Have you considered how your creative process is affected by your personality type? As a writer, I had been aware of the Enneagram for authors creating their fiction characters. However, I it wasn’t until I was wrestling through my mindset blocks that I considered how useful knowing my Enneagram type was for my creative process.
“If I’m going to write a book, it’s going to be good.”
I remember the day I finally decided I was going to fulfill my dream of writing and publishing a book. The decision to do it came with a rush of theme ideas, reflections on defining moments in my life, and a sense of who my ideal readers would be. But there was another certainty: this couldn’t just be “a book”—it had to be something I was proud of, grounded in truth, and deeply relatable. It had to inspire my readers enough to take action while giving them space to process their thoughts at their own pace.
I set my word count goal, and over the next three months I wrote 40,000 words of the first draft.
But then I stalled.
I wanted my book to be thorough and right, and I felt I needed more perspectives. To get those, I invested in online business course courses, refined my content, and honed my coaching skills. While these were valuable experiences, they also delayed my book’s publication by nearly four years. Was I overthinking it?
Yes and no.
This is where understanding my Enneagram type offered me the grace and validation I needed to embrace both my writing process and my growth journey as an author. If you’ve been on a similar journey, you may find that understanding the Enneagram for authors could unlock your creative potential too.
The Enneagram for Writers: A Tool for Self-Awareness and Spiritual Growth
The Enneagram is a powerful tool for understanding your personality, motivations, and the internal patterns that drive you. Based on nine distinct types, the Enneagram doesn’t just describe how you see the world; it uncovers why you do, digging into the beliefs that shape you. For many fictions authors, this awareness is useful for creating believable characters. It’s also invaluable for your thriving in your creative potential.
When you understand your core motivations, fears and strengths, you’ll find you can gracefully navigate both the writing process and the personal growth that accompanies it.
Writing a book can be an incredibly transformative journey.
But as any writer knows, it can also reveal the best and worst parts of yourself. Self-awareness helps you move through that journey with clarity and grace, instead of letting doubt or overthinking cloud your vision. Understanding your Enneagram type offers insights into your strengths and the typical blocks you might face.
If you’re like me, an Enneagram One, you might get caught up in perfectionism, hesitating to write (or edit or publish) anything until you’re sure it’s “right.” Yet, you can also lean into your gift for clarity and purpose, using that strength to produce work that resonates on a soul level.
The Strengths and Blocks of Each Enneagram Type for Writers
Each Enneagram type brings something unique to writing. For example:
- As a One, you might aim for structure, integrity, and a message that’s undeniably true.
- Twos, the Helpers, are drawn to stories that connect with others’ emotions, pouring empathy into their words.
- Threes, the Achievers, bring a sense of purpose, efficiency and focus, setting clear goals for their book projects.
- Fours, with their depth of emotion, create relatable stories grounded in authenticity.
- Fives are thorough, fact-driven, and capable of making complex ideas understandable.
- Sixes build trust through their attention to detail.
- Sevens bring creativity and enthusiasm.
- Eights write with directness and conviction; and
- Nines offer calmness and a voice that makes readers feel at home.
But understanding your Enneagram type also helps you anticipate creative blocks. Ones may struggle with self-criticism, revising the same section without moving on, while Fives could get lost in research instead of writing. Each type has patterns that can either propel them forward or hold them back. Knowing your Enneagram type gives you tools to address these blocks, like approaching challenges with self-compassion, asking for God’s guidance, and embracing your process with patience.
If you want to go down the rabbit hole of understanding your Enneagram type, you might take an assessment such as the gospel-centered one by Your Enneagram Coach here, or do a paid version through the Enneagram Institute here. However, some feel more relaxed discovering their type by exploring it in the context of other types. If that’s you, reading the witty, approachable The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron is a delightful way to begin your exploration!
Lean into Your Unique Enneagram Gifts as an Author
Writing your book can be one of the most transformative journeys you’ll ever take, not only for your readers but also for yourself. When you bring awareness of your Enneagram type to your writing process, you’ll find yourself more attuned to both your message and the personal transformation happening as you write. If you want to enhance this self-awareness and transformation, consider inviting me to be your book coaching your writing journey.
Sometimes it takes someone knowing your type, listening to your heart, and watching your creative approach to help draw out your best work.
Writing a book can be a profound, life-changing experience for both you and your readers. When you bring an awareness of your Enneagram type into your writing process, you’ll find yourself more attuned to your message and the transformation happening within you. If you want support with this journey, consider inviting a book coach (like me) who understands the Enneagram for authors. Together, we’ll tap into your type’s unique strengths and bring out the message only you can share.
The story or message you want to bring hope and healing to the lives around you needs you fully engaged! So, lean in, ask God for guidance, and trust that your unique perspective is exactly what the world needs.
