I *love* Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell and the whole idea of the hero's journey and monomyth.
I actually like the idea of story circles, in general.
I think writers who aren't familiar with this type of "official" storytelling still follow these guidelines to some degree, whether they are aware of it or not.
And if a story isn't working for some reason, I think it's good to break down the structure and plug the content into a circle of some kind to determine what's missing or what could be strengthened.
So . . . my next few blog posts are going to highlight a few different types of story circles, and we're going to start, of course, with Campbell.
Campbell's monomyth contains 17 distinct steps:
But the overarching ideas can be broken down into twelve easy-to-apply stages:
THE ORDINARY WORLD
The story opens in the hero's world--a world in which he is missing something, or in which something has been taken from him.
THE CALL TO ADVENTURE
This is where we learn the problem the hero will have to solve in order to "right" his world again. This will ultimately become the hero's goal (or one of them), but first. . . .
THE REFUSAL OF THE CALL
The hero isn't interested in solving this problem or facing this challenge--not of his own volition. He's going to need some convincing or a push in the right direction.
MEETING WITH THE MENTOR
Enter the mentor. The mentor can't join the hero on his journey, but he can prepare him with information, advice, or some kind of tangible item that will help him along the way.
CROSSING THE THRESHOLD
Now the hero is ready to solve the problem. He enters a new world where chaos ensues.
TESTS, ALLIES, AND ENEMIES
The hero meets new people and faces obstacles on the path to fulfill his destiny. We are learning more about him and what he's capable of accomplishing. He is also failing all over the place.
APPROACH TO THE INNERMOST CAVE
The hero is closing in on his ultimate test. His allies have gathered, and his enemy or enemies lie in wait. The conflict has built and setbacks have occurred.
THE SUPREME ORDEAL
This is the key moment to which the plot has been building. This is the final fight, where the "boss" appears, and/or where the hero's life hangs in the balance. He may (or may not) lose his mentor (or someone close to him) at this point.
REWARD, OR SEIZING THE SWORD
Because he has survived the supreme ordeal, the hero is rewarded.
THE ROAD BACK
The hero still encounters tests and challenges on his way home and must determine if "home" is where he even belongs anymore.
RESURRECTION
This is a final test. The hero must gather his tools--including everything he's learned along his journey--to face this final obstacle in order to be "reborn." This often relates to his inner arc/growth.
RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR
The hero returns to his ordinary world a changed person. He presents his people with the gifts and/or knowledge/wisdom he has accumulated. In its own way, it becomes a new world.
***
You can see where these stages would easily work in a fantasy story. Star Wars follows it. The Lord of the Rings follows it. Harry Potter follows it.
But with a little creativity, it's not hard to put the detective in your mystery novel on this path, or the heroine of your love story. Maybe the mentor isn't a wizard but a trainer or some authority figure--a grandparent, perhaps. And maybe the supreme ordeal isn't a physical fight but a break-up or separation.
There are many ways to apply these kinds of journeys to your story, with more to follow in the coming weeks.
Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
