Enneagram 6: Loyalist

Enneagram Sixes’ core sin of fear can manifest in one of two ways. Either they will be fearful, phobic Sixes who live overly cautious, indecisive loves and obey every authority. Or they are counter-phobic Sixes who rebel against authority and are defiant and reactive mainly because they’re afraid of being controlled by authority figures. Some strengths of Sixes are that they are loyal and protect and care for their people. They honor commitments, are responsible, practical, and avoid unnecessary risks. Some weaknesses of Sixes is that they can be insecure, pessimistic, and struggle with doubt and anxiety. Some sixes struggle to make decisions and don’t trust even their own judgement for fear of being wrong. Some take on too many responsibilities, then get stressed out.

Some famous Enneagram Sixes are Bilbo Baggins, Hamlet, Eleanor Dashwood, Marilla Cuthbert, Ruth, Peter, Mark Twain, Ellen DeGeneres, Sigmund Freud, Tolkien, Bruce Springsteen, and David Letterman.

Core Desire: To be secure and supported.

Words they long to hear: You are safe and secure.

Lie They Believe: Worrying about potential problems will keep them from happening.

Greatest Fear: Being in danger without support.

Sin: Fear

Enneagram 7: Enthusiast

Enneagram Sevens are adventurous, spontaneous, optimistic, and playful. Their deepest desire is to have their needs met, and they prioritize enjoyment over all other things. They don’t like to experience pain or talk about depressing things. They will change the subject and bring back the fun. Some strengths are that they can think quickly and are creative. They adapt easily and are glass half full people. They are fun to be around and are the life of the party. Weaknesses are that they are sometimes impulsive and may appear self-centered. They have a tendency to over-commit and forget to add boundaries or limits to their schedule. Some Sevens struggle to finish tasks because they get bored. They can be vulnerable to addiction as they seek to avoid all kinds of pain.

Some famous Enneagram Sevens are Sirius Black, Fred and George Weasley, Merry and Pippin, Lydia Bennett, Peter Pan, Solomon, Ben Franklin, Barnabas, Robin Williams, Thomas Jefferson, Tom Hanks, and George Clooney.

Core Desire: To be satisfied.

Words they long to hear: You will be taken care of.

Lie They Believe: If I can experience all the world has to offer, I will be satisfied.

Greatest Fear: Being deprived of experiences.

Sin: Gluttony

Enneagram 8: Challenger

Enneagram Eights are know what they want in life. They are decisive, confident, and confrontational. They are natural leaders and often run businesses. Strengths are that Eights are natural protectors and will defend others. They’re good at debate, logical and fair, and often take charge of situations. They always have an opinion and like getting their own way. Weaknesses in Eights are that they can be manipulative and intimidating. Since they fear being controlled by others, they tend to preempt such situations by taking charge of everything. They can be intensive and argumentative. They often ignore rules and sometimes disregard the opinions of others.

Some famous Enneagram Eights are Alastor Moody, Rhett Butler, Magneto, Steve Jobs, Samson, John the Baptist, Martin Luther King Jr., Han Solo, Donald Trump, Stalin, Dr. Phil, Walt Disney, Napoleon, and Morgan Freeman.

Core Desire: Being independent and strong. To not show any vulnerability.

Words they long to hear: You will not be betrayed.

Lie They Believe: Being vulnerable with others will ruin my life.

Greatest Fear: Being controlled or manipulated.

Sin: Lust

Enneagram 9: Peacemaker

Enneagram Nines love people. They are easygoing and want everything to be happy. They don’t’ like conflict and try not to rock the boat. They sometimes get walked on since they don’t speak up for themselves in order to make others happy. Strengths are that Nines are kind and supportive and open minded. They can be great mediators and tend not to judge others for mistakes. They are calm, adaptable, patient, and inclusive. Weaknesses can lead to complacency. Nines tend to downplay large problems that could use more urgency. Conflict can be a struggle, and Nines can become passive aggressive. They tend to avoid difficult situations.

Some famous Enneagram Nines are Harry Potter, Dorothy Gale, Jane Bennett, Edward Ferrars, Abraham, Jonah, Jesus, Abe Lincoln, Jane Austen, Will Ferrell, JK Rowling, Ronald Reagan, Clint Eastwood, and Laura Bush.

Core Desire: To be at peace, harmony—connected to others.

Words they long to hear: Your presence matters.

Lie They Believe: Nobody wants to hear what I have to say.

Greatest Fear: Being alone.

Sin: Sloth

In Conclusion

So, there you have them. A summary on all nine Enneagram personality types. And as writers of fiction, I hope you can see how it can be helpful to “typify” new characters as you’re creating a new cast. This allows you to know how they will react in certain situations. To know their preferences. To know what sets them off and what they really need to hear on order to feel loved. It’s good stuff. And there are hundreds of blog posts out there about different aspects of the Enneagram. When I’m writing a romance thread, I like to look up posts on which personality types make good matches or lists of strengths and weaknesses with couples that are numbers _____ and _____. You can find it all on Google if you learn what to search for.

Which Enneagram Type is your main character? Do you tend to write characters in certain types and never write characters in other types? Share in the comments.

Jill Williamson is a chocolate loving, daydreaming, creator of kingdoms, and the author of several young adult fantasy novels including the Blood of Kings trilogy. She loves teaching about writing. She blogs at goteenwriters.com and also posts writing videos on her YouTube channel and on Instagram. Jill is a Whovian, a Photoshop addict, and a recovering fashion design assistant. She grew up in Alaska without running water or electricity and now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two kids. Find Jill online at jillwilliamson.com or on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.