Structure for Life and Novels

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! What a crazy weekend. My internet was down because of a huge storm we got hit with and I missed my post yesterday! YIKES! Along with my eldest son graduating high school, we had quite a lot of excitement around the old household. Busy is as busy does, I suppose. Well, on to the post for today. We're gonna talk about structure. Both for your life and for your novels. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

When you're writing that best-selling novel, one of the things you have to keep in mind is how you structure it. If it's going to be a trilogy, you have to have the beginning in the first book, the middle in the second, and the ending in the third. Like life, every novel has a beginning, a middle, and an end. This is repeated throughout everything we do. Each day begins, has a middle, and ends.

As humans, we thrive on structure. There are a number of ways you can repair it when it falls out of whack, but one thing you have to remember: Something is only as structured as the person putting it together. I suppose you remember a while back when I wrote a post for ChaBooCha on how to structure your writing day. If you didn't read it yet, you really should. It gives you simple ways to plan things out so you're never caught with your proverbial pants around your ankles.

Of course, every day is different; just like every novel is different. But if you're a linear person, chances are you won't have much trouble writing a linear or three act novel. Play to your strengths. I'm not saying if you're a person who's all over the place, you'll never be able to write a novel. What I'm getting at is maybe you aren't a linear structure type of person.

I've read some pretty great books that jump forward and backward through the story. While it's tricky (and you bet your ass I couldn't pull it off), it can be done.

Before you start writing, just like before you begin your day, decide what kind of structure you're going to use and stick with it. Are you going with a straight beginning to end? How about beginning to end and then back to events that occurred before the beginning ever happened? I've even read a novel that was written backward.

Generally, you want your character's doorway to appear sometime in the first third of the novel. But what if you skipped the doorway and just went right into the chaos it caused? Wouldn't that be something?

If your story is good but no one is loving it, your cohesion may be off. What's the glue that holds a story together? Structure. Think very hard about it before you put down the first word.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Enneagram Types - Conclusion

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today is the tenth and final post in my series on Enneagram Personality types. Rather than just have you typing your characters and following the Enneagram model, I'm going to give you food for thought today. You've been (hopefully) working through the dialogue exercises and have a pretty good grasp of how specific character types will react in certain situations. You can combine these types with an understanding of Human Nature and really dream up characters that make an impact. I'll show you how. So grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Here's a recap of all the posts from the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner
Type #7 - The Adventurer
Type #8 - The Leader
Type #9 - The Peacemaker

I used definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

So, if you've been following along, you now know what drives each type of person to do the things they do. You'll also have a pretty good grasp of how these characters interact if you've been doing the exercises at the bottom of the posts.

Let's talk about how to bring these characters to their knees, shall we?

Ones are perfectionists. This means they're a little on the OCD side and they try to push their perfectionism onto others. They enjoy dotting the I's and crossing the T's. Think for a moment about what would drive a One up the wall.  If you're using a One as a main character, consider putting them up against something they can't control or can't change the outcome of; no matter how much they want to.

Fives are watchers. Rarely do they get into the thick of things. They prefer to read about things to learn how to do them rather than learning by trying. These folks usually have the right answer. But what would drive them batty? Being wrong all the time, never knowing what's really going on, or even being forced to take control of a situation.

When you study the Enneagram, you're looking for a deeper sense of self. It will tell you what your pitfalls are and how to avoid them. Character insight goes from surface understanding to truly knowing what your character feels, thinks, and how they'll react in any given situation.

What else does understanding give you?

The ability to know just how to hit them where it hurts, make them sublimely happy, or change them in some profound way. Wait, change them? Why would you want to change a great character?

Every character is on a journey. They must change in some profound way from page one to the end of the book. Without the journey, you have no story. If you have no change, your character will seem like one that can't learn from their mistakes. They come off flat. Using the Enneagram will prevent unbelievable change. Know what they tend to when stressed or happy. Put it to good use.

You should think about what kind of character you're writing before you ever put down the first word. Now, there's a caveat to this! Maybe you have a great character and don't know yet what their personality type is. My suggestion is to use free-writing via dialogue. Sit down and have a conversation with that character. Let them show you just who they really are. Once you have that down, you're golden.

As writers, we tend to base our characters on people we know well. We don't even realize we're doing it half the time. But we're familiar with their personality so we're in our comfort zone. Keep this in mind. There's nothing wrong with doing it that way, just make sure you have the greatest understanding possible.

