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    24May, 2022
    The Hero’s Journey for Mysteries

    Have you heard of the hero’s journey? It’s at the core of the mythic structure. Here it is for mysteries!

    The hero’s journey is an incredibly intuitive story structure. It is the Go To for Hollywood screenwriters.

    I have adapted the Hero’s Journey for mysteries below. 

    Hero lives in the ORDINARY WORLD

    1. CALL TO ADVENTURE
    2. REFUSAL OF THE CALL
    3. MEETING OF THE MENTOR
    4. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD (to some magical or new world, which is entering the (6) ROAD of TRIALS). At this point, there is no return. The hero faces
    5. TESTS, ALLIES, & ENEMIES
    6. The APPROACH TO THE INMOST CAVE s a huge test for the hero. There are setbacks, but the hero grows stronger as a result.
    7. The CENTRAL ORDEAL is the second major turning point. It is a win for the hero.
    8. REWARD Whatever the hero has been after has been ostensibly won.
    9. THE ROAD BACK The hero has succeeded in the journey (or so he/she thinks) and heads back toward the ordinary world.
    10. RESURRECTION is the CLIMAX. The Central Ordeal was a false win. THIS is the true test of the hero’s mettle. This is the moment when the ordinary person is resurrected as a hero.
    11. RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR The hero returns to the ordinary world a changed person. 

    CLICK HERE to check out WriterSpark’s How to Write a Cozy Mystery course.

    CLICK HERE to read more about The Hero’s Journey

     

    The hero’s journey is a fairly typical story structure. With a mystery, however, the structure is slightly different.

    1. The Victim’s ORDINARY WORLD is disrupted when he/she dies! Depending upon the POV and type of mystery you are writing, the sleuth’s ORDINARY WORLD is also disrupted. Using the amateur sleuth or detective as our hero, he / she lives in their ORDINARY WORLD before the murder happens.
    2. CALL TO ADVENTURE occurs when the murder is discovered.
    3. REFUSAL OF THE CALL occurs when the amateur sleuth feels pulled to investigate, but doesn’t feel qualified or want to dive into the investigation. If the hero is a detective, the REFUSAL OF THE CALL occurs when he/she doesn’t want the case, or, in the case of my first book, Living the Vida Lola, Lola fears she won’t be given the case. Often, the refusal of the call is not the decision of the hero.
    4. MEETING THE MENTOR The mentor is whatever character (for good or for nefarious reasons) convinces the sleuth to get involved. This person can be the person the sleuth is determined to save or prove innocent.
    5. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD in a mystery means the hero (sleuth) takes the case and/or becomes an active investigator. There’s no turning back because he/she (or loved ones) may well be in danger.
    6. THE ROAD OF TRIALS and TESTS, ALLIES, and ENEMIES = LIES, DECEPTION, CLUES, RED HERRINGS, all laid out by the villain (the murderer) and the false leads the sleuth follows. This is the bulk of the Second Act in the Three-Act Structure.
    7. APPROACH TO THE INMOST CAVE Something happens to threaten the sleuth’s forward progress. This could be a second murder, the sleuth in danger, or some other test/trial that threatens the sleuth’s ability to continue the investigation. 
    8. CENTRAL ORDEAL The hero (sleuth) think the whodunnit is solved.
    9. REWARD Justice will be served.
    10. THE ROAD BACK The sleuth is ready to return to his/her ordinary world having solved the case. The problem is, either a red herring has led the sleuth astray, or the sleuth/hero is in danger at this point so may not be able to return with the knowledge. The sleuth manages to get to the right answer (or defeat the killer) during the 
    11. RESURRECTION This is the CLIMAX, which is the confrontation with the killer. The sleuth ultimately discovers the truth.
    12. RETURNING WITH THE ELIXIR, in a mystery, is justice. Finally, the sleuth can return to his/her Ordinary World, but now he/she is the MASTER OF TWO WORLDS. He/she has solved a murder and will never be quite the same.

    Are you ready for the next step in your writing process? Hire me as your developmental editor and partner. Together, we will take your writing to the next level!

    22May, 2022
    Character Development: How do your characters react?

