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    Percy Jackson in a red cape for his hero's journey
    26Oct, 2022
    Have you Seen Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief?

    Have you seen Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief?

    If you have, have you ever looked at it through the lens of The Hero’s Journey? If not, you are in the right place because that is exactly what I do in the new WriterSpark podcast.

    Big Tip!

    One of the best ways to really begin to internalize the steps and importance of The Hero’s Journey in writing is to analyze books and movies that use the story structure. Disney and Pixar movies offer particularly strong examples of this story structure in action. Watching movies and breaking down the Hero’s Journeys is one of my favorite pastimes!

    In This Episode

    In this episode, I look at Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (the movie) and follow Percy’s Hero’s Journey. Percy, as a protagonist, follows the steps of the Hero’s Journey so perfectly. The power of three is also a huge element, which I’ll discuss in another podcast, so look for that coming up.

    Listen Now!

     

    Stay tuned for more great tips and tricks from authors, and for more Hero’s Journey analyzes.

    Also…

    Please LIKE this episode, follow the podcast, and leave a review! I appreciate you!

     

    Resources
    Thank you for listening!

     

     

    22Oct, 2022
    Don’t you Love a Witch’s Hero’s Journey from Practical Magic?

    Seriously, don’t you love a witch’s Hero’s Journey from Practical Magic

    Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, and Diane Weist from Practical Magic are perfect witches. And Practical Magic (book and movie) is perfect for fall Halloween vibes.

    It is also one of my favorites. I adore Alice Hoffman, but like so many, Practical Magic tops my list. It’s October and just a week out from Halloween, so there’s no better time to do a Hero’s Journey breakdown of this classic.

    Hero–

    Sally Owens

    Ordinary World— 

    The first Owens witch, Maria, escaped a hanging with her magic. She was banished and cast a spell upon herself that she would never again feel the agony of love. That spell turned into a curse on any man who dared love an Owens woman. When you hear the ticking of the death watch beetle, the one you love is doomed to die.

    Sally and Gillian Owens are the most recent in a long and distinguished line of witches.

    Sally is blessed with the gift. And she never wants to fall in love.

    Gillian has magic in her, but not as strongly as Sally. She can’t wait to fall in love.

    Sally makes a list in her journal and casts the true love spell, but summoning a man with impossible traits. She’ll never find him, which is the point. “The guy I dreamed up doesn’t exist, and if he doesn’t exist, I can never die of a broken heart.”

    Fastforward. Gillian leaves home with a guy. She wants to go where no one has ever heard of her. They cut their hands. “My blood. Your blood. Our blood.” They will be together forever, no matter where they are. (Foreshadow)

    Sally misses Gillian. She wants to be “normal”. 

    The aunts say, “Being normal is not a virtue.” 

    Then she sees Michael. The aunts cast a spell so Sally can have a romance and be happy. They never thought she’d truly love him. She does fall in love with him, marries him, moves out of the aunts’ house, has two little girls, and is happy. People in town now accept her. Things are “normal. Life is perfect.”

    Meanwhile, Gillian is living a wild life. And she’s fallen for a “cowboy vampire” Bulgarian from Transylvania, Jimmy Angelov.

    Call to Adventure–  

    (11:00 minutes) The death watch beetle ticks.

    Refusal of Call–

    Sally tries to ignore it, but she keeps hearing it. She tries to find it, to destroy it. She tears up her house searching for it, because she knows what it means. Michael, who dared to love an Owens woman, will die.

    She thinks he’s escaped it when a group of bikes narrowly misses Michael, but a moment later he is hit by a truck and killed (14:00 minutes).

    Meeting the Mentor– 

    Sally goes to the aunts (Jet and Frances) and asks them if it was the curse. They reveal that they cast a spell. Sally is shattered. She wants him back using the old spell book. (Foreshadow)

    “You brought him into my life. Now I want you to bring him back.”

    They refuse. 

    Crossing the Threshold–

    The new world (15:00 minutes). Call and the girls move back in

    to the old house and Sally admonishes the aunts that her girls will never do magic. She denies her witchcraft.

