Dragon Writing Prompts

I stumbled across a few tarot spreads designed specifically for writing projects and the need to use them as a NaNo prompt wouldn’t let go! They’re a bit more time consuming than the other prompts but may be less time consuming and more productive than banging your head against the desk as you struggle to figure out what should happen next ;-)

The spreads are all designed by Arwen.

The first is a Goal, Motivation, Conflict spread. She suggests it’s best used during writing after you know your characters and when you’re stuck on where they should go next. (Click on the image for Arwen’s explanation of the layout.)

If your knowledge of tarot extends no further than the ability to place cards on a table, you can draw each of the 7 cards below and it will give you explanations.

Type in a Question like “Who is my character?” or “What is my character’s goal?”, under Deck choose a deck that sounds like it fits your story (obviously you might need to explore them a bit), under Spread choose One card.

If you want to explore the possibilities for your main characters (or it might work for protagonist and antagonist), this spread can be used over and over. It’s called a ladder spread because the top card (7) can become the bottom (2) card of the next set and so on up the ladder as you keep plotting your story out. (Click on the image for Arwen’s explanation of the layout.)

Arwen also designed a Characterization Spread that delves into childhood and other influences on your character.

There are more Tarot Spreads for Writers at the Aeclectic Tarot Forum. Scroll 1/3 of the way down the page (or search for “writer”.)

If using tarot for plotting intrigues you, there’s also Tarot for Writers by Corinne Kenner that gets some great reviews.

Have your character list 5 ways they’re ordinary (for their world, of course!) and 5 ways they’re not ordinary. (Though you don’t need to include it, they picked those particular items out of the totality of who they are for a reason.)

Idea from Charloft where’s there’s a new theme each day for your characters. (A very active community.) There are loads of responses to this particular one. In case the Live Journal community disappears one day, I saved the list.

I also opened an Ordinary and Special topic at the NaNoWriMo forums.

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What’s special or ordinary about the picture? Go to Face Research — Make an Average. Click on several pictures. Click View Average and see what a composite of the pictures is like. (Try all the thin faces, all those with dark hair, all those with long chins, all with large ears ….) I tried to create a girl’s face where race wasn’t easy to pinpoint.

Roll over the post’s image and you can see all the faces, male and female, averaged together. (The sampling of images does contain a large proportion of Caucasians.) Is it a girl or a boy? It would be interesting to see a composite of all 20 yos, 30 yos, etc in the world :-)

What’s interesting is that average isn’t bland but tends toward beauty. So beauty isn’t so extraordinary as it is average!

Describe someone in positive terms but then add a negative twist.

• In a neat strip his hair clung to his head from forehead to shoulders like a beaver tail of soft curls.
• Her cherry lips framed corn yellow teeth that rivaled a horse’s.

Also describe someone in negative terms but add a positive twist.

• The wrinkled parchment of his face burst into life with his smile.
• Her fog of thinning hair glowed like dandelion fluff in the sun.

From #161 at Meredith Sue Willis Writing Exercises.

“Top 10 things I believe with all my heart and soul.”

Okay, I did promise no self reflection in the prompts! But you don’t need to use it to dig beneath your dirty (or dull) layers ;-) Use it as a way to generate a real, heartfelt list that, with some tweaking, could be used for a character. Start with ten real ones, and then let them flow.

Though some may be weighty or serious, don’t let the prompt limit you. I certainly believe with all my heart and soul that Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream would beat any other flavor in a wrestling match on my tongue ;-)

When you’re done, look over what you’ve written. Take some directly, tweak some, get inspired by others to go a different direction then craft a character from the variety.

Take your favorite character and describe their car (or usual mode of transportation).

Is it new or used? Why that particular model? Did they pick the color specifically or just what was available? Where did they buy it?

What’s lost under the seat? What’s in the trunk? What are the stains on the seat and how did they get there?

What’s in the glove compartment? The trunk? The storage area? What’s in the back seat?

What’s broken and do they intend to fix it?

Do they run it into the ground or is it well maintained?

Has it been modified? To be cool? To be more practical?

What are their rules for passengers?

Hippocrates believed moods and behaviors were caused by the balance of four bodily fluids (called humors): blood, yellow bile, black bile, phlegm. During the Renaissance, Shakespeare and other authors based characters on the four humors or temperaments. It’s good to have a balance in real life, but for characters it’s good to be unbalanced :-)

Come up with some characters based on the four humors. Set them in a situation together and see what happens.

Sanguine (blood, cheerful)

A sanguine person is generally light-hearted, fun-loving, a people person, loves to entertain, spontaneous, leadership abilities, and confident. However they can be arrogant, cocky, and indulgent. They can be day-dreamy and off-task to the point of not accomplishing anything and can be impulsive, possibly acting on whims in an unpredictable fashion.

The temperament is associated with the season of spring, the qualities of warm and moist, the element of air. Various modern equivalents are: artisan, improvisor, artistic, innovative, changeable.

Synonyms: cheerful, confident, optimistic, assured, hopeful, buoyant, in good heart

Choleric (yellow bile, enthusiastic)

A choleric person is a doer. They have a lot of ambition, energy, and passion, and try to instill it in others. They can dominate people of other temperaments, especially phlegmatic types. Many great charismatic military and political figures were cholerics. On the negative side, they are easily angered, bad-tempered, mean-spirited, suspicious and angry.

The temperament is associated with the season of summer, the qualities of warm and dry, and the element of fire. Various modern equivalents are: idealist, catalyst, religious, doctrinaire, inspired.

Synonyms: irate, testy, hot-tempered, fiery, irritable, quarrelsome

Melancholic (black bile, somber)

A melancholic person is a thoughtful ponderer. Often very kind and considerate, melancholics can be highly creative – as in poetry and art - but can become overly pre-occupied with the tragedy and cruelty in the world, thus becoming depressed. A melancholic is also often a perfectionist. This often results in being unsatisfied with one’s own artistic or creative works and always pointing out to themselves what could and should be improved.

The temperament is associated with the season of autumn, the qualities of cold and dry, and the element of earth. Various modern equivalents are: guardian, stabilizer, economic, traditional, industrious.

