H is for HERO JOURNEY

I regret that I never got to take a class from the amazing Joseph Campbell. 

His hero journey is my "go to" structure when I plot a story. 

If you're not familiar with this template - think Luke Skywalker. 

Ordinary chap finds he has a special gift - the force.

Wise mentor, Obi Wan, sends him on a quest - save the princess (really to embrace his Jedi-ness)

Ordeals are faced - Star Wars Episodes 4 through 6 - culminating in a supreme ordeal - Luke defeats Emperor Palpatine and redeems Vader.

Return home - or Ewok Village where the spirits of Luke's past rock out to the "Lub Nub" song. 

Graphics for my fellow chart folks:

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I was delighted to discover the Power of Myths Programs. This is a series of discussions between Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell on a myriad of topics including the hero journey, ritual, and mythology.  

“Mythology to him (Campbell) was the song of the universe, music so deeply embedded in our collective unconscious that we dance to it even when we can’t name the tune.” 

Bill Moyers

"Artists are the myth-makers of today." Joseph Campbell

TAKE AWAY:

Campbell’s mythic journey template continues to be an invaluable tool for creating story structure. 

Joseph Campbell will forever be my Obi Wan Kenobi. 

Who is your Obi Wan?

BONUS TRACK: More Campbell quotes

J is for Joseph Campbell

Twenty-Six Days of Creative Inspiration

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I regret that I never got to take a class from the amazing Joseph Campbell. My own writing, as well as my teaching of writing, is heavily influenced by his template of the hero journey.

If you're not familiar with the hero journey format, here's a concise overview from Lisa Gail Green.

Let me add a quick graphic to whet your appetite.

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My regret in never studying with Campbell was partially satiated when I discovered THE POWER OF MYTHS PROGRAMS. This is a series of discussions between Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell on a myriad of topics including the hero journey, ritual, and mythology. They discuss the story origins in myths from around the world with both reverence and humor. 

Even though I will never get to shake the warm hand and look into the wise eyes of my literary hero, I can still be a student of his precious words. 

Let me entice you with some of treasures from the interviews: 

“Mythology to him (Campbell) was the song of the universe, music so deeply embedded in our collective unconscious that we dance to it even when we can’t name the tune.” Bill Moyers

“Myths are clues to the spiritual potentialities of the human life.” Joseph Campbell

And here, my friends, is our creative call to arms:

"Artists are the myth-makers of today." Joseph Campbell

Campbell’s fascinating perspective on the world is an invaluable filter in which we can view our own writing. He will forever be my tribal elder and mentor through his works and thankfully his beautiful preserved spoken words. 

Click here for more luscious Campbell quotes

Click on the Blogging From A to Z Challenge logo in the sidebar to access the links to all the superheroes participating in this blog hop.

Which Author Would You Choose?

What if you could sit down with any author for a chat? Who would it be, Hemingway, Dumas, Shakespeare, Rowling, Scieszka?

I choose all of the above, but there is one person that I regret I never got to meet or take a class from, and that is Joseph Campbell. My own writing, as well as my teaching of writing, sits on his hero journey foundation.  If you aren’t familiar with Campbell’s famous story structure jump over to Lisa Gail Green’s blog for a quick and concise overview.

My regret in never interacting with Campbell was partially satiated when I discovered THE POWER OF MYTHS PROGRAMS. This is series of discussions between Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell on a myriad of topics including the hero journey, ritual, and mythology. They discuss story origins in myths from around the world with both reverence and humor, and show us how our work directly relates to the world's great stories.

Even though I will never get to shake the warm hand and look into the wise eyes of my literary hero, I can still be a student of his precious words. 

Let me entice you with some of treasures from the interviews: 

“Mythology to him (Campbell) was the song of the universe, music so deeply embedded in our collective unconscious that we dance to it even when we can’t name the tune.” Bill Moyers

“Myths are clues to the spiritual potentialities of the human life.” Joseph Campbell

“We are seeking an experience of being alive.” Joseph Campbell


And here, my friends, is our creative call to arms:


"Artists are the myth-makers of today." Joseph Campbell

Campbell’s fascinating perspective on the world is an invaluable filter in which we can view our own writing. He will forever be my tribal elder and mentor through his works and thankfully his beautiful preserved spoken words.


Hungry for more luscious Campbell quotes...Click away.

What writer would you invite for a creative conversation?

To Plot, or Not to Plot...

“…That is the question

Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous over thinking

Or to take arms against a sea of graphic organizers and tedious outlines…

…To sleep, perchance to dream; Aye there’s the creative process

For in that sleep of subconscious ideas, what dreams may come”

I don’t plot.  I just lied.  I don’t consciously plot.  I subconsciously plot.  Anyone who survived public school has ingested countless plotting tools such as Roman numeral outlines, story maps, flash cards with the word dénouement, and Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey. (Which I LOVE.)  Our gray matter is permanently stamped with format.   

I have tried the pre-planning route in my creative writing and I find it stifling.  I prefer a plethora of post-its smattered all over my mirrored closet door with scribbles of ideas I didn’t want to lose.  Do I use them all?  Nope.  Doesn’t matter.  They helped form the subconscious shape of my story. 

I love Stephen King’s take on plotting in his book, ON WRITING.  (I'm lamely paraphrasing Mr. King's phenomenal philosophy) He discusses setting a situation and then narrating how the characters handle it.  He doesn’t force them to follow a prescribed step-by-step plan, but rather lets the story organically evolve around character reactions and decisions as they navigate their situation.  In this style sometimes what you visualized happens and sometimes it doesn’t.

I say, WHAT FUN!  This is my cup of tea.

Okay, I know some of you are freaking out.  Too much freedom?  Too much unknown?  If it is – you need to be a conscious plotter.  No judgment here.  Every creative process has it’s own preferences.  The bottom line is to write the way that brings you that rush of joy and makes you shout, “I love doing this.”

Fess up.  Are you a conscious or subconscious plotter?

Treat yourself to these two books on writing: ON WRITING by Stephen King and RON CARLSON WRITES A STORY by Ron Carlson.  They are better than chocolate.