Hero journey archetypes

Joseph Campbell first identified and outlined the stages of the hero’s journey in 1949 his book The Hero With a Thousand Faces. He used psychological understandings that were modern at the time in addition to a comparative study of literature across time and culture to create what he and many others have described as the “monomyth” for all…

In 45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for Creating Original Characters, Victoria Lynn Schmidt distinguishes the Heroine’s Journey from Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. Her He…

Joseph Campbell - Hero's Journey More

From the archives, a February 2012 post featuring Dan Harmon’s ‘circle theory’ of Story. I’ve updated it with a video featuring Joseph Campbell and the Hero’s Journey and a detailed explanation of…

Joseph Campbell was a phenomenal writer that explored the philosophy of the human experience. He is known for many of his books, but one more than others, "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" (1949). In this book, Campbell discusses the mythological archetype that many lead

A discussion of the importance of protagonists crossing the threshold, even in stories that don't follow The Hero's Journey.

I’m reprising a 4-part series from 2012 on The Heroine’s Journey because it’s as relevant today as it was over 6 years ago. In my current 1-week online Core I: Plot class, the second lecture focuses…

A hero's journey is one of service and self-sacrifice. Most importantly, this hero’s character arc is something you can use to write heros of your own!