    Scroll down to watch on YouTube!

    That Old Adage

    Understanding how your fictional characters react is essential to  making them three-dimensional. There is an old adage that says it’s not the situation you face but how you deal with it that defines character. The idea is that 10% of life is what happens and 90% is how we react to it. It’s about our response mechanisms. Are we fight or flight? What is our attitude when faced with adversity? Or how about when we’re faced with a surprise, success, or something else that warrants an emotional response? 

    Passing the Buck or Taking Control

    A lot of people are quick to pass the buck when it comes to responsibility for their actions. The attitude of fatalism with these types of people—and with that comes acceptance of the inevitable. These people are at the mercy of their circumstances. 

    For others, the idea that they have control within the situations they face. They control their actions and emotions. They are not victims to the inevitable. 

    How Will Your Characters React?

    This is true for your characters, too. Do you know how they will react in different situations? The next series of prompts are about discovering more about your characters based on how they deal with a variety of situations. For these folks, it’s not what happens to them that determines their path; it is how they choose to react that defines them. When we choose to shape our own feelings and act in ways we choose, we control the outcome. 

    So, when we face adversity—as we all do at one point or another—keep in mind that these adversities do not define us. We can let go and be defeated. Or we can act and navigate through the hardships. We can overcome obstacles.

    Lessons Learned

    The process of dealing with the adversities we face teaches us valuable lessons. We learn every step of the way. Our experiences broaden our perspective and shape us as we move forward. 

    Your Characters

    It is the same for your characters. What do they do in the face of obstacles? Do you know? You can solidify who they are by putting them into situations for the sole purpose of seeing how they react. What they do. Are they proactive, or fatalistic?  

    The next set of prompts is geared toward helping you understand your characters on a deeper level.

    #1: A woman exits the bathroom with the back of her skirt tucked in her underwear. What does your character do?

    #2: Your character witnesses an accident. Does he or she pull over and help? Drive on by? Panic? Remain cool and collected? 

    #3: A dog is on the loose in a neighborhood where your character is driving by. He or she will be late for an appointment if they stop. But the dog could get hit by a car if they don’t. What does your character do?

    Think of other situations you can put your characters into. As you write about these, you’ll get to know them better and better. You’ll figure out who they are and how they will respond. 

    Have fun!

    Watch this writing tip on YouTube.

    Write larger than life characters

     

    Are you ready for the next step in your writing process? Hire me as your developmental editor and partner. Together, we will take your writing to the next level!

    Owen Wilson as Charlie in Marry Me
    22May, 2022
    The Hero’s Journey: Charlie Gilbert (Marry Me)

    Owen Wilson plays a great everyman, and in Marry Me, he has a clear Hero’s Journey.

    Charlie, Marry Me (Owen Wilson, with Jennifer Lopez and Meluma)

    Summary (from IMBD): Music superstars Kat Valdez and Bastian are getting married before a global audience of fans. But when Kat learns, seconds before her vows, that Bastian has been unfaithful, she instead decides to marry Charlie, a stranger in the crowd.

    Hero– 

    Charlie Gilbert, an school teacher and head of the math-alon (math club and competition)

    Ordinary World—

    Charlie is a divorced dad trying to connect with his daughter, Lou, who thinks her stepdad is awesome. To get out of his funk, friend and coworker, Parker (Sarah Silverman), invites him to go to the Kat Valdez concert with her. Charlie does not want to go. He says he has Lou that night. Parker convinces him to go with the line: “Maybe she’ll think you’re fun.” 

    Call to Adventure– 

    Charlie goes to the concert. He ends up holding a sign that says “Marry Me”. Unbeknownst to him, Kat has just found out that Bastian cheated on her. She talks about losing faith in love, and says that if you want something different, you have to do something different. She sees Charlie holding the sign and in an impulsive moment, she says she will marry him. She says, “Why not?”

    Refusal of Call– Charlie is stunned. He doesn’t actually want to marry Kat. He doesn’t know Kat.

    Meeting the Mentor– 

    Once again, Parker steps in. She, along with Lou, push Charlie toward the stage.

