In terms of creating memorable, emotionally resonant characters, your character’s persona might appear to be it’s only a “taste,” however in some ways it’s truly the muse of the story itself. Your character’s persona influences all the pieces: the character arc, the voice in each dialogue and the narrative (if the character has a POV), and the objectives that form your total plot.

In some ways, your characters’ personalities can decide whether or not or not the story works. That is most clearly true when it comes that particular “it” issue that creates unforgettably quirky or nuanced characters, but it surely’s much more true relating to the cohesion of your story’s deeper workings—the place character, plot, and theme all come collectively.

Briefly, understanding persona may simply be probably the most highly effective instruments in a author’s toolbox.

In This Article:

3 Causes Why Character Is the Secret Ingredient to Robust Characters

The idea of persona brings quite a lot of totally different connotations.

1. Character Is a Constant Set of Traits

For starters, we acknowledge the technical definition of persona as a constant set of traits, behaviors, emotional patterns, and motivations that form how somebody perceives the world, makes selections, and interacts with others. Character influences not simply what folks do, however why they do it, how they react beneath strain, kind relationships, pursue objectives, and confront inside or exterior battle.

2. Character Is Charisma

There may be additionally a sure sense of je ne sais quoi—that particular sauce that makes a person distinctive and attention-grabbing. When the phrase “persona” is introduced up in a fictional context, we tend to consider characters with large, attention-grabbing (learn: advanced), and memorable personalities. They’re not beige; they’re intriguing of their relatability but in addition due to their distinctive methods of viewing and responding to the world.

3. Character Is the Ego or False Self

Nonetheless, persona may also be understood because the “false” or “egoic self”—a persona honed all through our lives to permit us to maneuver functionally via society and relationships, however which is finally limiting to the bigness of our true selves.

Writers could make good use of all three of those definitions. Considering deliberately a couple of character’s persona permits us to craft a container during which we are able to sift via potential traits, reactions, and objectives to seek out those who provide essentially the most cohesion for all the story. From there, we are able to discover methods to create characters with inherently entertaining or intriguing personalities—ones with the potential to affix iconic classics resembling Michael Corleone, Jo March, Tony Stark, Sarah Connor, Gandalf the Grey, and Hermione Granger (their names are as well-known, if no more, than the tales they play in).

4 Methods Character Drives Storytelling

More often than not, when writers think about a personality’s persona, they focus totally on outward traits. Nonetheless, in so some ways, a personality’s persona is the story. Listed below are 4 key issues.

1. Character Shapes the Character Arc

Though some persona methods provide static descriptions of traits, others just like the Enneagram go deeper to level out particular transformational paths that may assist folks break previous the ego-based facades and personas that restrict us and create dysfunction. From this angle, persona is all in regards to the character arc!

Though most persona methods value their salt (together with MBTI, Human Design, Socionics, love languages, attachment types, even astrology, and extra) finally provide pathways of progress, the Enneagram is considerably distinctive in its give attention to particular paths of evolution (or devolution because the case could also be) for every sort. As I’ve explored earlier than, this makes the Enneagram maybe essentially the most helpful persona system for not simply figuring out and fleshing out a personality’s persona, however for utilizing that persona to create a cohesive character arc and, from that, plot and theme as effectively.

Should you’d like extra steering, I’ve talked right here in regards to the Constructive Change Arcs inherent in every of the 9 Enneagram varieties and right here in regards to the Unfavorable Change Arcs inherent in every sort. I’ve additionally simply launched a full set of worksheets for every of the 9 varieties. Every bundle consists of inquiries to information you in planning both a Constructive or Unfavorable Arc for every of the kinds, which is able to make it easier to guarantee your character’s arc, Lie vs. Fact, and Need vs. Want are aligned with the character’s persona, whereas additionally serving to you brainstorm methods to make your character’s customized arc in step with the general plot and theme.

