Write Iconic Characters: Unlocking the core motivations that fuel unforgettable stories

by Claire Taylor

Iconic characters build unforgettable stories.Iconic characters stick with us long after the final page. They become touchstones, reference points with which we describe friends, enemies, and ourselves.

Creating just one iconic character can transform your writing career. Readers will forgive all sorts of minor flaws in your stories if your characters strike deep into their humanity, connecting with both their light and shadow.

Write Iconic Characters reveals the psychology behind unforgettable characters by exploring the nine core fears and desires that drive human behavior. Master these forces, and you'll craft characters whose every choice feels inevitable and stories that readers can't put down.

Buy Write Iconic Characters today!

Genres: Writing

285 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 13, 2025

Reviews

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interested in leveling up my writing game as much as I can, I backed Write Iconic Characters on Kickstarter and was among the first to read this writer’s guide in developing characters. I was impressed with the amount of material inside. It first introduces the enneagram as a concept, it’s role in storytelling, a deep dive of each of the 9 types (which takes up about 2/3rds of the book) and then action steps to implement in your stories. Claire Taylor, having already written two books about the enneagram, brings each section in an informative way, presenting a good amount of depth, but not overwhelming where you don’t know where to start. A nitpick I have is with the character section in each of the 9 types. If you're not familiar with books, movies (live action and some Disney), or live action TV shows in the popular/mainstream culture in the USA, you might feel a bit lost in finding characters that could connect with you. Part of me hoped for an anime and video game character listed as well. If you want to find a way to develop your characters, this is a great place to start and approachable for most writers.
*I purchased my copy on Kickstarter.*

[Julie]

I backed this book on Kickstarter and was excited to see it was just released. I’ve read a fair few books on the Enneagram by this point, including Taylor’s two previous books (“Reclaim Your Author Career” and “Sustain Your Author Career”), so I’m always on the lookout to see what new facets someone can bring to the “Enneagram 101” formula that so many of these books employ. The main one here, of course, is that Taylor’s target audience is other authors. To that end, I found the most interesting parts of the book to be areas where that shines through: how certain types are easily confused, how types show up in dialogue (super-interesting!), and the deep-dives into an iconic character of each type. I also appreciated the chapter on overlays (something I don’t see discussed very much in other books) and practical types for incorporating Enneagram theory into writing (key tip: start simple!). All told, a nice, relatively entry level Enneagram book with some interesting aspects I haven’t seen anywhere else.

[LeAnn Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource

This book has one of the best descriptions of the types that I have encountered. The author brought everything together into a coherent story, so the concepts made sense rather than merely being a list a traits for each type.

Not only that, but the book was dammed fun to read, with several laugh out loud moments scattered throughout. Entertaining and informative, you can't beat that.

[Lizzie Jenks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a HUGE help in creating characters that really live and breathe in ways that feel recognizably human, and yes, iconic. This is NOT all theory and good luck to you in implementing it — it IS 100% actionable. If you want your characters to jump off the page and live on in readers' minds long after they finish your book, get this book!

[Tess Manchester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I have a new understanding on writing characters, emotional depth and stakes, and practical tips to put into practice. Fabulous book!

[Dave Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent toolkit reference

This is a reference that I’ll be coming back to for every book, and using as a diagnostic and developmental framework with my students and clients. Taylor assembled a compressive, approachable system that works as a foundation for characterization in fiction using familiar tools that have equal applicability in life. This book sits on the same shelf with my other indispensable writing references, leaving just enough room for Taylor’s next book.