    Crossing the Threshold–

    (18:00) Charlie hesitates, finally saying: “Okay.” They are married and kiss.

    Tests and Allies–
    1. Colin helps Charlie see who Kat is. He convinces her to give it a try for 3 months (as mentor).
    2. Charlie is introduced to Kat’s life of lights and glamour and paparazzi.
    3. He has to explain things to Lou and keep her grounded. He doesn’t want Lou to meet Kat because they’re not really together.
    4. They go bowling and Kat ends up going home with Charlie to see more about him.
    5. They spend more time together and he stays at a recording session.
    6. Kat and Charlie go to an awards ceremony where they run into Bastian. Charlie has to face the man who betrayed Kat, the woman he’s beginning to fall for.
    7. Charlie invites Kat to the school dance.
    8. They sleep together.
    9. Charlie challenges Kat to be self-sufficient. She accepts. She challenges him to use social media. He accepts
    10. They are from two different worlds, but maybe it can work. He posts: “When you sit in the question long enough, the answer finds you.”
    11. They spend a day together, acting as husband and wife. They are happy.
    Central Ordeal– 

    Kat goes to the Mathalon practice and tells a story about how she dealt with stage fright. The kids use dance steps to manage their anxiety. But Meluma shows up and announced that Marry Me has been nominated for a Grammy.

    Reward– 

    Kat has her Grammy nomination. He fears that he will lose her, but she still wants him, too.

    Road Back– 

    After the Grammy performance, Charlie lets Kat go to live in her celebrity world. He realizes that he doesn’t fit in, no matter how much he wants to. Their romance is over. (1:25) 

    Resurrection– 

    Charlies is distraught. Kat is everywhere he looks (in store windows, on cab signage…). From the media, it seems Kat and Bastian are back together. He refuses the money Colin offers him to keep the prenup in place.

    All he can do is protect himself. He goes forward with the mathalon. Still looking out for Kat, he asks Colin to be there for Kat when she figures things out, because “she’s going to need someone.” 

    At the mathalon, the opposing team’s coach tries to psyche the team out. Lou gets stage fright. Charlie uses Kat’s dance steps to get Lou through it, but not in time to win. Charlie helps Lou through it. He tells her how proud of her he is. 

    Kat walks in and says, “Not everything adds up the way you think it will…If you want something different, you have to do something different.” She is talking to Charlie, too. He says, “What if we’re just too different?” She says, “What if we’re not?”

    She then holds up a sign that says: Marry Me…and another that says: Again. She mouths: “I love you.” 

    Charlie comes to her. (1:44) They’ve come full circle to the Call to Adventure moment. 

    Return w/ elixir– Various clips show Kat in Charlie’s world (at school, dancing with his students) and Charlie in Kat’s world (rehearsals). The final scene is of Charlie, Kat, Lou, and the dog together as a family unit in their own world.  (1:45)

    Comments: This is a cute romcom. Both Kat and Charlie have a “fish out of water” hero’s journey. 

    The movie is one hour, 45 minutes (105 minutes). The crossing of the threshold happens at 18 minutes in, just under 1/4 of the way through.

    Act II comprises the bulk of the movie.

    The Resurrection (Act III), when Kat uses her newfound independence and knowledge of what she really wants, takes place at 1:35. This is the last 10 minutes of the movie.

    The Hero’s Journey is clear in both Kat’s and Charlie’s story. Click HERE to see Kat’s Hero’s Journey.

     

    22May, 2022
    The Hero’s Journey: Kat Valdez (Marry Me)

    Marry Me is a light romantic comedy of the first order, and Kat Valdez has a clear Hero’s Journey.

    Kat Valdez, Marry Me (Jennifer Lopez, with Owen Wilson and Meluma)

    Summary (from IMBD): Music superstars Kat Valdez and Bastian are getting married before a global audience of fans. But when Kat learns, seconds before her vows, that Bastian has been unfaithful, she instead decides to marry Charlie, a stranger in the crowd.

    Hero– 

    Kat Valdez, a singing superstar

    Ordinary World—

    Kat is set to marry Bastian in front of their legion of fans, but she’s not sure about it. In some ways, se feels she has lost herself. But the wedding plans are set and the concert where 20 million people will watch her sing Marry Me to Bastian, and they take their vows, is set.