Synonyms: languid, spiritless, gloomy

Phlegmatic (phlegm, calm)

A phlegmatic person is calm and unemotional. While phlegmatics are generally self-content and kind, their shy personality can often inhibit enthusiasm in others and make themselves lazy and resistant to change. They are very consistent, relaxed, rational, curious, and observant, making them good administrators and diplomats. Like the sanguine personality, the phlegmatic has many friends. However the phlegmatic is more reliable and compassionate; these characteristics typically make the phlegmatic a more dependable friend.

The temperament is associated with the season of winter, the qualities of cold and moist, and the element of water. Various modern equivalents are: rational, theorist, theoretic, skeptical, curious.

Synonyms: unemotional, indifferent, cold, heavy, dull, sluggish, matter-of-fact, placid, stoical, lethargic, bovine, apathetic, frigid, lymphatic, listless, impassive, stolid, unfeeling, undemonstrative

There’s a chart that categorizes the traits and strengths and weaknesses of each:

If you’d like to see the mixture of humors in your character (or yourself) there’s a personality test.

The Divided Kingdom by Rupert Thomson is about a world where people are isolated into quarters by personality type. I’m seeing some inherent conflict there in a land filled with leaders but no followers and thinkers but no doers.

What does your character …

… fear?
… dread?
… want?
… want to avoid losing?
… want to avoid gaining?
… love?
… desire?
… need?
… crave?
… hate?
… loathe?
… have a passion for?

If your character doesn’t want something badly, there isn’t much reason to read about them.

While in real life happiness is a great thing, it’s boring in a character ;-) Their desire needn’t be a huge thing like saving the world. It can be simple personal quest like recreating Mom’s lost recipe for cherry pie or a war on the invading bedbugs.

This can work for a current character, a dropped character you were fond of but couldn’t make work, a brand new character.

(The above words are intentionally similar to need. Some words may feel the same to you. That’s okay. We each have slightly different connotations for words and words you feel are the same may spark very different ideas in someone else.)

Did your NaNo generate a lot of characters you’d like to find out more about? Do you have a collection of characters from past stories you’re fond of and would like to work with again?

This character quiz is modified from one by Cat Bowen (~DrowElfRocker) on Deviantart. I liked the random comparisons she had going so replaced a few of the single character questions with more combinations.

First, list 12 of your characters in no particular order. They can be from one story or from several.

Then, answer the questions:

1. Who would make a better college professor, 6 or 11? What subject would they teach?
2. What personality trait do 4 and 11 have in common?
3. 12 sends 8 on a mission. What is it, and does it succeed?
4. If 5 and 9 were trapped in a elevator together, who would be the first to crack?
5. Would it make more sense for 2 to swear fealty to 6, or the other way around?
6. For some reason, 5 is looking for a roommate. Should he share a studio apartment with 9 or with 10?
7. 2, 7 and 12 have dinner together. Where do they go, and what do they discuss?
8. 3 challenges 10 to a duel. Why and what happens?
9. If 1 stole 8’s most precious possession, how would she/he get it back?
10. Suggest a title for a story in which 7 and 12 both attain what they most desire.
11. What kind of plot device would you use if you wanted 4 and 1 to work together?
12. If 5 and 6 visited you for the weekend, how would you get along? Which would you most feel like killing off by the end of the weekend?
13. If you could command 3 to perform any one task or service for you, what would it be?
14. If 7 and 8 had grown up as siblings in a unstable home, who would have turned out the most different? Who would have survived the best?
15. If 2 had to choose sides between 4 and 5, which would it be?
16. Out of all the characters, who would win the beauty portion of the pageant? Who would win the talent portion? And who would win Ms./Mr. Congeniality?
17. Who would make the best superhero: 3, 9 or 11? Who would make the best supervillain? What would their super powers be?
18. 1, 6, and 12 are having dim sum at a Chinese restaurant. There is only one scallion pancake left, and they all reach for it at the same time. Who gets to eat it?
19. What might be a good pick-up line for 2 to use on 10?
20. Who is most likely to be arrested 4 or 10? For what?
21. 6 finds out 5’s secret. What happens?
22. If 11 and 9 were racing to a destination, who would get there first?
23. If you had to walk home through a bad neighborhood late at night, would you feel safer in the company of 7 or 8?
24. 1 and 9 reluctantly team up to save the world from the threat posed by 4’s secret Organization. 11 volunteers to help them, but is later discovered that he is actually a spy for 4. Meanwhile 4 has kidnapped 12 in an attempt to force their surrender. Following the wise advise of 5, they seek out 3, who gives them what they need to complete their quest.

    -What title would you give this fic?

Go to your refrigerator and write down 10 random or oddest items in there. Write the introductory paragraphs of a character who only has those items in his or her refrigerator.

(Alternatively, go to the grocery store and go hog weird wild to choose 10 items.)

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I was searching for a weekly tip and came across a page on creating characters. It’s a pretty good page actually but one piece of advice made me realize why so many character questionnaires feel flat to me: it’s because the questions ask what rather than why.

The author suggest reverse engineering a character. Go through a favorite book and write down the characteristics of your favorite characters. Write questions that would prompt the descriptions as a response. Then use those questions to interview your own character: create three response for each question.

One of the responses was, “Hagrid is a large man, so big he must be part giant.” A very interesting answer! But the question the article’s author came up with is, “What is this character’s physical size?” Um, large? It just doesn’t lead your mind down interesting paths.

But a question like “Why are you the size you are?” can bring out rich details from a character’s past. “Because I’m half giant,” is a much more interesting answer than “Really big.” Though “15 feet.” or however large Hagrid is, is intriguing, it obviously leads to “Why are you 15 feet tall.” Might as well begin with the why!

The page is Creating Characters from Scratch.

The reverse engineering process is described towards the end of the article.

While conflict makes the story run, before conflict your character needs a passionate yearning to be conflicted about.

Brainstorm some passionate yearnings. Don’t worry if they’re cliche. It’s the passion your character will bring to that yearning that will set it apart. (The yearning for a husband or wife has certainly fueled plenty of stories!)

After you’re done brainstorming, pick your favorite yearnings then brainstorm some reasons why your character wants that. Make it personal and make them want it passionately.