2. Character Informs Voice and Dialogue

Maybe nothing in your story is extra clearly influenced by persona than character voice. After we consider persona on the web page, we take into consideration voice greater than the rest. How a personality communicates—whether or not in dialogue or straight via the narrative in a good POV—straight communicates persona. In my very own expertise, I’ve discovered that if my narrative is struggling, it’s actually because I’m attempting to jot down within the POV of a personality whose voice simply doesn’t have sufficient persona.

Character may even straight affect your character’s dialogue type. This isn’t nearly phrase alternative. It’s additionally in regards to the character’s most well-liked “type” of arguing or partaking in battle. For instance, a extra aggressive persona sort like an Enneagram 8 or an MBTI ENTJ can have a wholly totally different type of assault and protection (aka, initiating wishes or responding to others’ wishes) than will an Enneagram 9 or a Human Design Reflector.

Writing is all in regards to the phrases, and nothing influences phrase alternative, tone, emotional reactions, dialogue type, battle decision, or argument types greater than persona.

(Yow will discover questions that will help you uncover all of that is one other of my hot-off-the-presses worksheets—the Character Interview, that includes 113 questions, a lot of them about persona.)

3. Character Determines Shadow and Unconscious Objectives

“Character” actually refers to what we see on the floor, and but persona is fashioned by what’s unseen—by what has been banished to the “shadow” or the unconscious. What we see in a persona is absolutely simply what’s left after sure traits, energies, beliefs, and identities have been deemed dysfunctional (normally unconsciously early in childhood) and “lower off” from the aware persona.

That is essential for storytellers as a result of uncovering your character’s shadow will probably be an intrinsic a part of the character arc. Character arc, at its easiest, is about increasing a restricted perspective. Finally, this angle is at all times about one’s self. Even when it appears to be a change in perspective relating to others or the world at giant, finally this new “Fact” displays upon the self’s place in relationship to others. This implies the “restricted perspective” (or Lie the Character Believes) is a product of the essentially at all times restricted persona, whereas the “expanded perspective” (or thematic Fact) is, no less than partially, a restoration of some piece of the self beforehand misplaced to the shadow.

From right here, we are able to see how character objectives are nearly at all times pushed by this deeper unconscious motivation. A personality’s persona isn’t simply traits. Extra deeply, persona is what the character fears, represses, and unconsciously chases. Proper there, you have already got a whole story!

4. Character Reveals Core Strengths and Weaknesses

As soon as we acknowledge persona as not simply somebody’s (presumably purposeful) persona, we are able to see the deeper fact that persona is, the truth is, as a lot about inherent weaknesses as inherent strengths. Understanding this about your character’s persona offers you a quick observe to the central inside battle.

Tales run on the strain factors between polarities—between strengths and weaknesses, between Lies and Truths, between delusions and epiphanies, between cowardice and braveness, between errors and successes. All of those are inherent to your character’s persona. What’s a traumatic inside dissonance for one persona (e.g., balancing an Enneagram 5’s want for connection in opposition to the concern of overwhelm) is already a pure integration for an additional sort (resembling a Two, who struggles with totally different stress factors).

A agency understanding of a helpful persona sort system may help you double-check your character’s improvement arcs for consistency and realism. If you’re within the early throes of writing, it may be straightforward to scribble issues onto the web page that, within the large view, don’t truly create the mandatory and sensible stress factors that come up from a constant portrayal of human nature. An understanding of persona can information you to which arcs are most pure to your characters.

10 Sensible Suggestions for Weaving Character Into Plot, Dialogue, and Arc

All proper, sufficient concept! Let’s get sensible. How are you going to use persona extra deliberately to develop not only a higher character, however a extra cohesive and resonant plot and theme as effectively?

Let Character Form the Story

1. Select a Character Framework Early in Your Planning Course of

— Use a system like the Enneagram or MBTI to discover inside motivations and potential arcs.

— I like to recommend specializing in one main persona system to keep away from overcomplication.

— As soon as you realize your character’s persona, study the system as a information that will help you discover essentially the most resonant progress path.