I hope this series has helped you in some way. Character driven stories are pretty popular. Think: Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice, or the Percy Jackson series.

How will you use the Enneagram? For personal or writing purposes?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Peacemaker - Enneagram Type #9

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I give you the last of the Enneagram types: The Peacemaker. Tomorrow, we'll go into how you can use these personality types in a different way. So far we've been delving into the human mind and extracting what makes people tick. I'm gonna show you how to use that knowledge to create lots and lots of drama. So be sure you come on back tomorrow for the final installment of the series! Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going.

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner
Type #7 - The Adventurer
Type #8 - The Leader

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #9 - The Peacemaker.
Definition: Peacemakers are motivated by the need to keep the peace, merge with others, and avoid conflict. Since they, especially, take on qualities of the other eight types, peacemakers have many variations in their personalities, from gentle and mild mannered to independent and forceful.

Nines are usually pretty easy to spot. They tend to try and diffuse a situation by offering some excuse for the other person or entities' behavior. Some of the more aggressive types might the Peacemaker as taking sides with those who behave badly. It will probably piss the other type off.

At their best, Peacemakers are some of the most pleasant people to be around. They always fit in with a group of people and are seen as the most understanding of the nine types. However, when they're stressed or having a bad day, you'll be face-to-face with one of the strangest people you'll ever meet. It's like a total personality change. Where you've had this calm, nice, understanding person before, you'll be faced with a roaring lion that can't seem to focus on anything and passive-aggressively attacks you.

Never will a Nine ask for what they want. They'll be so focused on you and your needs, they'll overlook themselves. But the dam breaks eventually and the Nine will begin to act a lot like a Four; bringing drama to the table you may not be able to handle. After their meltdown, they'll feel bad and try to patch things up.

Peacemakers don't make good antagonists because they desire peace at any cost.

This leads us to the exercise for today!

You have a Peacemaker that just broke up an argument between a Reformer and an Artist. Show how the Peacemaker acts when under duress. Use a lot of action. Have both the One and the Four yell at the Nine. Make them throw things. Create a hurricane your character must traverse. It's up to you how it all ends, but remember to have some fun with it.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the final post!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Leader - Enneagram Type #8

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Wednesdays always make me think of weddings. You got wed on a Wednesday. How charming. Okay, enough drivel. We're continuing with our Enneagram personality types today! The Leader (also can be called The Asserter) is a fun type of character for an action novel or as comic relief for a lighter read like chick-lit. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner
Type #7 - The Adventurer

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #8 - The Leader.
Definition: Leaders are motivated by the need to be self-reliant and strong and to avoid feeling weak or independent.

Leaders are assertive and often end up getting themselves into trouble with their constant fight for what's right. They can be martyrs, sacrificing themselves for the "greater good." If you use a leader in your novel, do it with caution if they aren't the main character. They'll steal the spotlight every time if you allow them to.

Using an Eight as your protagonist might just be the kick you need to really catapult your story into the next realm of awesomeness. They're assertive, loyal, and fiercely protective of those they love or their own ideals.

When they're bad, you see a control freak that can go overboard with their wants and needs. Leaders make great bad guys; but they can also make a compelling good guy. Remember Peeta in The Hunger Games?

All this leads us to today's exercise!
Create a leader who's angry about deforestation in their area. When the machines show up to cut down the trees, put a Three in the role of foreman. Allow the scene to write itself. What the Eight will do should be based upon their feeling of injustice to the trees. Use action tags with only a few dialogue tags as the two go at it. Remember, you can use a woman and a man, two women, or two men. Do something unexpected. Have fun with it!

Is there someone in your life who's a cut-and-dry Leader? What causes do they fight for?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Adventurer - Enneagram Type #7

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, we talk about an exciting personality type: The Adventurer. When you read the book about the different types of people, you'll start typing people in your head. Heck, you may be doing it now, from these blog posts! I urge you to pick up a copy of the book and have your friends or loved ones answer the typing questions at the start of each chapter. You may be surprised. Someone you've nailed down as a Three may end up being a closet One or Eight. It's a lot of fun. Well, grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #7 - The Adventurer.
Definition: Adventurers are motivated by the need to be happy and plan enjoyable activities, contribute to the world, and avoid suffering and pain.