    Tests and Allies–

    Watch Practical Magic (1998) Free Online

    1. Sally grieves. She can’tfunction.
    2. She looksat her scar, as does Gillian. They call to each other. Gillian drugs Jimmy Angelov with Belladonna so she can go see Sally. But Jimmy is possessive.
    3. She says Jimmy can survive the curse. She brings Sally out of her funk. 
    4. Then Gillian is gone again.
    5. Sally emerges. She opens her shop: Verbena. Mails a letter to Gillian. (Foreshadow)
    6. She is upset with the kids in town taunt her daughters (Kylie and Antonia) like kids used to tant her and Gillian.
    7. The girls know they are witches and wonder why Sally doesn’t do magic.
    8. The phone rings and Sally knows it’s Gillian. Gillian is in trouble. Jimmy has been erratic and he punched Gilly.
    9. They see a blood moon. Gilly goes to get her tiger’s eye. Jimmy is there and holds them hostage. The Elvis song, Always on my Mind, plays on the radio.
    10. Sally puts belladonna in Jimmy’s tequila. Jimmy sings the song. He tries to choke Gilly. Then Jimmy passes out. 
    11. But he’s dead. 
    12. The blood moon foreshadows doom. (30:00)
    13. Gilly wants to use the curse to bring Jimmy back, but he’ll be dark and unnatural. “He’s already dark and unnatural. I don’t care how he comes back, as long as he comes back with a pulse,” Gilly said. (Foreshadowed moment from earlier)
    14. This time Sally is the voice of reason. She doesn’t want to do it, but they don’t feel there is a choice. They perform the spell.
    15. They bring him back, he tries to choke Gilly again, and Sally hits him with the tequila bottle. Now he’s dead again.
    16. They bury him.
    17. They keep it secret from the aunts.
    18. Phone tree day. Sally is never picked because everyone knows Sally is a witch. Gilly makes sure it’s Sally. The townsfolk hate her. (Foreshadow)
    19. The aunts make midnight margaritas. They realize it’s Jimmy’s tequila.
    20. The aunts sing Always on My Mind.
    21. Broom fell. Company’s coming. The aunts leave Sally and Gilly to clean up their mess.
    22. Kylie sees Jimmy as a ghost…the man under the roses. The roses grew overnight.
    23. Jimmy’s boots are visible, then disappear again.
    24. (55:00) The Gary Hallet State’s Investigator from Tuscan shows up investigating a case.  comes searching for Jimmy. 
    25. Jimmy is back.
    26. Sally struggles to lie to Gary.
    27. The townsfolk tell stories about Sally’s magic.
    28. Gilly feels Jimmy’s presence. 
    29. Kylie, Antonia, and Gilly make a potion to banish Mr. Hallet. Kylie is good at magic. But the girls realize that Gary Hallet is the man Sally wished for as a child.
    30. Sally and Gillian have a huge fight. 
    Central Ordeal– 

    Sally goes to Gary to confess. She tells him that Jimmy is in the spirit world haunting them. She asks him why he read her letter so many times (Foreshadowed moment from earlier). She says Gillian didn’t kill anyone. Gary infers that Sally did.

    Gary promises to help Sally and keep her from harm’s way. They kiss. Sally sees his one blue, one green eye (Foreshadowed moment from earlier). She leaves, afraid of the curse.

    Reward– 

    Sally senses that something is wrong with Gilly. She races home. Gary follows her. They see Jimmy’s ghost in Gilly. He’s possessing her. Gary doesn’t understand, but he believes what he sees.

    Jimmy tries to kill Gary. The sheriff’s star saves him. Sally says to him, “You killed a spirit, but that I killed a man.”

    Garry confesses that he loves Sally. He’s loved her since he read her letter. She confesses that she sent for him when she was a girl. He does exist. What he feels is just her spell. Cunundrum. Would he stay because of her spell, or does she want him to stay because she doesn’t want to go to prison.

    Road Back– 

    They believe Jimmy is dead. “Curses only have power when you believe in them. And I don’t…You know what? I wished for you, too,” Gary tells Sally. 

    When Sally comes back in, she realizes that Jimmy is still inside of Gillian. 

    Resurrection– 

    It is not over. Now everything is coming to a head. The aunts are back.

    The aunts say: “He’s squatting inside of her like a toad. This is what comes from dabbling. You can’t practice witchcraft when you look down your nose at it.”

    “We have to banish him,” Frances says.

    “Force his spirit back into the grave,” Jet says.

    “We need a full coven,” Frances says.

    “ 9 women. 12 is better,” Jet says.

    “Do you have any friends?” Frances asks.

    Sally uses the phone tree (Foreshadowed moment from earlier). She confesses to the women who have always hated her that she is a witch. 

    The townswomen all show up. Kylie and Antonia are part of it. The girls set the toads free (a reoccurring symbol). 