2. Use Character to Predict Battle Fashion

— Begin working in your plot by contemplating what battle type (e.g., competing, avoiding, collaborating, and so on.) most closely fits your character’s persona.

— Take into consideration how your character argues, avoids, or escalates battle primarily based on sort.

— This provides nuance to each dialogue and plot stress, whereas displaying you what sorts of scenes are more than likely to emerge when your character’s objectives are met with obstacles (i.e., battle).

— Your character’s battle type is without doubt one of the richest locations to mine for leisure alternatives.

— For instance, think about Han Solo’s classically sarcastic however usually off-point retorts: “We’re all positive right here now… how are you?”

–Ask: How can your character’s battle type create dynamic, uncommon, or larger-than-life scenes?

3. Let the Shadow Reveal the Theme

— Use the unconscious concern or flaw inherent in your character’s persona to level towards the story’s deeper thematic query.

— For instance, a personality with an avoidant attachment type may immediate thematic explorations of self-isolation or self-sabolage, resembling Elsa in Frozen.

— Should you’re uncertain what may be in your character’s persona shadow, bear in mind shadow concept’s easy guideline: “No matter is seen in an individual’s exterior persona is a sign that the precise reverse resides within the shadow.”

— For instance, an MBTI INTP character—who depends most closely on psychological features—might resonantly create a narrative about exploring the underworld of grief or the bewilderment of falling in love, resembling R in Heat Our bodies.

4. Design Key Plot Beats Round Transformation Factors

— Character methods just like the Enneagram significantly lend themselves to narrative arcs, since they counsel particular steps on a path to progress (along with my worksheets, you possibly can try Character Varieties by Russ Hudson and Don Richard Riso for in-depth research on this).

— For instance, if you realize your Enneagram Kind Three character’s Lie is “I’m solely worthy if I succeed,” you possibly can form the Midpoint or Third Plot Level to straight problem that perception.

Let Story Reveal Character

5. Reverse-Engineer Character From Your Plot

— In case your story concept got here to you as a plot as a substitute of a personality, you should utilize what you realize in regards to the story’s exterior occasions to create essentially the most resonant persona to your character.

— Ask: Primarily based on the alternatives the plot signifies the character might want to make, what traits or fears shall be prone to emerge within the character arc?

— From there, you possibly can determine essentially the most resonant persona sort. +Nonetheless, make sure to use the story occasions to find (not dictate) who the character is.

— Character and plot ought to affect one another, however character needs to be the extra dynamic power. That is to make sure that the plot feels natural and pure somewhat than contrived.

6. Analyze Plot Factors to Uncover Your Character’s Inside Values

— Check out what your character sacrifices or clings to when the stakes are excessive. That alone can reveal your character’s persona sort or predominant inside battle.

— For instance, as an Enneagram One, Jane Eyre at all times returns to the central query of proper and unsuitable (as she sees it). When confronted by Rochester’s pre-existing marriage on the Third Plot Level, she decides to depart him much less as a result of she feels betrayed and extra as a result of she believes it could be morally unsuitable for her to illegally marry him.

7. Refine Your Character’s Kind After Writing the First Draft

— Typically, you received’t actually know who your character is till after you’ve written the story.

— After ending the primary draft, you possibly can return to revise voice and dialogue to extra clearly mirror a unified persona to your character.

Bonus Implementation Suggestions

8. Create a Fast-Reference “Character Snapshot”

— Character persona—like most issues in storytelling—can get sophisticated quick. Not solely can counting on a persona system present shortcuts to figuring out and remembering character traits, however so can retaining a form of “persona define.”

— You may embody your character’s persona sort, dominant traits, shadow concern, core need, communication type, and extra.

— When writing, I at all times attempt to evaluate no less than a small portion of my notes day-after-day earlier than I start to maintain them contemporary in my thoughts.

9. Use a Worksheet or Interview to Stress-Check Alignment

— Though beat sheets and character interviews ought to solely be used to create a versatile information, they are often useful for nailing down the large image of your character’s persona and arc.