Here’s some examples if you’re having trouble getting started:

• To protect a brother. Why? Younger or older? How and why is the brother in danger? What did he do? What events made the siblings especially close?
• To be the first to Mars. Why? To achieve something no one else has? Passionate love of Star Trek? Return home?
• To win the dragon riding tournament. Why? Why dragons? Why this particular tournament? To prove something to someone or self? To honor an ancestor or mentor? To prove something to the dragon(s)?
• To end the war. Why? Ancestral home is threatened? Brother is on the other side and it’s only a matter of time before character will have to kill him? The cost to loved ones has been too high?
• To find peace and quiet. Why? Stressful life? Surrounded by grasping people? Surrounded by idiots?
• To regain family treasure. Why? Awaken inherited powers? Crush the power of the rival who stole it? Rebuild family that was destroyed?

Look over your list and circle your favorites. Keep asking why for the ones that intrigue you to gain greater depth for the characters and the problem and the world.

Pick your very favorite. Brainstorm a list of 25 obstacles to place between the character and their yearning. (The first few that come out will probably be cliche. That’s okay. Sometimes you need to run the tap first until the water is clear :-) The conflict can be personal (fear, being handicapped, family opposes) or external (aliens invade, it rains).

This could be the foundation for your NaNoWriMo project coming up in November. Choose one or a few of the yearnings and conflicts that feel like they could be in the same story. Put them together to see what happens.

Here’s an extensive list of character traits. You can pick a couple or three to form the basis of a character. Then create a character with the opposite traits to form a friend, enemy, sibling, mentor … ?

While there’s a great deal to be said about nature forming our characters, it’s a lot more interesting for a story if there’s a background reason! :-) So ask yourself why the character developed those traits. What happened in the past, recent or childhood, that moved them in that direction. And perhaps they display the trait only in limited contexts. A low energy character could be forceful when the one thing he cares about is threatened. A frugal character could have a massive collection of manga. Someone could dole out their compassion just to those who are trying hard and have little sympathy for those who are letting themselves be weighed down.

Pick all from one list or all from different lists or mix them up and choose completely randomly. There are plenty of positive traits that aren’t normally paired together and could make for interesting characters, for example, cultured and easy going, or inept and cocky, or feisty and dainty so it isn’t necessary to mix them up.

If you love lists, there’s another list: Raymond Cattell’s 16 Personality Factors. Again, feel free to pick all “Low Range” or all “High Range” factors since shy and practical, or sensitive and lively, or competitive and solitary aren’t usual combinations but could make for some nicely complex characters when you dig into their lives and figure out why they’ve become who they are.

Positive traits

Accommodating
Accomplished
Adaptable
Adventurous
Affectionate
Agreeable
Amusing
Appreciative
Approachable
Articulate
Artistic
Audacious
Authoritative
Bewitching
Brave
Calming
Carefree
Careful
Caring
Charismatic
Charming
Chaste
Cheerful
Classy
Compassionate
Composed
Confident
Congenial
Conscientious
Considerate
Consistent
Content
Cooperative
Courageous
Creative
Cultured
Curious
Dainty
Debonair
Decent
Determined
Dignified
Disciplined
Easy-going
Educated
Empathetic
Energetic
Enthusiastic
Exuberant
Faithful
Feisty
Flexible
Focused
Forgiving
Frank
Friendly
Frugal
Fun-loving
Funny
Gentle
Glamorous
Good-natured
Graceful
Gracious
Gregarious
Hard-working
Helpful
Honest
Honorable
Hopeful
Hospitable
Imaginative
Impeccable
Informed
Inquisitive
Insightful
Insouciant
Intellectual
Intelligent
Introspective
Intuitive
Inventive
Joyful
Kind
Knowledgeable
Logical
Lovable
Loving
Loyal
Mature
Merciful
Modest
Noble
Observant
Open-minded
Optimistic
Organized
Outgoing
Outspoken
Passionate
Patient
Perceptive
Persistent
Pert
Philanthropic
Polite
Practical
Prosaic
Quirky
Rational
Reliable
Resilient
Respectful
Responsible
Romantic
Saintly
Savvy
Selfless
Sensual
Serene
Serious
Sincere
Smart
Spiritual
Supportive
Sweet
Sympathetic
Tactful
Thoughtful
Thrifty
Tireless
Tolerant
Trusting
Unassuming
Virtuous
Vivacious
Well-groomed
Wholesome

Depends on the context whether they’re positive or negative

Aggressive
Ambitious
Aristocratic
Assertive
Boisterous
Brazen
Busy
Conservative
Conventional
Daring
Delicate
Direct
Dramatic
Eccentric
Elusive
Enigmatic
Exotic
Fearless
Flamboyant
Flirtatious
Gullible
Holy
Humble
Idiosyncratic
Impulsive
Independent
Innocent
Irreverent
Liberal
Loner
Macho
Mannerly
Meticulous
Nonchalant
Nostalgic
Obedient
Obsessive
Opportunistic
Patriotic
Persuasive
Pious
Private
Proud
Quiet
Religious
Sensitive
Sentimental
Soft-spoken
Subtle
Talkative
Tough
Unconventional
Uninhibited
Unselfish
Wild
Worldly
Zany
Zealous

Generally negative descriptors, but not aspects that make you want to keep your distance

Absent-minded
Accident-prone
Aloof
Anxious
Apathetic
Apologetic
Apprehensive
Bewildered
Clumsy
Cocky
Compliant
Compulsive
Confused
Crafty
Cranky
Cunning
Cynical
Daffy
Defiant
Demanding
Detached
Disorganized
Distant
Distraught
Disagreeable
Dowdy
Downtrodden
Dull
Dumb
Emotional
Excessive
Excitable
Extravagant
Fanatical
Fatalistic
Finicky
Flippant
Flustered
Fragile
Frigid
Frustrated
Gaudy
Gloomy
Grandiose
Haggard
Hesitant
Hysterical
Ignorant
Immature
Immodest
Impatient
Impudent
Incoherent
Incompetent
Inconsiderate
Indecisive
Indifferent
Indiscreet
Inept
Infantile
Inhibited
Insecure
Insensitive
Insulting
Intimidating
Introverted
Irresponsible
Irritable
Jealous
Lazy
Lethargic
Materialistic
Melodramatic
Messy
Miserly
Moody
Naive
Neurotic
Non-committing
Opinionated
Ornery
Paranoid
Passive
Pessimistic
Petty
Presumptuous
Pretentious
Prim
Pushy
Rebellious
Reclusive
Remote
Resentful
Reserved
Righteous
Rowdy
Rude
Sarcastic
Sassy
Self-absorbed
Self-conscious
Self-effacing
Self-righteous
Senile
Shallow
Sheepish
Shy
Silent
Silly
Simple
Sloppy
Sluggish
Snobby
Spiteful
Squeamish
Stern
Stingy
Stoical
Straight-laced
Strict
Stubborn
Submissive
Surly
Suspicious
Temperamental
Tense
Tentative
Timid
Trivial
Unclean
Uncommunicative
Uneasy
Unmotivated
Unreasonable
Verbose
Vulnerable
Withdrawn