    Call to Adventure– 

    (15:00) Kat sees people backstage looking at their phones. She knows something is up. She demands Colin give her his phone learns Bastian betrayed her.

    Refusal of Call– 

    Kat is stunned. She doesn’t know what to do. She stops the concert and talks about love. She proclaims love to be a lie. Not real. She won’t get married.

    Meeting the Mentor– 

    Colin, Kat’s manager, tries to protect Kat.

    Crossing the Threshold–

     (18:00) Kat takes a leap of faith. She says that “if you want something different, you have to do something different.” She sees a man in the audience holding up a sign that says Marry Me. She makes a different choice. She calls him up on stage and she does get married…to Charlie. She says: “I do.” They are married and kiss.

    Tests and Allies–
    1. Kat immediately confronts Bastian. Charlie intervenes to protect Kat.
    2. Colin tries to spin the situation, but Kat says she wants to give the marriage a try for 3 months. “Nothing else has worked. Maybe this will.”
    3. Kat watches herself do a Vitamix promo. She’s reflective about it, but we don’t know what she’s thinking.
    4. Kat proves she can bowl, then decides to skip the party she’s supposed to go to and goes home with Charlie instead. They get to know each other. 
    5. Kat and Charlie go to an awards ceremony where they run into Bastian. Kat has to face the man who betrayed her.
    6. Kat shows up at Charlie’s school. She enters his life for the first time. She also meets Lou to the first time.
    7. She goes deeper into Charlie’s world by accepting his invitation to the school dance.
    8. After the school dance, they sleep together. 
    9. Charlie challenges Kat to be self-sufficient. She accepts. She challenges him to use social media. He accepts.
    10. They are from two different worlds, but maybe it can work.
    11. She reads his post: “When you sit in the question long enough, the answer finds you.”
    Central Ordeal– 

    Kat goes to the Mathalon practice and tells a story about how she dealt with stage fright. The kids use dance steps to manage their anxiety. But Maluma shows up and announced that Marry Me has been nominated for a Grammy.

    Reward– 

    Kat still wants Charlie, but she also wants the Grammy and the reward for the song and her career.

    Road Back– 

    Charlie tells Kat that he can’t be with her. He doesn’t fit into her world. He’s a fish out of water. Their romance is over. (1:25)

    Resurrection– 

    Kat writes a song about her love for Charlie (On My Way). It hits #1. She is self-sufficient. She views the first kiss on stage with Charlie.

    When on Jimmy Fallon, he says she wrote On My Way was written for Bastian. This is a wake up call for her. She leaves mid-interview. “It’s an inopportune time to have an epiphany, but I don’t want to go back. Someone told me that if you sit in the question long enough, the answer finds you.”

    She uses her new-found independence to make her way to Peoria to find Charlie (1:35). Colin helps her, though. She goes in search of her answer.

    Kat walks in to find Lou on stage, frozen, and Charlie using her dance steps to get Lou through it (1:42). She tells Lou she was amazing. She took a shot, even though it was scary (1:43). She says, “Not everything adds up the way you think it will…If you want something different, you have to do something different.” She is talking to Charlie, too. He says, “What if we’re just too different?” She says, “What if we’re not?”

    She then holds up a sign that says: Marry Me…and another that says: Again. She mouths: “I love you.” 

    Charlie comes to her (1:44). They’ve come full circle to the Call to Adventure moment. 

    Return w/ elixir– Various clips show Kat in Charlie’s world (at school, dancing with his students) and Charlie in Kat’s world (rehearsals). The final scene is of Charlie, Kat, Lou, and the dog together as a family unit in their own world (1:45).

    Comments: This is a cute romcom. Both Kat and Charlie have a “fish out of water” hero’s journey. 

    The movie is one hour, 45 minutes (105 minutes). The crossing of the threshold happens at 18 minutes in, just under 1/4 of the way through.

    Act II comprises the bulk of the movie.