— Yow will discover the free model of my character interview right here, and you’ll seize the up to date fillable pdf of the worksheet right here.

— Should you’ve chosen to make use of the Enneagram as your main persona typing system, you might also discover some assist in my model new Enneagram Character Arc Cheat Sheets to verify whether or not the story beats align with the character’s inside journey. (Every bundle comprises each Constructive and Unfavorable Change Arcs for every sort.)

10. Deal with Character as Dynamic, Not Fastened

— I’m a giant fan of the aphorism (normally attributed to George Field),

All fashions are unsuitable, however some are helpful.

— That is true of a lot in storytelling, and it’s definitely true relating to persona methods.

— Though extremely helpful in serving to writers distil the eminently advanced matter that’s the human persona, methods such because the Enneagram, MBTI, and extra, are finally nonetheless restricted and may solely be used insofar as they are helpful.

— Development (or regression) in your character’s arc ought to at all times mirror plausible modifications in persona expression, and you must at all times take heed to your personal deep and instinctive understanding of the human ego, shadow, and persona above and past any fastened mannequin.

Why Figuring out Character Unlocks Your Complete Story

Your character’s personalities aren’t only one layer of who they’re. Character is the central lens via which characters interpret the world, make selections, and pursue objectives. Character can also be the bridge between plot, theme, and character. Or maybe we would consider it because the container that holds all three.

Character shapes not solely what your characters need, however why they need it, what’s standing of their manner, and the way they specific that stress via motion, voice, and inside battle. That’s all the pieces you want to your plot proper there. If you perceive your character’s persona, you acquire entry to the deeper psychological and thematic forces driving your story ahead.

It’s essential to recollect there isn’t any one “proper” framework to make use of. Whether or not you gravitate towards the Enneagram, MBTI, Human Design, or one thing else, crucial step is solely selecting a system that resonates with you after which utilizing it to stress-test your characters and their arcs.

FAQs About Character Character

What’s the finest persona system for writers to make use of?

There’s no single finest system, since every provides a special perspective. As an example, the Enneagram is right for exploring inside battle and transformation, whereas MBTI is nice for understanding cognitive wiring and habits. The one factor that issues is selecting one that enhances your writing type.

Can a personality’s persona change all through the story?

Characters received’t change to a totally different persona, however how they relate from throughout the containers of their present personalities can dramatically evolve. A well-crafted character arc doesn’t normally change the core persona, however does change how the character expresses it. For instance, withdrawn characters may study to remain linked beneath strain, with out dropping their introspective natures.

How does the Enneagram assist with writing character arcs?

The Enneagram maps core fears, wishes, and protection mechanisms—all of which tie neatly into a personality’s Lie, Need, Want, and Fact. Every Enneagram sort additionally suggests probably progress paths and shadow pitfalls, which makes the system particularly helpful for writers when constructing Constructive and Unfavorable Change Arcs.

How do I determine my character’s persona sort?

You can begin by asking what your characters concern most, how they deal with battle, and what motivates their decisions. Think about how they act beneath stress and in progress. Then examine these traits to persona varieties in your chosen system and alter primarily based on what finest helps the arc you need to inform.

Need Extra?

Should you’re able to dive deeper into utilizing persona to information your character arcs, try my Enneagram Character Arc Cheat Sheets. Every worksheet bundle walks you thru each Constructive and Unfavorable Change Arcs for all 9 Enneagram varieties that will help you align your character’s inside journey together with your story’s exterior plot beats. You need to use these digital worksheets if you’re outlining or revising to create arcs which can be psychologically genuine and thematically resonant. Accessible now in my Etsy store or through the Retailer tab above!

Wordplayers, inform me your opinions! What function does persona play in the way you strategy your characters? Do you begin with a persona sort, or does it emerge from the story? Do you utilize a system just like the Enneagram or MBTI in your course of? Inform me within the feedback!

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