Quite negative, people you want to have as little contact with as possible

Abrasive
Angry
Annoying
Antisocial
Argumentative
Arrogant
Belligerent
Bossy
Calculating
Callous
Conceited
Condescending
Controlling
Cowardly
Critical
Crude
Deceitful
Despicable
Disgusting
Dogmatic
Domineering
Egocentric
Egotistic
Embittered
Greedy
Grotesque
Hypocritical
Intolerant
Judgmental
Lascivious
Lewd
Maniacal
Manipulative
Mean
Nasty
Obnoxious
Obscene
Overbearing
Perverted
Pompous
Profane
Promiscuous
Selfish
Sleazy
Sneaky
Unapproachable
Unscrupulous
Vain
Vindictive
Vulgar

Pretty darn evil

Abusive
Cruel
Dishonest
Hateful
Inhumane
Masochistic
Psychopathic
Psychotic
Ruthless
Sadistic
Traitorous
Tyrannical
Vengeful
Wicked

From Writer’s Digest Free Writing Prompts

Character questionaire (below). Though only a few of the questions get beyond the mundane, what’s great about this is that about 75 people (so far) have responded on the message boards. There are some interesting answers as well as surprising ways of answering:

Coffee Drinker: only when awake. 
Current Location: Molly Pitcher’s Pub, over on Cranston Street [most people answered current residence.]
Current Location: Padded cell
Eye Color/Hair Color: He has two looks; his human look with sepia hair and autumn brown eyes and his true Sidhe look of sea sky blue eyes and naked white hair.
Favorite Alcoholic Drink: Guinness (It’s a meal in a glass) 
Favorite Meal: anything he doesn’t have to cook himself 
Favorite Meal: Cereal and Milk
Favorite Meal: His ma’s corned beef and cabbage.
Favorite Meal: She’s not picky. Food doesn’t really interest her. She eats because her mom places food in front of her. Otherwise, she would forget about it altogether.
Favorite Meal: Toast 
Fears: Being responsible for the end of the world.
Fears: Going bald, losing his teeth, dying too young and living too long, and spiders. 
Fears: people finding out who she really is 
Fears: The Dark and things he can see that others cannot.
Fears: The evil that man has against his fellow man, closed in tight spaces, old school witches 
Has Character Been in Love: Yes But he’s more likely to be in lust.
Has Character Been in Love: yes, but he denies it 
Is Character Attractive: When you look at Max, you can see her mind spinning at full speed. This makes her beautiful.
Is Character Attractive: Yeah. I wouldn’t dare to date a guy that doesn’t have character.
Life Goal: To die fighting 
Life Goal: To do something meaningful
Life Goal: to keep breathing
Life Goal: To live, man, to live!
Life Goal: to piss off as many people as he can 
Major Strength: Wit, sailing skills, and a head for mathematics without paper and pencil. 
Major Weakness: Cystic Fibrosis
Major Weakness: Explosive Temper and brunettes with blue eyes and he is seldom on time. 
Major Weakness: Guys who play in bands
Major Weakness: never backs down from a challenge, no matter what the cost
Major Weakness: The Sims 2 
Number One Regret: That in the end, he had to turn his back to his people because it was the right thing to do.
Tattoo(s)/ Piercing(s): “Piercings?! What’m I, a girl?”
Tattoo(s)/ Piercing(s): A colbalt blue rank tattoo across the bridge of his nose that looks like a scar in his human form 
Tattoo(s)/ Piercing(s): scared of needles
Tattoo(s)/ Piercing(s): Shocked that you should suggest such a thing. 
Vices: Staying up after lights out completing one sudoku puzzle after another. 
Vices: writing on things esp. her shoes and the bathroom stalls at school

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4/24/2007: Create a background for one of you characters by filling out this list:

Full Name:
Birthday:
Birthplace:
Current Location:
Heritage:
Eye Color/Hair Color:
Right or Left Handed:
Major Strength:
Major Weakness:
Fears:
Life Goal:
Dream Profession:
Actual Profession:
Favorite Meal:
Coffee Drinker:
Favorite Alcoholic Drink:
Has Character Been in Love:
Is Character Attractive:
Does Character Think of Self as Attractive:
Healthy Habits:
Unhealthy Habits:
Favorite Movie:
Vices:
Tattoo(s)/ Piercing(s):
Number One Regret:

You can post your response (500 words or fewer) here:

Create a Character: You’re given several boxes to fill in and it adds some background and personality (determined by Enneagram Personality Type).

Here’s an example:

Your Character
Zeni, age 35, is a very perceptive and intellectual person, interested in understanding the world. Most consider him/her a genius, but Zeni knows he/she has a lot to learn. Originally from Willowbrook, Zeni now lives in Fan Hamish to get a tip on the whereabouts of Vengorth and holds a job as a vampire slayer. Zeni is separated from a spouse and has a child. She’s rangy, with a scar running down the side of her face.”

As a child, Zeni lived among others with incredible skills, perhaps his/her father or mother was a brilliant scientist. Zeni’s parents were probably neglectful. As a result, Zeni learned to look to the outside world for answers. Combine this with a more recent loss or disappearance of a loved one, and you get an overwhelming urge to understand and correct some social problem or to eliminate an evil force. Zeni’s flaw is the belief that experiences are for learning and not for fun. He/she may not have a lot of fun, but secretly wants to. She wants to defeat Vengorth.