    The Resurrection (Act III), when Kat uses her newfound independence and knowledge of what she really wants, takes place at 1:35. This is the last 10 minutes of the movie.

    The Hero’s Journey is clear in both Kat’s and Charlie’s story. Click HERE to see Charlie’s Hero’s Journey.

    17May, 2022
    The Hero’s Journey: Jonah Byrde (Ozark)

    Jonah Byrde is not your typical hero, but he is a compelling one.

    Jonah Byrde (Ozark, 2017-2022 with Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Sofia Hubiltz, Julia Garner, and Skylar Gaertner as Jonah)

    Summary (from Netflix): The Byrdes and their teenage kids, Charlotte and Jonah, are, for all intents and purposes, an ordinary family with ordinary lives. Except for the job of Marty, a Chicago financial advisor who also serves as the top money launderer for the second largest drug cartel in Mexico. When things go awry, Marty must uproot his family from the skyscrapers of Chicago and relocate to the lazy lake region of the Missouri Ozarks.

    Hero– 

    Jonah Byrde (Skylar Gaertner). He’s smart, quiet, introverted. Approximately 11 years old.

     

    Ordinary World—

    Jonah is approximately 11 years old in season one. He’s an ordinary kid living with his parents and sister, Charlotte, in Chicago.

    Call to Adventure– 

    Jonah’s parents tell the kids they will be moving to the Ozarks. This is the first hint to Jonah that his life may be changing.

    Refusal of Call– 

    Jonah (and Charlotte) do not want to go.

    Meeting the Mentor– 

    Buddy Dieker owns the house the Byrdes live in the basement of the house Marty and Wendy buy. He becomes a friend to Jonah. He teaches Jonah how to handle guns and how to hunt, which comes in handy later in the series.

    Crossing the Threshold–

    Jonah accepts his new life in the Ozark.

    Tests and Allies–

    1. Jonah realizes and Wendy confirms that Marty launders money for the Navarro cartel. 

    2. He takes an interest in learning the process of money laundering.

    3. After Marty wishes Jonah goodnight, Jonah goes back to his computer where he is watching the Navarro cartel’s violence. 

    4. He becomes friends with Tuck at the Blue Cat resort.

    5. Jonah learns how to shoot a gun (thanks to Buddy) and gets involved in how his parents launder the money.

    6. First kiss is with the cartel lawyer’s daughter.

    7. When it becomes clear that the lawyer (Helen Pierce) is not a friend, he threatens her. Helen tells Jonah the truth about Wendy’s involvement with Uncle Ben’s death.

    8. Acting out in anger, he shoots the window in his house.

    9. A PI, Mel Sattem, is in and out investigating the disappearance of Ben.

    Central Ordeal–

    Jonah’s involvement in his parents’ new world escalates when he begins to doubt his parents and their intentions. He begins working with Ruth Langmore (and indirect with Darlene Snell) laundering money

    Reward– 

    Marty is a bit proud of Jonah’s intelligence and entrepreneur nature. Jonah’s successful in his laundering. He works out of a room at the Lazy O motel, which Ruth now owns. At 15, he’s a successful money launderer

    Road Back– 

    Wendy’s father comes to town to search for Ben. He wants to take Jonah and Charlotte with him back to North Carolina. Jonah will be able to leave behind the criminal life.

    However, Ruth helps reveal that Nathan Davis (played by Richard Thomas) is not a man his grandkids think he is. He’s a misogynistic, abusive man. The kids do not go with him.

    Jonah begins a tenuous reconciliation with his mother.

    As Marty and Wendy make final preparations to extricate themselves from the Navarro cartel, there is a big fundraiser on the Missouri Belle, the floating casino his parents set up. Jonah is glad to be part of the event.

    Resurrection–

    Unbeknownst to Charlotte and Jonah, Marty and Wendy’s plans backfired. They manage to get through the night. Back at home, however, Mel Sattem  is waiting for Marty and Wendy with Ben’s remains (which Ruth had in a goat cookie jar and which Ruth gave to Jonah).

    All could be lost for the Byrde family, which has only just begun to come together again.

    The sound of a rifle cocks. The camera turns to Jonah, who points the rifle at Sattem.

