Need Help Writing a Story? Take "The Hero's Journey"

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Joseph Campbell was an expert on mythology. He did a program on public television called The Power of Myth and he wrote a famous book called The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Campbell said all myths used the same ideas and the heroes went through adventures that were alike. All myths had the same journey more or less.

Chris Vogler took Joseph's Campbell's 'Hero's Journey' structure and revised it as below.

Act 1

In which the the scene is set and the hero sets out.
1. Ordinary World

The story starts in the ordinary world where the hero is going about everyday existence, oblivious of the adventures to come. This anchors the hero as a human, just like you and me, and hence we can associate our selves with the hero.

2. Call to Adventure

The hero is next presented with a wrong done, a problem or challenge which they feel they must resolve. Thus the king calls for someone to save the realm from a marauding enemy, a private detective has a client bring a difficult case to them or an attractive other person is spotted in a bar. Thus the challenge is set, to defeat the enemy, solve the murder or win the heart of the other person.

3. Refusal of the Call

The hero may well balk at the thought of the task ahead, perhaps refusing the challenge or having second thoughts. The problem seems to much to handle and the comfort of home seems more attractive than the rough wilderness or dangerous streets.

This would be our own response and we thus bond further with the reluctant hero.

4. Meeting the Mentor

The mentor appears to help the hero prepare for the road ahead. Thus Gandalf, Obi-wan Kenobi and a host of other wise and experienced people teach the hero the skills they need and give them critical knowledge to help them survive.

5. Crossing the Threshold

Eventually the hero is ready to act and crosses the threshold, often literally as they leave the family homestead on their journey into the unknown.

Act 2

In which the main action happens as the hero survives the road and achieves their goal.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

Once out in the big wide world, the hero is confronted with an ever more difficult series of challenges that they may face, ranging from minor skirmishes and struggles against weather and terrain to riddles and various setbacks that would defeat a lesser person.

In this way the hero's character is both highlighted and developed. Now bonded to the hero, we feel a vicarious sense of pleasure as these challenges are met.

7. Approaching the Inmost Cave

At last the final destination lays ahead and the hero, battered but wiser from their trials along the way must prepare for the ultimate test. In ancient legend, a typical 'innermost cave' is the land of the dead or a labyrinth. It is the lair of the dread enemy where no help may be found and only deep courage will win through. Another threshold must be crossed here to enter the dragons' den of the innermost cave.

We swallow hard, as does the hero, at the thought of what might go wrong. To approach the innermost cave is to face death and still go on. This pause helps show the hero as still human and helps build the story tension before the high point of the story.

8. The Crisis / Supreme Ordeal

At last the hero must face their deepest fears, typically in battle with the dark villain. This is the ultimate test that the hero takes, where the real story perhaps is the inner battle whereby the hero overcomes their own demons in facing up to the enemy outside.

As observers, we feel scared for the hero and may be terrified that they might fail or die. In so doing we also face and, with the hero, overcomes our own inner fears.

9. Seizing the Reward

In defeating the enemy, the hero is transformed into a new state where fears are vanquished and the new fearless person is born. The reward in the story may be gaining new knowledge, a treasure or rescuing a princess, but the inner reward is in the personal growth that is achieved.

Act 3

10. The Road Back

After the story has reached it main peak, the transformed hero sets out home again. Having gained the treasure they are have no need for more adventure and nothing left to prove and so set out back home again.

Setting out home is reverse echo of crossing the threshold in setting out on the adventure. In contrast to the earlier anticipation of danger, the anticipation now is of acclaim and rest.

11. The Climax / Resurrection

The story has one last trick up its sleeve now, having lulled its audience into a false sense of security, as one last challenge faces the hero. Perhaps the villain was not completely vanquished or perhaps there are other people in need on the way back -- whichever way, we are again plunged into another climactic event, just when we thought it was safe to breath easy again.

In ancient stories, the hero has to be purified before return. After the toil of the journey and the ordeal, they are formally reborn into a new and beautiful form.

12. Return with the Elixir

Finally, the hero returns to the hero's welcome, gives the treasure to the proper recipient and receives their just reward, whether it is the hand of the princess, the acclaim of the people or simply a well-deserved rest.

In this final part, all tensions are resolved and all unanswered questions answered, leaving the reader of the story satisfied and replete.

Sounds like any good sales letter huh? Or a Guru seminar presentation.
#story #the hero jouney #the hero journey #writing
  • Profile picture of the author Cataclysm1987
    Awesome. I love these.

    It sounds like someone watches a lot of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.

    And reads a lot of sales pages, because I swear, between those three, I've heard every single thing you mentioned in some variation or another!

    And it sells!
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  • Profile picture of the author The Copy Nazi
    Banned
    Dunno about that approach. Sounds too complicated for me. I have this quote pasted on my computer to help me write copy.

    'People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions and help them throw rocks at their enemies.'


    from legendary copywriter Blair Warren's "One Sentence Persuasion" course - http://blairwarren.com/osp.pdf
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    • Originally Posted by Metronicity View Post

      Dunno about that approach. Sounds too complicated for me. I have this quote pasted on my computer to help me write copy.

      'People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions and help them throw rocks at their enemies.'


      from legendary copywriter Blair Warren's "One Sentence Persuasion" course - http://blairwarren.com/osp.pdf
      Yes - a brilliant report - I got it about a year ago (wish I could have had it 20 years ago).

      It's like having a very advanced copywriting course in 27 words.