(Their software, Character Pro 5, is a more in depth version.)

Also at Typing Chimp is Character 101.

And articles on character development.

Science of a Good Character.

Simple Motivation–What Would YOU Do?

Define What’s Missing.

Relating Character to Story.

Is Your Character an Adult or Child (not age)?

Creating Adult and Child Characters for Juvenile and Adult Fiction

Beginning to Understand Great Dialogue

Fluffing up a Boring Secondary Character

Give Every Character a Theme

What Exactly is a Character Arc?

Finding the Perfect Tragic Past

Tips.

Top Ten Character Tips.

How to Differentiate Characters.

Using Stress to Reveal Character.

Giving a Minor Character Life.

The Seven Deadly Sins and Character Motivation

And a page about how Enneagrams are used in their character development software. (Which ties in the the post here on Enneagram of Personality)

(There are also two software writing programs: Character Pro 5 & QuickStory 5 for sale.)

Sounds like some wizard or wise man.

The Enneagram of Personality is a theory that our personalities derive from how “nine principal ego-archetypal forms or types of human personality … are psychologically connected.”

Yeah. Well, regardless of the wonky science, it does come up with the foundations for some interesting characters (and some nifty cryptic figures to represent each of the nine.) :-)

Here are brief descriptions of the nine personalities from Wikipedia. (There’s also a test you can take. Scroll down below the list of characters.) If you click on the link above to go to the page the descriptions came from, each of the personalities links to a longer article to get even more inspiration for your characters.

Ones: Reformers, Critics, Perfectionists - People of this personality type are focused on personal integrity. Ones can be wise, discerning and inspiring in their quest for the truth. They also tend to dissociate themselves from their flaws or what they believe are flaws (such as negative emotions) and can become hypocritical and hyper-critical of others, seeking the illusion of virtue to hide their own vices. The greatest fear of Ones is to be flawed and their ultimate goal is perfection.

The “deadly sin” of Ones is anger in the form of resentment and their “holy idea” or essence is Holy Perfection.

Under stress Ones express qualities of Fours and when relaxed qualities of Sevens.

Twos: Helpers, Givers, Caretakers - Twos, at their best, are compassionate, thoughtful and astonishingly generous but they can also be particularly prone to clinginess and manipulation. Twos want, above all, to be loved and needed and fear being unworthy of love.

The “deadly sin” of Twos is pride and their “holy idea” or essence is Holy Will.

Under stress Twos express qualities of Eights and when relaxed qualities of Fours.

Threes: Achievers, Performers, Succeeders - Highly adaptable and changeable. Some walk the world with confidence and unstinting authenticity; others wear a series of public masks, acting the way they think will bring them approval and losing track of their true self. Threes are motivated by the need to succeed and to be seen as successful.

The “deadly sin” of Threes is deceit and their “holy idea” or essence is Holy Law.

Under stress Threes express qualities of Nines and when relaxed qualities of Sixes.

Fours: Romantics, Individualists, Artists - Driven by a desire to understand themselves and find a place in the world they often fear that they have no identity or personal significance. Fours embrace individualism and are often profoundly creative and intuitive. However, they have a habit of withdrawing to internalize, searching desperately inside themselves for something they never find and creating a spiral of depression.

The “deadly sin” of Fours is envy and their “holy idea” or essence is Holy Origin.

Under stress Fours express qualities of Twos and when relaxed qualities of Ones.

Fives: Observers, Thinkers, Investigators - Fives are motivated by the desire to understand the world around them, specifically in terms of facts. Believing they are only worth what they contribute, Fives have learned to withdraw, to watch with keen eyes and speak only when they can shake the world with their observations. Sometimes they do just that. However, some Fives are known to withdraw from the world, becoming reclusive hermits and fending off social contact with abrasive cynicism. Fives fear incompetency or uselessness and want to be capable and knowledgeable above all else.

The “deadly sin” of Fives is avarice and their “holy idea” or essence is Holy Omniscience.

Under stress Fives express qualities of Sevens and when relaxed qualities of Eights.

Sixes: Loyalists, Devil’s Advocates, Defenders - Sixes long for stability above all else. They exhibit unwavering loyalty and responsibility, but once betrayed, they are slow to trust again. They are particularly prone to fearful thinking and emotional anxiety as well as reactionary and paranoid behavior. Sixes tend to to react to their fears either in a phobic manner by avoiding fearful situations or by confronting them in a counterphobic manner.

The “deadly sin” of Sixes is cowardice and their “holy idea” or essence is Holy Faith and Strength.

Under stress Sixes express qualities of Threes and when relaxed qualities of Nines.

Sevens: Enthusiasts, Adventurers, Sensationalists - Sevens are adventurous and busy with many activities with all the energy and enthusiasm of the Puer Aeternus. At their best they embrace life for its varied joys and wonders and truly live in the moment but, at their worst, they dash frantically from one new experience to another, too scared of disappointment to actually enjoy themselves. Sevens fear being unable to provide for themselves or to experience life in all of its richness.

The “deadly sin” of Sevens is gluttony and their “holy idea” or essence is Holy Wisdom”.

Under stress Sevens express qualities of Ones and when relaxed qualities of Fives.

Eights: Leaders, Protectors, Challengers - Eights value their own strength and desire to be powerful and in control. They concern themselves with self-preservation. They are natural leaders, who can be either friendly and charitable or dictatorially manipulative, ruthless and willing to destroy anything in their way. Eights seek control over their own lives and destinies and fear being harmed or controlled by others.

The “deadly sin” of the Eight is lust (in terms of being ‘excessive’) and their “holy idea” or essence is Holy Truth.

Under stress Eights express qualities of Fives and when relaxed qualities of Twos.

Nines: Mediators, Peacemakers, Preservationists - Nines are ruled by their empathy. At their best they are perceptive, receptive, gentle, calming and at peace with the world. They also, however, tend to dissociate from conflicts and to indifferently go along with others people’s wishes. They may also simply withdraw and act via inaction. They fear the conflict caused by their ability to simultaneously understand opposing points of view and seek peace of mind above all else. Nines are especially prone to dissociation and passive-aggressive behaviour.

The “deadly sin” of Nines is sloth and their “holy idea” or essence is Holy Love.