This character is fun-loving, enthusiastic, and charming when on their game. They're also clingy, needy, and a wee bit self-destructive when they aren't. Never being happy with what life gives them, they're constantly searching for more.

Your reader may see the character as impulsive and want to slap their face. Or, the reader may wonder why in the hell this character would act they way they do. Especially if your reader is a Five or Six.

Adventurers are reckless and love the element of danger. They sometimes seek it out if life becomes too hum-drum. These actions can cause trouble or a lot of fun! Great characterization can be done if you create a protagonist who's a Seven.

On to today's exercise!
Write two pages of dialogue between a Seven and a Three. Remember, the character types on either side, called wings, also influence the actions of a person (we'll go into this more on Friday). A Three will also have traits of a Two and a Four. Keep your Seven firmly in their type while allowing the Three to lean one way or the other. Your scene? A crowded bar with loud music and lots of dancing. Threes are workaholics so go with the flow and enjoy writing. Don't paint the scene through anything but dialogue. Use no inner-monologue for this exercise.

What was your favorite book with a Seven as the protagonist?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Questioner - Enneagram Type #6

Good morning and happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, we'll be talking about more of the Enneagram personality types. If you've been keeping up with these posts, you'll have taken a headlong dive into some of the more interesting personality types. I think Questioners would make very good writers because they're always asking what if. Decide for yourself! Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #6 - The Questioner.
Definition: Questioners are motivated by the need for security. Phobic questioners are outwardly fearful and seek approval. Counterphobic questioners confront their fears. Both of these aspects can appear in the same person.

Questioners are constant worriers. They stress over things you'd probably never dream of giving more than a passing thought to. They always look at a situation and try to figure out what's really going on, how it can worsen, and what could make it better.

They make fun characters because you can play with those fears and really show the reader how much deeper the trouble really is. On the flip side, you can also use them as a crux to a One, having the Six constantly make judgments about the decisions being made, or being overly critical of the One's appearance.

Keep in mind flattery rarely works on a Six. They never believe compliments and will always ask themselves why someone is saying those pretty words. Rarely can a Six see it for themselves, even if the person giving the compliment is sincere.

Time for today's exercise!
Use a Two (Giver) and a Six. Put them in a coffee shop and have the Two pick up the tab for the Six. Write one page of inner-monologue and dialogue that shows what the Six is saying and thinking. Remember, your Giver gives freely, with no thought of payback. Now change the POV and write the same scene from the Giver's point of view.

As you've probably realized, many of these personality types can blend a bit into one person. That's because of the way the Enneagram is formed. Folks can jump to the types on the opposite side when in stress or when feeling confident. Know your personality types and use them. If you want to know more, pick up the book. As always, I don't make any money off what I recommend on this blog, I just suggest tools that I believe will help you in your writing endeavors.

Have you read anything lately with a character that fits one of these personality types? What was it?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Observer - Enneagram Type #5

Holy crap, good people of the blogosphere! It's Friday! Do a happy little dance because you get the next two days off work. Know what you should do with all that free time? Write! Try a couple of the exercises from the blog this week and get your dialogue muscles doing those mental push-ups. Continuing with my series on the Enneagram (pronounced any-a-gram) personality types. I give you #5 - The Observer. So, grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #5 - The Observer.
Definition: Observers are motivated by the need to know and understand everything, to be self-sufficient, and to avoid looking foolish.


Observers, as their name implies, are watchers. They'll never be found at the center of the action, won't ever be the life of the party, and worry about everything, seeking knowledge to make sense of it all. However, when prompted, and reassured their viewpoint matters, it's difficult to shut them up.

They'll annoy the crap out of you with their controlling ways, but often have insight no one else in the room does. Their analytical mind goes crazy with options all the time. If you say yellow, they try to figure out why you said yellow rather than blue.

What's surprising about the observer is, they won't open their mouths until they're sure they're right with their opinion. Once you give them the go-ahead, they'll tell you about everyone in the room. They make interesting characters because you can have them sit by and watch, only to drop the bomb that makes everyone gasp.

Which leads us to today's exercise!
Take an observer and have them watch an artist and a reformer have a conversation. Drop hits that the reformer is wrong in their ever-giving advice but don't let it become obvious until the observer is asked for an opinion. Make it twisty and have some fun.

I know you're all wondering how any of this is going to help you write. I'll get to that next Friday. So keep your pants on!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo