The Hero's Journey
What is The Hero’s Journey
The Hero’s Journey is
12 steps of any journey a novel takes. It doesn't mater
if it is romance, horror or sci-fi If you need to outline your story, I would suggest you work according to
this. It will help you focus and
complete your story quickly.
In the diagram below, it shows the 12 steps.
How can The Hero’s Journey help me?
Where would you
like me to begin? The hero’s journey is
a fantastic tool to help you write your story.
It is perfect for outlining your story. Just follow the steps, adapting them to your story
and voila! Your novel will basically
write itself. Why? Because it gives structure and is goal orientated.
The 12 stages of the Hero’s Journey
Step 1 - The ordinary
world
In step 1, we
introduce the hero. They can be human,
animal, alien, or whatever your mind can conjure. When introducing your hero, please keep in
mind that the reader needs to get a picture of who they are. What they like. Where they live. Their weaknesses. The audience has to identify with the character. Feel sympathy for them.
E.g. Kristen is a teacher at a posh secondary
school for girls in France.
Step 2 – The call to action
In step 2, something
happens to the hero. A negative change
takes place. A new adventure begins.
E.g. Kristen loses her job.
Step 3 – Refusal
In step 3, the hero is
reluctant to engage physically, mentally or emotionally. Most people do not deal well with
change. The unknown makes us feel vulnerable.
E.g. Kirsten refuses to go back home to the small
village of Dexter (fictional place) in England.
Step 4 –The mentor
In step 4, the mentor is a
person who assists the hero in starting their journey. This happens via training, equipment, or advice.
E.g. Kirsten is out of money. Her best friend Rene suggests she goes home
just until she can find a job again.
Step 5 – Crossing the
threshold
In step 5, the hero accepts
the challenge. Leaving the ordinary
world behind. Entering unfamiliar territories,
rules, or values.
E.g. Kirsten returns home. Immediately she is pushed into working in the
family bakery.
Step 6 –The Test
In step 6, the hero sort
their friends from their enemies. Life
is not an island.
E.g. Kirsten can’t bake. The bakery is in financial trouble. Sexy Kelvin is her father’s bakers apprentice
and sees her as a threat.
Step 7 – The Approach
In step 7 – the hero and
their friends prepare for the challenge, whether it is in a new world, city,
job, etc.
E.g. Kirsten finds out about the bakeries
financial problems. Enlists Kelvin’s
help in saving the family's bakery
Step 8 – The Ordeal
In step 8, the hero faces
either his greatest fear or faces death.
This is usually the cliff hanger.
E.g. Someone sets the bakery on fire. Her father gets a heart attack.
Step 9 – The Reward
In step 9, the hero gets
rewarded for conquering his enemies (alive or dead). But it is not over yet.
E.g. Kirsten refuses to let it get her down. She starts baking from home to pay off the
debt.
Step 10 –The Road Back
In step 10 – the hero is so
close to achieving success, but then something happens to prevent them from
succeeding.
E.g. Just as she thinks her life is getting on track,
again her father has a massive stroke and dies.
The bank calls in the loan. Their
farm is the collateral.
Step 11 – Atonement
In step 11 –the hero or their
friends will have to make sacrifices for the greater good. This is the climax chapter or scene. Balance is restored.
E.g. Kirsten has three days to come up with £50 000. Kelvin makes her an offer as a partner in the bakery
in exchange for settling the bakeries debt.
Step 12 – The Return
In step 12 – the hero returns to the ordinary
world transformed. The transformation
will either be physically, mentally, emotionally or a combination of all three.
E.g.
Kirsten accepts Kelvins partnership.
She also starts baking classes from the farm.
As you can see. By just following the basic steps of The Hero’s
Journey, you can adapt it to any story you would like.
Until we meet again,
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