Under stress Nines express qualities of Sixes and when relaxed qualities of Threes.

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The Triadic Enneagram Test

This only takes 5-10 minutes and pretty much nailed one of the characters in the current story I’m working on. This is what it came up with:

Seven
Primary Intelligence: Mental
Coping Style: Positive
Social Style: Assertive
Hierarchical Style: Ideals

Sevens use their mental intelligence to create a positive spin on life by coming up with various utopian possibilities about how things could be. They can be very inspirational as they assert their utopian ideals about how people can live better lives or make the world a better place. Robin Williams is a well-known Seven, and his character in the movie Dead Poets Society is an excellent example of this. By regularly imagining how things can be good or made better, Sevens tend to be very optimistic, and their optimism gives them the confidence to assert themselves in the world, going after whatever it is they want.

This is from A Writer’s Guide to Fiction (Writer’s Compass) by Elizabeth Lyon which looks like a very good writing guide. It covers characterization, plot, pacing, and theme as well as revising, marketing and samples of cover and query letters — which makes it sound much like most writing guides ;-). But a reviewer (Catherine Tudor) wrote “Reading Elizabeth Lyon’s, A Writer’s Guide to Fiction, is like taking a college course on writing. I can’t recommend it highly enough for those who write any form of fiction whether it be short stories or novels. Her experience as a writing teacher and independent book editor shows in her thoroughness, conciseness, thoughtfulness and clarity.” It’s on my next to read list.

Character Development: Questions

Goals : What was most important to your character at age five, fifteen, nineteen, and at the age at which the story or novel begins?

Motivation : What were your character’s deepest longings at various ages? Which singular longing has been with him or her since childhood?

Positive Trait : What qualities in your character are he or she most proud of? What would friends say is your character’s most shining quality?

Negative Trait : What is your character’s greatest weakness and worst personality trait? What would friends say is his or her biggest weakness?

Nickname : What were your character’s nicknames? Why was he or she called them?

Self-Concept : What words would be inscribed on your character’s headstone that best capture the way he or she would like to be remembered? Example: He was a friend to all.

Fear : What is your character’s greatest fear? When did he or she first feel it?

Trauma : What was the most traumatic experience in your character’s life?

Secret : What disclosure about your character or his or her actions would your character do almost anything to keep from becoming public knowledge?

Power : When the chips are down, what is your character’s greatest “weapon,” the ace up his or her sleeve?

Adversaries : What person(s) have most blocked your character’s success

Allies : Who can your character count on during life’s highs and lows?

Darkest Hour : What were the lowest points in your character’s childhood, teens, twenties, thirties, and so forth? Times when he or she thought they might not be able to go on living?

Shining Moments : What were the high points of your character’s childhood, teens, twenties, thirties, and so forth? Times when he or she figured they had it made?

Legacy : What message does your character want the world to hear? What would he or she like to leave behind as a gift to others?

This expands on the idea from last Saturday to help you get to know a character you’ve created better or flesh out one that seems a bit wishy-washy.

What would your character’s list of 7 Virtues be? They don’t have to be virtues he or she possesses, but ones he or she thinks are most admirable — in others perhaps! While he goes off and does the total opposite ;-)

Then do a free write on a different one for 15 minutes each day about your character’s thoughts and feelings on and experiences with the virtue. People he’s known who’ve had it and the good and bad he’s seen of it. Times he’s seen it put into action. Just let the words flow nonstop for 15 minutes.

Try making up your own list of virtues first. Then, if you want, you can look through this list compiled from various places around the internet to see if there are any your character might move to the top of his or her list.

acceptance
acknowledgment
assertiveness
beauty
bravery
caring
charity
cheerfulness
clarity
cleanliness
commitment
compassion
competence
confidence
consideration
contentment
cooperation
courage
courtesy
craft
creativity
curiosity
detachment
determination
devotion
diligence
discernment
efficiency
empathy
energy
enthusiasm
excellence
fairness
faith
faithfulness
flexibility
forgiveness
fortitude
friendliness
generosity
gentleness
grace
gratitude
helpfulness
honesty
honor
hope
humility
humor
idealism
insight
integrity
joyfulness
justice
kindness
love
loyalty
mercy
mindfulness
moderation
modesty
obedience
open mindedness
order
orderliness
passion
patience
peace
peacefulness
perseverance
perspective
playfulness
prayerfulness
pride
principled
productivity
prudence
purity
purposefulness
rationality
reliability
resilience
respect
responsibility
reverence
righteousness
sacrifice
self confidence
self discipline
self possession
self restraint
service
silence
steadfastness
stillness
tact
temperance
thankfulness
thrift
tolerance
trust
trustworthiness
truthfulness
understanding
unity
wisdom
wonder

Holly Lisle has, in addition to 30 fantasy and science fiction (and other genres) novels, compiled a wealth of essays on writing. (Some of her out of print books are available from her site for free download also.)

Here’s a bit from her Middles essay:

I’m in one right now — a middle, that is. Actually, I’m nearing the end of the middle, which in my humble opinion is the utter worst place in the universe to be.

The loathsome middle in question happens to be in Curse of the Black Heron, but it wouldn’t matter. I’ve never met a middle I liked, and if the middle weren’t CotBH, it would be something just as bad, or worse.

Writers come in all sorts. There are folks who dread the blank page, and who have an absolute terror of getting the thing started, but once they’ve been plugging on a bit, they’re fine. There are folks who start well, middle well, and hate endings. And then there’s my sort — we who start well and end well (or at least enjoy doing our beginnings and endings, which I admit isn’t always the same thing) but who do awful things to ourselves in the middle of every book because halfway through, we’re certain that whatever magic we once had is gone and that every word that spills from our fingertips onto the keyboard has become total crap.