    Marty gives a slight smile and a slight nod.

    Return w/ elixir– The screen goes black, but the sound of a gunshot is heard. Jonah acts to protect the family he realizes he needs and loves. In this moment, he’s put to use his shooting, which Buddy taught him, in a sense coming full circle to the beginning of his journey in the new world. 

    Comments: Ozark is a four season TV show. Jonah is a great example of every character being the hero of their own journey. He begins as an innocent and naive kid who becomes a force to be reckoned with in the world of money laundering and the criminal life his parents created. He ends up being their protector in the end. 

    Check out other Hero’s Journeys!

    Tom Cruise as Maverick with cast members in a classroom
    9May, 2022
    The Hero’s Journey: Top Gun (1986)

    The original Top Gun has a clear Hero’s Journey.

    The Hero’s Journey: Top Gun (1986), with Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, Tom Skerritt, TJ Cassidy, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis

    Hero– 

    Maverick (Pete Mitchell)

    Ordinary World– 

    Maverick is a gifted Navy fighter pilot who doesn’t follow the rules. Goose is his RIO. During a flight, they encounter two MiG-28s. Cougar, the pilot in another place, freezes. Maverick performs a risky inverted maneuver to help Cougar. 

    They are all low on fuel. Maverick is just about to land safely on the carrier when he breaks protocol and directly disobeys orders in order to help Cougar and his RIO land. 

    Call to Adventure–

     Maverick and Cougar are the two top pilots. There is a chance to go to compete for Top Gun, which is the best of the best.

    Refusal of Call– 

    This comes in the form of TJ Cassidy not wanting Maverick to be the one to go to Top Gun. He thinks Maverick is too much of a liability.

    Meeting the Mentor–

     Goose acts as mentor at this point. He supports Maverick, but is also his conscience. The commander (TJ Cassidy, as himself) cautions Maverick about his dangerous behavior. 

    Crossing the Threshold–

     Cougar ends up quitting. He has ‘lost his edge’ and turns in his wings. Cassidy, against his better judgement, selects Maverick and Goose to go to Top Gun. Maverick literally crosses the threshold when he drives his motorcycle onto the flight academy land.

    Tests and Allies–
    1. Maverick is his own worst enemy. He is irreverent and disregards the rules. He is arrogant. 
    2. Maverick does a flyby (‘buzzes the tower’), which gets him and Goose in trouble. This could ruin their chance of going to Top Gun.
    3. Iceman and Slider are Maverick and Goose’s immediate rivals.
    4. Maverick meets Charlie (Kelly McGillis) and is attracted to. Only to fine out that she is a civilian instructor at Top Gun.
    5. Maverick and Iceman go head to head as they vie for who is best.
    6. Viper (Tom Skerritt) becomes a mentor. He knew Maverick’s father.
    Approach to Inmost Cave-

    Maverick and Goose are doing tactical maneuvers. It’s a big fight scene in the sky. It looks like they will succeed until they intercept ‘jet wash’, which sends their plane into a spin. They eject. Goose dies.

    Central Ordeal– 

    Maverick goes back into flight with a different RIO. In the midst of the training, he freezes. He, like Cougar, has lost his edge.

    Later, Charlie tries to get through to Maverick, who blames himself for Goose’s death, but he is lost. He has his demons…namely that he is like his father, who was also a maverick and was considered dangerous. 

    Reward– 

    Maverick is cleared of any fault in Goose’s death. After Charlie fails to get through to Maverick, Maverick goes to Viper’s home. Viper (Mike) reveals the truth (classified information) about Maverick’s father—that he saved many people in the battle that ultimately took his life. Maverick’s father was a hero.

    Mike, as mentor, guides Maverick. He tells him he has two options: Get back up in the air or quit. He says he has enough points to graduate with his Top Gun classmates.

    Road Back– 

    Maverick shows up after the graduation (Iceman won Top Gun) and is given an assignment. Iceman expresses his doubt that Maverick is up to the task. Maverick is still doubting himself.

