Dreame Writing Guides

Part 10 The Structure of Novel (2)

2. The Hero's Journey

A 3 Act structure works well for simple, straightforward stories, but if you want a more nuanced tale, you need to reach for the ancient wheel that is the Hero's Journey.

The Hero's Journey often starts with a fool (our hero) and a Hero's Quest. The quest is typically delivered by someone (perhaps a mentor) who sees potential in our fool that most people do not. Before our fool can complete his test, he must live up to his potential and become a hero. A Hero's Journey typically consists of 12 steps. Next, we will introduce those 12 steps, looking at the Wizard of Oz as an example.

Step 1 – The Ordinary World

At the beginning of the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is an ordinary girl who lives in the countryside with her aunt and uncle. She has few friends, and her life is monotonous.

The Ordinary World is used to show the hero's original life, which is usually dull, and sometimes harmful to our hero. Our heroes are ordinary people with no specific purpose, drive, or life goals.

Step 2 – The Call to Adventure

To prevent her beloved dog, "Toto," from being taken away by the police, Dorothy decides to take "Toto" away from her uncle and aunt.

The Call to Adventure represents an even that breaks the balance of the hero's life. This event makes a difference in the hero's life and forces them to decide to either act or not act.

Step 3 – Refusing the Call

Dorothy's first time away from home does not go well. As soon as she leaves the farm, she is persuaded to return to it by a professor named Marvel.

Our hero began as an ordinary person. By Refusing the Call, she shows that she is not yet ready to change. Change takes courage, and she is not yet courageous. That being said, even though she rejected the call, change was already underway, and the next call would soon come.

Step 4 – Meeting a Mentor

Change soon comes when a tornado blows Dorothy and Toto to a place called Monchigin. Dorothy meets the Witch of the North, who tells her the rules of the world and that, to go home, she must see Oz in Emerald City.

When our hero's life changes and she embarks on an adventure, she's lost because she lacks information. At this point, the presence of a mentor will give the hero direction and help her get started on her adventure.

Step 5 – Crossing the Threshold

When a hero "Crosses the Threshold," they realize that they can actually do what they have set out to do. For Dorothy, this occurs during her trip to the Emerald City. She begins to make changes, and that leads to her embarking on an adventure.

Step 6 – Tests, Allies, and Enemies

Dorothy has many difficulties to overcome, such as the field of poppies and the flying monkeys. At the same time, she meets many friends, such as the lion, the scarecrow, and the tin man.

Our hero doesn't fight alone on a long journey. She meets different people who play different roles. They give the hero experience, let the hero know how to use wisdom to overcome difficulties, how to deal with different interpersonal relationships, and, most importantly, how to grow as a person.

Step 7 – Approach the Innermost Circle

To "Approach the Innermost Circle," is to face great danger. In some cases, it is the greatest danger the hero will have to face.

When Dorothy and her friends finally arrive in the Emerald City, Oz tells them that he will help them if they kill the Wicked Witch of the West. As they get closer and closer to the Witch, they are "Approaching the Innermost Circle."

Step 8 – The Ordeal

The Ordeal is what takes place inside the Innermost Circle. Unlike the bad guys Dorothy meets on the road, the Wicked Witch of the West is more powerful, and Dorothy has to go through hardship to defeat her.

Step 9 – Seizing the Talisman

To "Seize the Talisman," is to gain an object of power that will turn the tide for the hero. The hero goes through great difficulties in the Innermost Circle, and, often, a talisman is needed to persevere. In the Wizard of Oz, this Talisman is water, which is the witches Achille's Heel. When the Witch gets wet, she melts, and the Ruby Slippers are hers.

Step 10 – The Road Ahead

The Road Ahead takes the hero from the Talisman to a final conflict or confrontation. After Seizing the Talisman, the story typically takes a downward turn.

When Dorothy defeats the Witch, she discovers that Oz is nothing more than a fraud. He has no way to fulfill Dorothy's wish to return home, and Dorothy is forced to seek the Witch of the South in the hopes that she can help her get home.

Step 11 – Resurrection

Resurrection often involves a person or entity returning after being thought dead.

In Dorothy's case, she finally finds her way home. Finding out that Oz was a fraud was a big blow to her, but she finally actualizes her wish to go home. She puts on her ruby slippers, clicks them three times, and says, "There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

For Dorothy, this is her "Resurrection Moment."

Step 12 – Return with the Elixir

This is often the last chapter, and it shows the character returning to their old life. Either that, or it introduces a new, better life. The heroes have changed a lot since they left. They have generally grown a lot, become more positive about life, and they are more courageous.

At the end of their adventure, Dorothy and her friends have found what they were missing. The lion has found the courage to be the king of beasts, the tin man has a heart, and the scarecrow has a brain. Dorothy returns to her hometown and becomes more cheerful and courageous. From then on, her life is not dull. Instead, it is interesting.

The Hero's Journey, as a structure for a novel, is the skeleton of a story. As such, it is one that is easy to flesh out, and, if you look at books like The Lord of The Rings, The Sword of Shannara, and the many tales of King Arthur, you will spot it easily.

3. Overview

When creating a story, there is no need to stick to any single structure. There might be stories within your stories, and, by all rights, each story could be built using a different structure. THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO HAVE A STRUCTURE. All phases can be deleted, modified, omitted, or condensed. You can also add new phases, foreshadowing, or rearrange the entire book at any time – BUT IF YOU BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY WITHOUT A MAP, YOU WILL GET LOST! 

                                                                                                                                                                                 BY Kiwi