Here’s a sampling:

HOW TO’S

• Quit Your Day Job
• Format a Manuscript
• Start a Novel
• Create a Character
• Finish A Novel
• Revise A Novel
• Collaborate
• Design a Career
• Steal Ideas
• Fantasy
• SF Worldbuilding
• Time & First Person

WORKSHOPS

• Creating Conflict
• Novel Pre-Writing
• Set Writing Goals
• Character Creation
• Dialogue
• Maps
• Scene Creation
• Timed Writing
• Worldbuilding
• Pacing Scenes
• Plot Outline
• Fast Plotting
• Visualization
• Characterization
• Using Strangeness
• Honing Your Talent
• Write Suckitudinously
• Evaluate Your Work
• Description
• One-Pass Revision
• Revising Vincalis

Type a name or word or phrase into Googlism, click “Who” or “What” or “Where” or “When” then click “Googlism!” (If you don’t get a full page of possibilities, try a more common name. Joyce turns up a full page. Joyce Fetteroll tells me I’m a mom to 11 year old kathryn and wife to carl ;-)

(Note, there may be some beyond PG-13 results mixed in there! Also, unfortunately, Google shut them down a bit after they started so there aren’t any new lists being generated but there’s a huge list of saved Googlisms.)

Pick several to create a character sketch.

Use that character sketch as a writing prompt.

Here’s a sampling:

joyce is predominantly humorous
joyce is born in rathgar
joyce is a magical spellbinder who touches young and old in ways that help us experience the joy of living
joyce is related to me but how?
joyce is really jumpin’
joyce is dead for a time
joyce is alive and concerned
joyce is a shutout sensation
joyce is on ” the other side ”
joyce is a graduate of quiet decisions hypnotherapy and behavior modification
joyce is not perfect
joyce is portrayed as a neurotic and jealous voyeur
joyce is not of any particular interest for this paper
joyce is a well
joyce is young at heart and she’s gone through her life being pulled
joyce is a true diva
joyce is one of the great musical treasures of brazil
joyce is a member of the quest team (Jonny Quest? :-)
joyce is known as the psychic’s psychic
joyce is a five year old african american female
joyce is willing to travel anywhere

As sort of a wrap up to a month of character questions, speculate on who the people are around you at the grocery store, in the car next to you, in the coffee shop …

Why are they here?
What brought them to this place?

Is the woman pushing a cart an international spy?
Is the couple at the corner table travelers from the future?
Is the bland looking man actually a superhero?
Is the too quiet child contemplating world domination?

Time to create a character (or 2 or 3).

The temptation will be to agnonize over the answers to create the perfect character.

To avoid that try creating 3:

1. one that you’d love to write about
2. one whose answers are the total opposite (the bad guy perhaps?)
3. one just to goof around with (the plucky sidekick?)

If you don’t know the answer to a question skip it or, even better, put down something wild! It’s not carved in stone and it may spark some ideas that brings the character to life for you. (You can always toss it out at the end if it doesn’t fit.)

There are 90 questions and I’ll send them out 3 per day so you don’t feel overwhelmed. If you skip a day or 10 days, don’t sweat it. No one question is key. Just pick up again with that day’s questions.

Day 1

• What does he want more than anything in the world?
• What one object would she grab if her house were on fire?
• What secret does he hope is never revealed? Does anyone else know it?

Day 2

• What does she fear most in the world? How far would she go to avoid it?
• If she could have one object from his childhood back again, what would it be?
• When faced with her worst enemy, what does she do?

Day 3

• What piece of artwork does he have in a space he calls his own?
• If she could only keep one photograph from her childhood, what would it be?
• Your character walks into his home and sees blood on the floor? What’s his first reaction?

Day 4

• What hobbies or side interests are most important to her?
• What does he always carry with him?
• What does her bedroom look like?

Day 5

• If he had a free day, what would he do?
• She’s been told she has a month to live. What would she do?
• Make a list of all the things that are important to him, including principles, physical things, emotional things. Go back through the list and circle the things he’d be willing to fight or die for.

Day 6

• What was her last nightmare? What was her last pleasant dream?
• Whose forgiveness does he seek and why?
• What does she daydream about?

Day 7

• Who refuses to speak to him and why?
• If she were told she was destined to fulfill a great prophecy, how would she react?
• Who important in his life has died and how did he handle it?

Day 8

• What does she feel about fate and destiny?
• What scars does he have? What are the stories behind them?
• What tattoos does she have? Why? If she doesn’t would she? What would it be if she would?

Day 9

• How would his parents describe him as a child and now?
• Who is her best friend?
• Who is his worst enemy?

Day 10

• What one person does she most wish she didn’t have to put up with, but feels she has to?
• Who is his confidant?
• Who did she give presents to on the last gift giving occasion? What did she give?

Day 11

• What was his favorite gift that he received of all time? Who gave it to him?
• Does she have a green thumb?
• Does he have pets? Did he have a special pet as a child?

Day 12

• Make up 3 book titles he read last year.
• What does he do when stress builds up?
• What’s her favorite retreat?

Day 13

• Does she feel she has responsibilities that are more than she can handle? What is she doing about them?
• What did she want to be when she grew up?
• What does he want to do but can’t?

Day 14

• What was on her wish list when she was a child?
• What is his secret dream?
• What did her parents say to her that she’ll never forget?

Day 15

• He has a box of things stashed away that he won’t get rid of. What’s in that box?
• What is her worst flaw according to you? What does she think her worst flaw is?
• What is his greatest strength according to you? What does he think his greatest strength is?

Day 16

• What is her greatest regret in life? Does she intend to do something about it?
• What major thing does he want to accomplish in life?
• How does she feel about growing old?

Day 17

• He has an award on his shelf. What’s it for? Does he feel he deserves it?
• Has she ever struck someone in anger? How does she feel about that?
• What makes him embarrassed?

Day 18

• What makes her proud?
• Does he still keep in touch with his childhood friends? Which ones? Why?
• Write about her favorite birthday (or favorite holiday that went perfectly).

Day 19

• Write about his worst birthday (or favorite holiday that went badly.)
• What rule would she say is the most important to live by?
• Is there anyone he despises?

Day 20

• She has just received an envelope. It fills her with dread. What’s in it?
• List 5 things that could motivate him to violence.
• List 3 things that could motivate her to kill.

Day 21

• What is his romantic history? Best? Worst?
• What about her annoys others?
• Does he like poetry?

Day 22

• How would she describe her ideal mate? How would you?
• If a spell turned him into the animal that most resembles his heart, what would he turn into?
• What’s the strangest thing she ever did?