    Resurrection–

    The mission ends up far more intense than initially thought. There are 6 MiGs. One plane goes down. Iceman is in trouble. It’s up to Maverick, who is still doubting himself. He finally snaps out of it after a close in on Goose’s dog tags. He ‘speaks’ to Goose. After that he engages in the fight. He ends up saving Iceman and Slider with his courage and fearlessness. 

    Maverick is resurrected as a hero, like his father. He saved Iceman and Slider, shot down several MiGs, and regains his confidence. Iceman tells Maverick that he will make an excellent wingman for him. Maverick laughs and says, no, Iceman will make an excellent wingman for him.

    Return w/ elixir– 

    Maverick is in top form. He tells TJ Cassidy that he might want to be an instructor at Top Gun.

    He has closure with Goose when he throws Goose’s dog tags into the Pacific.

    And Charlie comes back to Maverick, coming full circle to their first meeting when she plays You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling on the juke box. 

    Comments: Top Gun’s hero’s journey follows Maverick as he deals with the  burden of his father’s reputation and his own dangerous behaviors. His resurrection is a powerful moment in his journey.

    Back to the Hero’s Journey Database

    3May, 2022
    Writing Larger than Life Characters

    We read to escape, and when we read, we put ourselves into the roles of the characters we’re reading about. In a sense, we become them. This is why it is so important for hero characters to be relatable in some way. It’s hard to connect with characters who are not likable. In short, we can’t realistically insert ourselves into the stories and become those characters in our imaginations.

    Let’s look at the idea of Larger than Life characters. By definition, these people are perceived as bigger, better, more powerful, more magnetic, having more gravitas, and generally being loved, admired, feared, respected to a greater degree than the normal person.

    When you create your characters, particularly a ‘hero’ character, don’t set out with the intention of creating a Larger than Life character. By doing that, you’re creating a caricature of what you perceive to a Larger than Life character to be. You may end up creating a Superhero or Supervillain. These are characters who are hugely good or bad, with excessively huge skillsets or big sense of right versus wrong, or both.

    Unless you are creating a Superhero, I suggest you look at Larger than Life in a different way. Part of what makes the best Larger than Life fictional characters is that they have flaws, warts, fears, and insecurities. 

    They then face these character traits head on in a way that an ordinary person doesn’t typically do. They act in a way that is exceptional. In other words, they are ordinary people who face extraordinary situations and rise to the challenge in heroic ways.

    Take Scarlett O’Hara. She’s a pampered Southern Belle. She feels she’s deserving of whatever she wants. Mammie dresses her. Her pa dotes on her. The young men around her cherish her. No one expects her to take it upon herself to act in a heroic manner. When faced with the extreme loss brought on by the Civil War, though, that’s just what she does. She vows, with God as her witness, never to be hungry again. This sets her on a path to save Tara—the land her father owned. In this effort, she acts out of character, facing challenges and overcoming obstacles that might crush an ordinary person. She becomes Larger than Life.

    Another example is Ender Wiggin. He’s an ordinary kid who is bullied by kids at school and even by his own brother. Yet, he’s choses to go to Battle School and he is trained to be a warrior. Unbeknownst to him, he’s the ‘chosen one’.  Because of his incredible military and tactical skills, he’s groomed to defeat the Buggers. He doesn’t want this role, but he is given it and he ultimately embodies it. The attention—good and bad—is always focused on him. The training he goes through nearly breaks him, but he perseveres. He becomes a leader to his classmates. He defeats the Buggers.

    Other excellent examples of Larger than Life characters are:

    • Harry Potter- he is an ordinary kid faced with defeating evil.

    • Frodo and Bilbo Baggins- both are ordinary Hobbits who embark on huge adventures. Bilbo leaves the safety of his Hobbit home to help the Dwarves reclaim their home.

    • Atticus Finch- Atticus does the unpopular thing by representing an accused rapist—a black man in the South. He does this because he believes in truth and honor, at the risk of his own reputation and safety.

    • Katniss Everdeen- Katniss saves her sister by taking her place. How many of us would do that…and then succeed where so many others fail?

    • Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes are two Larger than Life detectives who have deductive reasoning skills that surpass the ordinary person. They see what others do not, always seeking justice. 