    “Pick a broom. Form a circle.” They cast the spell to rid Gilly of Jimmy’s spirit.

    They fear they’re killing Gilly. Sally has an idea. She does the blood spell. Maria’s blood connects them. “Your blood. My blood. Our blood.”

    This excises Jimmy. Gary closes the case.

    Return w/ elixir–

    Sally calls to Gary. He hears that call and returns to her. The Owens curse is broken, they think because the sisters clasped hands and Maria’s blood flowed threw them.

    It’s Halloween. The town is gathered around the house. The three generations of Owens women are on the roof in witch getups

    Recurring Motif: Toads/Black cat

    When you’re done here, check out the rest of the Hero’s Journey Database!

    ***
    Resources
    Extraordinary Attorney Woo in a purple cape for her hero's journey
    26Aug, 2022
    Do You Know Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a Hero?

    Listen to the Podcast Episode about Attorney Woo’s Hero’s Journey.

    Four images of Extraordinary Attorney Woo and what writers can learn from her

    Extraordinary Attorney Woo and how she is a hero, the podcast episode
    Do You Know that Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a Hero?

    She is. Truly.

    Extraordinary Attorney Woo, ENA/Netflix

    Summary (from Netflix): Attorney Woo (Woo Young-Woo) is an extraordinary attorney who has Autistic Spectrum Disorder. This fact offers her unique perspectives on her cases, but is also limiting. 

    This Hero’s Journey breakdown is for the first episode of this awesome series.

    Hero– 

    Woo Young-Woo, the first autistic attorney in the Republic of Korea, a graduate of Seoul, South Korea.

    She did not speak until she was 5 years old, and when she did speak, it was citing law and criminal code from the mountains of books her father has. 

    Ordinary World—

    Woo Young-Woo is hired as brand new rookie attorney at Hanbada law firm. Things about her:

    • She struggles to look people in the eye
    • She must count to three before walking into a room/new space
    • She only eats gimbap (it’s predictable in look and taste)
    • She is passionate about whales
    Call to Adventure– 

    Young-Woo enters the law firm ready to begin her career, but knowing she is different.

    Refusal of Call– 

    The senior attorney she works under, Jung Myeong-seok, does not want her on his team. He thinks she is not up to the job because of her autism, but Han, the CEO of the law firm, wants to give her a chance. 

    Meeting the Mentor– 

    Lee Jun-ho is part of the litigation team. He helps Woo Young-Woo navigate through the case. Choi Su-yeon is also a rookie attorney with Hanbada and was in law school with Young-woo. She is a reluctant ally. 

    Crossing the Threshold–

    Young-Woo is given a case about a woman accused of attempted murder of her husband. Her crossing of the threshold is literal. She just go meet the client, but she can’t figure out how to get through the revolving door. Jun-ho helps her see it as a waltz with counting. She gets through the revolving door, which is a first success.  

    Kim Seon Ho Joins the Woo Young Woo Trend With THIS! | KDramaStars

    Tests and Allies–
    1. On her first day, she meets an ally—Lee Jun-ho, an enemy—Attorney Kwon Min-woo, and an old acquaintance—the landlord of the apartment where she and her father lived when she was a child.
    2. The husband of the defendant once accused Young-Woo’s father of making moves on his wife (the defendant). He was unreasonably jealous. When he sees Young-woo again, he is verbally abusive and violent. 
    3. Young-woo’s good friend, Geu-ra-mi, teaches Young-woo how to spot a liar (itchy nose, sweaty palms, wiggly leg)
    4. Geu-ra-mi also helps Young-woo with strategies to be successful in court.
    5. Jung Myeong-seok (the senior attorney) also becomes an ally after recognizing Young-woo’s strengths.
    6. Choi Su-yeon continues to help Young-woo in certain ways. She feels sorry for the way her disability inhibits her success, but at the same time, she is annoyed by Young-woo.
    7. Jun-ho becomes Young-woo’s ‘sidekick’ and is intrigued by her.
    Central Ordeal– 

    Young-woo comes up with an analogy to whales which helps her realize that this is not a criminal case, but a civil one. If the focus remains on the criminal aspect, the point will be missed. She realizes that intent to murder would strip the defendant of any financial support from her husband or his property. 

    She begins the trial nervous, but makes objections that are sustained and gains confidence. 

    Reward– 

    Young-woo makes good arguments to have the indictment changed from attempted murder to bodily harm.