Day 23

• What’s the luckiest thing that ever happened to him?
• If she had unlimited wealth, what would she spend it on?
• If he was a writer, what would he write?

Day 24

• If she could be someone else, who would she be?
• Describe the nature and intensity of his religious feelings?
• What three adjectives best describe her inner nature? What three would she pick?

Day 25

• What three adjectives best describe his outer nature? What three would he pick?
• How does she expect to be treated differently than she treats others?
• What sort of legacy does he wish to leave behind?

Day 26

• What would she like written on her tombstone? What would others write?
• Write an obituary for him.
• What person has most influenced her development as an adult?

Day 27

• Who were his heroes as a child?
• What was the biggest lie she ever told?
• Has he ever broken any laws? Why? Does he feel justified?

Day 28

• What does she think is the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen?
• What does he think is the ugliest thing he’s ever seen?
• What does she think is her purpose in life?

Day 29

• What trait most annoys him when he encounters it in others?
• Does she feel responsible for anyone besides herself?
• How well does he handle change?

Day 30

• Does she have any artistic talent (writing, drawing, music)? Are they well developed or raw? Secret or public?
• Does he swear?
• How does she respond when unjustly accused of something?

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Most character creation charts begin (and often are limited to) physical appearance but that’s really the least important aspect of a character. These questions will help you get inside the psyche of your character to know what formed him and what makes him tick.

The 90 questions I chose are adapted from 365, Volume 1: 365 Character Questions for Writers and Roleplayers by Heather Grove. If you really like the idea, consider going there to download the full PDF and giving her a donation since she obviously put a lot of work into it! (There’s a slightly different format at Character Questionnaire where the questions are grouped by category.)

In keeping with this week’s inadvertent name theme go to Your Name Here. Type in your name and answer the questions. Click “What Is My Name?”

Set the timer for 10-15 minutes and write about one of the “famous” people who had your name, or expand on the history.

Here’s the “history” that pops up for my name:

Literal meaning
“Child of James, or possibly David. Or Phil, maybe.”

History
Coming to an apprentice shoemaker in a dream exactly three hundred years ago next week, the name Joyce was originally used imprecisely to refer to nuns and the violators of nuns, before being pulled from a fire that killed its variants and diminutives.

Famous Joyces

1. Joyce de la Tightbadger, RN, director of the new Bond movie, LIARS RARELY TANGO; ghost-writer of Oscar Wilde’s neighbour, Tom’s expressionist autobiography, READ MY STORY IN THIS BOOK; first holder of the tiresomely abstract office of Official Kerb-Trip-Overer;
2. Joyce Frote, indifferent to the world’s most attractive bucket;
3. Joyce Grating, who discovered the constellation of Pleiades; first holder of the hotly contested office of Hot Diggity;
4. Joyce R Nightdodge ("The Uncanny"), champion of the right to use more types of bacterial infection than any twenty-one people can name;
5. Joyce V E P Happenstance, BSc, once saved by Mr Bronson from Grange Hill;
   Inspector Joyce K de Frewsy, BSc, MA ("The Blue"), fascinated to death by the deckchair-cum-hat;
6. Joyce Thews, PhD, who owes everything to Spandau Ballet;
7. Joyce O’Endeavour, champion of the indestructible tortoise;
8. Joyce M Sprewt, DSO and Bar, DSO and Bar, BSc, PhD, who’s never forgotten the concept of acceptable losses; first holder of the office of Ruler of the World in Exile;
9. Joyce N A Itching, aroused by the world’s most popular cosh; ghost-writer of The St Winifred’s School Choir’s leatherwear catalogue and autobiography, I WAS MONTY’S THUG; first holder of the office of Police-constable.

Typical Joyce motto
“A watched pot is never quite worth it.”

Several writing sites suggest using tarot cards (or some other divination object like I-Ching, runes and so forth) to create characters and plots.

At Facade they have free tarot readings (and runes and numerology and I Ching). It sounds tacky but it’s very cool. You can choose different layouts and different decks and then the reading tells you what the cards mean in those positions.

At Using Tarot Spreads to Create Characters is an article with spreads specifically for creating characters and plots. You’ll have to do the cards and meanings yourself, but, for instance the second spread has cards that represent for a character: Fears and Dreams, Hobbies and Interests, Blind Spots and Breaking Points, History, Home, Relationships, Agendas, Motivation, Plot Hooks.

The whole Burning Void site has articles on developing characters and plots for role playing games — the game masters have to come up with a lot of them in a short amount of time! But the ideas are easily adaptable to writing.

If you don’t know what clustering is, see below.

Word Prompt

What does a particular character make you think of?

Begin with a character type. It can be a stock character like a wizard or mecha pilot or mini-mart clerk.

Set the timer for 10-15 minutes.

In the middle of a piece of paper write your character type and circle it.

Write around it ideas your character type makes you think of.

Around those ideas write ideas those make you think of.

NOTE: It might be helpful to do this on a big piece of paper. (Though my tendency when using a big piece of paper is to write big which defeats the purpose!

2nd NOTE: I had a tendency when branching out from my related word to think back to the original word. That is I started with ghost and one word it reminded me of was transparent. Then I got stuck trying to think in terms of “transparent ghost.” Try to not do that! :-) Treat each word as a totally new and fresh idea. When I started to think fresh then transparent led to window and transparencies …

Writing Prompt

When the timer’s done, look over what you wrote and pick out some ideas that you like. Maybe what you ended up with were a lot of cliches. Try choosing the opposite and see what kind of character that sparks for you.

When you have something you like, set the timer for 10-15 minutes and write about her or him or it.

About Cluster Diagrams

Clustering is a great way to get ideas to flow out. What you do is write a word or an idea in the middle of a piece of paper. Radiating out from it you’ll write whatever words/ideas your central word/idea makes you think of. And then around those words/ideas you’ll write words/ideas those make you think of. Basically it’s free association.

There’s one up in the right corner clustering around “ghost” and one at: Cluster sample. (Notice in the “Cluster sample” one that Dad radiated out from Bar but the words radiating out from Dad had nothing to do with bar. This is A Good Thing! It means the imagination is flowing.)

This is inspired by Lisa Lippert’s page on writing exercises

(Clustering can work for just about anything you need to generate ideas for.)