      I re-wrote headlines and copy for clients using the techniques and the response - which had been good - jumped dramatically.
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    • Profile picture of the author amo992
      Originally Posted by Metronicity View Post

      Dunno about that approach. Sounds too complicated for me. I have this quote pasted on my computer to help me write copy.

      'People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions and help them throw rocks at their enemies.'


      from legendary copywriter Blair Warren's "One Sentence Persuasion" course - http://blairwarren.com/osp.pdf
      It irks me that an oxford comma was not used.


      I like to boil it down the universal emotions: happiness, anger, fear, contempt, surprise, disgust, and sadness.

      Also, the basic influence mechanisms in interpersonal relations: consistency, reciprocity, ingratiation, conformity, authority, scarcity, and novelty.

      I always aim to invoke an emotion from the former list while juxtaposing with a technique from the latter .

      I find it troublesome that so many people are discounting OP claim...

      My calculus teacher once told me, when I inquired about his personal philosophies, that we would have to talk for days just to reach a common understanding of the connotation with which we used our words. My point being, all the disclosed successful techniques here hold great power in the context of the experiences of the one who disclosed them.
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      • Profile picture of the author Greg Jacobs
        Originally Posted by amo992 View Post

        My point being, all the disclosed successful techniques here hold great power in the context of the experiences of the one who disclosed them.
        we would need days of discussion to just properly start to comprehend the mere power of even this statement.
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        • Profile picture of the author amo992
          Originally Posted by Greg Jacobs View Post

          we would need days of discussion to just properly start to comprehend the mere power of even this statement.
          I see what you did there.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ross James
    Cliff notes? Had one too many bud light's.

    Thanks,

    Ross
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  • Profile picture of the author Vincenzo Oliva
    A point to remember about the "hero" of the story:

    You are not the hero who will save the audience; the audience is your hero.
    We should help people to see themselves as the hero of the story, whether the plot involves beating the bad guys or achieving some great business objective. Everyone wants to feel like a star, or at least to feel that the story is talking to or about him personally.


    Place people in the audience at the center of the action. Be a mentor and just give the hero guidance, confidence, insight, advise, training, or magical gifts so he can overcome his initial fears and enter into the journey with you,
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    You're making it too complicated. The story format works in many ways. Perhaps the simplest is: Problem - Solution. In other words, your copy will show the reader that you've been there (up to your eyeballs in the 'problem') before, you tried everything but nothing worked until you finally found the solution (the product) that works and now you're telling the world about it.
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    • Profile picture of the author VanessaB
      Awesome! That type of sales letter works very well because it focuses on the many trials and errors to be found before the solution. (basically crushing competition before they find it or at the buying decision.)

      -Dani
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  • Profile picture of the author Greg Jacobs
    I have been working with a few guys on webinar pitch products and what we found is when dealing with total neewbie lists is that they want about 65% Story and 35% content for maximum conversions. If you start explaining too much then they stop buying. really they just want someone to trust and dont want to know anything else.

    whereas people with a little experience in the industry (warriors for example) are looking at about 30% story and 70% content for optimal conversions

    So we basically swap up the pitch scripts depending on the list at hand. nevertheless a good story does wonders and I do have the Power of Myth on my copywriting shelf.
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  • Profile picture of the author GR Marketing
    Thanks for taking the time to put together that post. I've always used some form of story in my salesletters and it's great having an outline style document of the traditional hero's journey story framework.
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  • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
    There's a piece missing to the puzzle of "The Hero's Journey."

    I don't know where it fits into the sequence. But it fits into everything you see at the movies, related.

    Here it is:

    In hero's journey scenario, at one point, the mentor/master and the "hero" are separated. Maybe there's a falling out, maybe the mentor is killed. But it's traumatic for both.

    You saw it in Karate Kid. It happened in Star Wars. It happened in Rocky. And most recently, last night I saw the sequel to Tron. It happened there too.

    At some point during the climax, the master/mentor and hero are reunited. It ALWAYS happens. Even if the master/mentor is dead or was killed. And even if he or she was killed, there are flashbacks to words and wisdom of the master/mentor.

    For instance, in Avatar, Dr. Grace Augustine played by Sigourney Weaver is killed from gun fire and unable to be resuscitated. She was Jake Sulley's master/mentor.

    During a recent interview with Jim Cameron, the director, a journalist says "It's too bad Dr. Grace is dead."

    Jim Cameron replied "What makes you think she's dead?"

    If you saw the movie, you get my point. GUARANTEED: They will be reunited.

    - Rick Duris

    PS: Can this be applied to copywriting? You tell me.
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    • Profile picture of the author MontelloMarketing
      Originally Posted by RickDuris View Post

      There's a piece missing to the puzzle of "The Hero's Journey."

      I don't know where it fits into the sequence. But it fits into everything you see at the movies, related.

      Here it is:

      In hero's journey scenario, at one point, the mentor/master and the "hero" are separated. Maybe there's a falling out, maybe the mentor is killed. But it's traumatic for both.

      You saw it in Karate Kid. It happened in Star Wars. It happened in Rocky. And most recently, last night I saw the sequel to Tron. It happened there too.

      At some point during the climax, the master/mentor and hero are reunited. It ALWAYS happens.
      it's actually a story element borrowed from the oldest story format in the world... It's the "Boy Meets Girl" scenario. In this case it's boy meets mentor... boy loses mentor... boy gets mentor back. Alternately it's mentor meets boy... mentor loses boy... mentor gets boy back.

      This borrowed element is used in many other scenarios too.
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