Save

Save

Paula Wynne's picture
Paula Wynne

Pinned 6 years 6 months ago onto Writing Advice

12 Point Hero's Journey

Source: https://writinggoals.com/pimp-my-fiction-free-book

Intrigued and fascinated by mythology, author Joseph Campbell studied the myths of many cultures. He claimed that nearly all myths, and some other story types, have similar ideas, and the heroes’ adventures are almost identical in their format; they’re just told from different characters’ points of view in diverse plots.

He called the twelve stages of adventure the ‘hero's journey.’

1.    Ordinary World: This step refers to the hero's normal life at the start of the story, before the adventure begins.
2.    Call to Adventure: The hero is faced with something that makes him begin his adventure. This might be a problem or a challenge he needs to overcome.
3.    Refusal of the Call: The hero attempts to refuse the adventure because he is afraid.
4.    Meeting with the Mentor: The hero encounters someone who can give him advice and ready him for the journey ahead. 
5.    Crossing the First Threshold: The hero leaves his ordinary world for the first time and crosses the threshold into adventure. 
6.    Tests, Allies, Enemies: The hero learns the rules of his new world. During this time, he endures tests of strength and will, meets friends, and comes face to face with foes.
7.    Approach: Setbacks occur, sometimes causing the hero to try a new approach or adopt new ideas.
8.    Ordeal: The hero experiences a major hurdle or obstacle, such as a life or death crisis.
9.    Reward: After surviving death, the hero earns his reward or accomplishes his goal.
10.    The Road Back: The hero begins his journey back to his ordinary life.
11.    Resurrection Hero: The hero faces a final test where everything is at stake and he must use everything he has learned. 
12.    Return with Elixir:  The hero brings his knowledge or the "elixir" back to the ordinary world, where he applies it to help all who remain there.  


A quick internet search will also give you a visual reference that shows you the stages in diagrams.

Find more on Story Structures.

Grab your copy free copy of Pimp My Fiction here.

Upvote this Pin: 
0

Log in to vote
Pinned onto the category

Writing Advice

Decide Your Novel Length12 Point Hero's JourneyHow To Create A LoglinePsychological Thriller Checklist For WritersUniting Story Structure and Character ArcBest Visual Verbs For WritersOnline Etymology Dictionary For Historical Fiction WritersSecrets To Creating A Dynamic Character ArcWhat Is Story Theme?Story Structure HumourA Comparison of Seven Story Structure Models
5 Rules Every First-Time Author Needs To Know About Planning A Novel
Originally pinned by

Paula Wynne

A~Z Writers’ Character Quirks
Walking Over Eggshellls Book Giveaway
Email Marketing For Authors and Writers
Oxford Dictionary Of Modern Slang
Bullies, Bitches and Bastards by Jessica Page Morrell
Story Structure Humour
Pinned onto the board

Writing Advice

The First Complete History Of Mobile Phones For Writers
Decide Your Novel Length
Writing A Psychological Thriller
How To Create A Logline
5 Rules Every First-Time Author Needs To Know About Planning A Novel
Free Writing Resources
Scroll to top