Hero?s Journey ? The Herald

Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's Journey.

The Hero's Journey is the most usable story structure consisting of at least 106 stages and the template for successful contemporary stories, from Star Wars to Al Pacino Scarface to The Incredibles to War of the Worlds to The Dirty Dozen to Midnight Cowboy.

The Hero's Journey is a valuable template because:

a) It attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) It gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Interpreted metaphorically and symbolically, it allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

One interesting stage of the Hero's Journey is that of the Herald, not the Hero.

Once the Call to Adventure is realised, a Herald sets off to find a Hero.

It is likely that the Herald may not want to embark on the journey and may resist somehow. There will be debates between Hawks and Doves about he value of sending the Herald, but nevertheless, the Herald will be pulled into the journey, or pushed into it in some way.

The Herald will set off in the dead of night and aware that the antagonist may be displeased, if he finds out. The antagonists may send his armies to prevent the Herald from seeking the Hero.

The Herald's Journey is naturally dangerous (being pursued by the antagonist's armies may add to the danger). If the Herald's are more than one, they will normally conflict along the way, may be separated and one may perish.

Not long into the story (as this is about the Hero), the Herald's will find themselves in the Hero's Ordinary World ? this could be totally down to chance ? and it is not unusual for the Hero not to recognise the Herald's as bringers of a message that will alter his future.

In fact, it is likely that certain obstacles will interfere with the Sacred Meeting between the Hero and Herald...

The 106 stage Hero's Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com/

---

Writing from Home: It Can Be Great and Not-So-Great for Mothers

I went to school to be a teacher. In fact,... Read More

Apostrophe Usage Made Simple

According to one of my previous articles, whenever a Southerner... Read More

Uncommon Advice for Beginning Novelists

1) Convince yourself you want to do something else. If... Read More

Writing Secrets You Must Know

Writing better is critical for students. But it's even more... Read More

Five Keys To A Successful Query Letter

Do you know what a query letter is? If so,... Read More

Should You Hire a Ghostwriter?

Have you heard the term 'ghostwriter' and wondered what they... Read More

Top Ten Ways to Write a Book That Sells

Is there a book inside of you? Yes? Then why... Read More

You Can Be An Author

"You should write a book." For years, I had been... Read More

6 Ways to Toot Your Own Writing Horn

You know you've got writing talent. Others enjoy your work... Read More

A Perfect Day for Writers

In one of the exercises in my "Getting Started as... Read More

If The Viewpoint Character Is A Secondary Character, Have You Established Who He is?

Creative Writing Tips ?I have said above that if a... Read More

Writing Press Releases That Get Noticed

Among the various foolproof methods used to boost traffic to... Read More

Have You Plotted Your Story Before Writing It?

Creative Writing Tips ?The writer, who doesn't have the time... Read More

Writing Without Style

Style manuals are all well and good, and in fact,... Read More

A Checklist For Drafting Business Letters And Emails

Write Right - You have an all important business letter... Read More

How to Build Your Site with Other Peoples Content -- Part 1

Building a new website can be extremely exciting. Seeing your... Read More

Do You Know What A Plot Is?

Creative Writing Tips ?What a plot is and what a... Read More

Weaving Your Personal Statement Together

1. SECRETS TO SUCCESS2. MAKING A POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION3. AVOID... Read More

Should You Do a Writing Course?

First, let's tackle the question that is uppermost in many... Read More

How to Relax Your Writing

Q. My writing sounds stiff and stilted. Help!A. Memories of... Read More

The Self-indulgent Writier

A writer can never be self indulgent whether writing fiction,... Read More

Creating Great Business Correspondence

Obtaining the skills for writing good business correpondence is important;... Read More

Writer School?

Here's something from my mailbag. "Dear Michael, do you need... Read More

Write Possibilities

We writers are a powerful lot. We control time. We... Read More

A Writers Tools

If you are like most writers, you're constantly searching for... Read More

A Beginners Guide to Writing a Novel

No one is born a novel writer. But do you... Read More

Critique Groups - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

What do people expect when they join a writing group?The... Read More

Publish Your Novel on the First Try

Rejection. This scary word plagues virtually every writer this side... Read More

Writing New Ideas

Someone once commented that there were no new ideas to... Read More

Retail Margin, Trade Discount, and What it Means for the Author

DEFINITIONSRetail margin is basically the difference between your book's wholesale... Read More

Dreading the Writing Assignment? Outlines to the Rescue

Writing technical articles is a challenge. There you sit, surrounded... Read More

In Your Own Words

More Tips For New Writers (Part I)Explain in your own... Read More

Finding The Book Writing Resources, Tips, And Help You Need!

Writing can be more difficult that just compiling your thoughts... Read More