    A few other great examples are:

    • Jay Gatsby.

    • Stephanie Plum.

    • Dorothy Gale.

    Each of these characters has flaws. They are far from perfect. But they act in ways that set them apart from everyday people. 

    When you create the heroes in your stories, think about their greatest fears and insecurities and make them face those very things. The situations in which you put your characters, and the decisions they make are what turns them into Larger than Life people who are unforgettable.

    Good luck, and happy writing!

     

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    1May, 2022
    The Hero’s Journey for Mysteries

    Have you heard of the hero’s journey? It’s at the core of the mythic structure. It basically goes like this:

    1. Hero lives in the ORDINARY WORLD
    2. CALL TO ADVENTURE
    3. REFUSAL OF THE CALL
    4. MEETING OF THE MENTOR
    5. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD (to some magical or new world, which is entering the (6) ROAD of TRIALS). At this point, there is no return. The hero faces
    6. TESTS, ALLIES, & ENEMIES
    7. The APPROACH TO THE INMOST CAVE s a huge test for the hero. There are setbacks, but the hero grows stronger as a result.
    8. The CENTRAL ORDEAL is the second major turning point. It is a win for the hero.
    9. REWARD Whatever the hero has been after has been ostensibly won.
    10. THE ROAD BACK The hero has succeeded in the journey (or so he/she thinks) and heads back toward the ordinary world.
    11. RESURRECTION is the CLIMAX. The Central Ordeal was a false win. THIS is the true test of the hero’s mettle. This is the moment when the ordinary person is resurrected as a hero.
    12. RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR The hero returns to the ordinary world a changed person. 

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    CLICK HERE to read more about The Hero’s Journey

    The hero’s journey is a fairly typical story structure. With a mystery, however, the structure is slightly different.

    1. The Victim’s ORDINARY WORLD is disrupted when he/she dies! Depending upon the POV and type of mystery you are writing, the sleuth’s ORDINARY WORLD is also disrupted. Using the amateur sleuth or detective as our hero, he / she lives in their ORDINARY WORLD before the murder happens.
    2. CALL TO ADVENTURE occurs when the murder is discovered.
    3. REFUSAL OF THE CALL occurs when the amateur sleuth feels pulled to investigate, but doesn’t feel qualified or want to dive into the investigation. If the hero is a detective, the REFUSAL OF THE CALL occurs when he/she doesn’t want the case, or, in the case of my first book, Living the Vida Lola, Lola fears she won’t be given the case. Often, the refusal of the call is not the decision of the hero.
    4. MEETING THE MENTOR The mentor is whatever character (for good or for nefarious reasons) convinces the sleuth to get involved. This person can be the person the sleuth is determined to save or prove innocent.
    5. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD in a mystery means the hero (sleuth) takes the case and/or becomes an active investigator. There’s no turning back because he/she (or loved ones) may well be in danger.
    6. THE ROAD OF TRIALS and TESTS, ALLIES, and ENEMIES = LIES, DECEPTION, CLUES, RED HERRINGS, all laid out by the villain (the murderer) and the false leads the sleuth follows. This is the bulk of the Second Act in the Three-Act Structure.
    7. APPROACH TO THE INMOST CAVE Something happens to threaten the sleuth’s forward progress. This could be a second murder, the sleuth in danger, or some other test/trial that threatens the sleuth’s ability to continue the investigation. 
    8. CENTRAL ORDEAL The hero (sleuth) think the whodunnit is solved.
    9. REWARD Justice will be served.
    10. THE ROAD BACK The sleuth is ready to return to his/her ordinary world having solved the case. The problem is, either a red herring has led the sleuth astray, or the sleuth/hero is in danger at this point so may not be able to return with the knowledge. The sleuth manages to get to the right answer (or defeat the killer) during the 
    11. RESURRECTION This is the CLIMAX, which is the confrontation with the killer. The sleuth ultimately discovers the truth.
    12. RETURNING WITH THE ELIXIR, in a mystery, is justice. Finally, the sleuth can return to his/her Ordinary World, but now he/she is the MASTER OF TWO WORLDS. He/she has solved a murder and will never be quite the same.