The Literary Enneagram

The word ‘Enneagram’ is derived from the Greek words 'ennéa', meaning ‘nine’, and 'grámma', meaning something ‘drawn'. It is essentially a description of the human psyche, interpreted as a typology of nine interconnected personality types.

The Enneagram is a universal template for human psychology, illustrating how and why people act and think the way they do. For writers interested in character development, it is an incredibly useful tool. For those prepared to venture into the deeper aspects of human nature, it can be life changing.

Learn More about the Enneagram

An Invaluable Tool

Karen Hughes is a writer with a strong interest in psychological themes and the role of personality. She runs personal development workshops with her husband, Andrew Hughes. Karen draws on her own life changing journey with the Enneagram to present a writing workshop that is completely out of the ordinary. Not only will you leave with the tools to create better characters and a more convincing plot, but you might have a few 'a-ha' moments about your own personality.

Using the Enneagram, Karen will explore the basic psychological patterns of characters in classic and contemporary novels, stories, and plays. She'll demonstrate how various literary characters fit the basic patterns of the Enneagram, and why it is an invaluable tool for developing and understanding your own characters.

What's Your Enneagram Type?

Type 4: The Individualist

Fours are expressive, dramatic, self absorbed, and temperamental. They are self revealing, emotionally honest and personal, but they can also be moody and self conscious.

Fours want to express themselves and their individuality, to create and surround themselves with beauty, to maintain certain moods and feelings, and to withdraw to protect their self image. They take care of emotional needs before attending to anything else, and long to attract a rescuer.

At their best, healthy Fours are inspired and highly creative, able to renew themselves and transform their experience.

What's Your Enneagram Type?

Type 4: The Individualist

Fours are expressive, dramatic, self absorbed, and temperamental. They are self revealing, emotionally honest and personal, but they can also be moody and self conscious.

Fours want to express themselves and their individuality, to create and surround themselves with beauty, to maintain certain moods and feelings, and to withdraw to protect their self image. They take care of emotional needs before attending to anything else, and long to attract a rescuer.

At their best, healthy Fours are inspired and highly creative, able to renew themselves and transform their experience.