Episode 11: Crafting Depth in Characters with Nikki Lenz: An Enneagram Approach

Send us a textIn this episode of Way-Word Writers, hosts along with guest author Nikki Lenz, explore the intricacies of character development in writing. Nikki Lenz shares her journey from teaching to becoming a published author of middle-grade books, highlighting the role her teaching experience and personal life played in her writing. The discussion delves into the challenges of conveying strong, well-rounded characters and how feedback on her second book led Lenz to utilize the Enneagram personality typing system to enhance her characters' depth. Lenz and the hosts provide an overview of the Enneagram, explaining how its nine personality types can assist writers in creating more complex characters with distinct traits, flaws, growth opportunities, and interactions with other characters. They also discuss practical ways this system can be applied to writing, including reverse-engineering characteristics to fit a theme, and the value of understanding character dynamics for narrative conflict and growth. The conversation concludes with insights into Lenz's current projects and how understanding personality types can enrich character development and storytelling.00:00 Welcome to Way-Word Writers!00:03 Introducing Guest Author Nikki Lenz01:22 Nikki Lenz's Journey to Writing02:24 Balancing Teaching and Writing04:46 Character Development Insights06:39 Exploring the Enneagram for Character Creation09:20 Deep Dive into Enneagram Types15:45 Applying Enneagram to Writing34:56 Nikki's Current Projects and Future Plans37:13 Closing Thoughts and Goodbyes This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit waywordwriters.substack.com