    Road Back– 

    In an effort to win the case, the defense puts the injured husband on the stand to demonstrate his volatility. He is provoked, scaring everyone, most especially Young-woo, and the jury sees cause for the wife to have defended herself. 

    But then the husband dies and the charge changes from intent to murder to murder. All feels lost.

    27 ideas de Extraordinary Attorney Woo en 2022 | dramas coreanos ...Resurrection– 

    Through a ‘whale-ization’, Young-woo realizes that the husband had an underlying issue and that the subdural hematoma that killed him was a result of this. She gets the medical examiner to admit this on the witness stand.

    Return w/ elixir– The woman is found not-guilty of murder. Young-woo has won her first case.

    Comments: As with any medical or legal drama, there is always a moment when success is in hand, only to have something monumental happen that snatches that success away. This happens with Woo Young-woo. In each episode, she has a ‘whale-ization’…a moment when something becomes clear to her about the case. 

    Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a wonderful TV show. Highly recommend

    Check out another Hero’s Journey: Kat Valdez from the movie, Marry Me.

    7Jun, 2022
    What is Maverick’s Hero’s Journey, from Top Gun?

    What is Maverick’s Hero’s Journey, from Top Gun, you ask?

    Let me tell you. It’s fun to revisit a hero in a sequel. This time around, our Hero’s Journey is about Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, the hero from Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick.

    Maverick has a clear Hero’s Journey in both installments. It’s easy to think that the completion of the mission is the climax, or resurrection, in this film, but read the WriterSpark breakdown of The Hero’s Journey. 

    When you’re done here, check out the Hero’s Journey Database!

    Hero–

    Maverick (Top Gun: Maverick), Pete Mitchell

    Ordinary World—

    Maverick is part of a program that is going to be shut down because the plane they’re testing didn’t mock 10. Radm. Chester ‘Hammer’ Cain (Ed Harris) arrives to find Maverick in the sky pushing the plane to Mock 10… then Mock 10.1, then 10.2. 10.3. He ejects when the plane tears apart.

    Maverick is a distinguished pilot, but has remained captain because he is where he belongs. The Navy sees him as a liability and dangerous. He lives up to his name of Maverick.

    Call to Adventure– 

    Hammer tells Maverick his career is basically over and he’s being sent to Top Gun.

    Refusal of Call–

    This manifests in Maverick’s expression. He doesn’t want to go back to Top Gun. But he has no choice.

    Meeting the Mentor–

    Iceman (Adm. Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky). Maverick’s old nemesis is an admiral now and has intervened to protect Pete. He is the one that requested Maverick go to Top Gun. He has been behind the scenes in Maverick’s life, saving Pete from himself.

    Crossing the Threshold–

    Maverick rides his motorcycle into the Flighttown and Top Gun.

    Tests and Allies–
    1. Adm. Beau ‘Cyclone’ Simpson  (John Hamm) doesn’t want Maverick at Top Gun. He relegates Maverick to teacher role, taking Maverick out of the sky.
    2. Pete meets Penny again. He observes his soon to be students at the bar, including Rooster (Miles Teller), who is Goose’s son.
    3. Some of these students heave Pete out of the bar because he can’t pay his tab. Rules must  be followed.
    4. The next day Maverick is revealed to be the Top Gun instructor.
    5. Maverick’s goal is to push the pilots to realize what they don’t know.
    6. Cyclone is a nemesis. He does not like Maverick and doesn’t want him at Top Gun.
    7. Iceman is sick. He encourages Maverick to ‘let go’, referring to the past and his angst over Rooster and their relationship (based on Goose’s death in Top Gun 1). Maverick’s choices are both bad: Choose Rooster as wingman and risk his life; don’t choose him and risk their already tenuous relationship.
    8. Maverick builds a team with the pilots through offensive/defensive football on the beach. They work together.
    9. Iceman dies. Cyclone removes Maverick because he says the mission is impossible to do the way Maverick wants it done, which allows for the possibility of survivors. Cyclone is willing to sacrifice soldiers for the mission.
    10. Maverick goes rogue (again, foreshadowed from the first scene with Hammer when Maverick goes rogue), steals a plane, and completes the mission (taking it past Mock 10), proving it can be done.
    11. Hammer’s hands are tied. Maverick is appointed Team Leader. He chooses Rooster as wingman. They complete the mission.
    12. Two Bandits—enemy planes—show up. It becomes a dogfight. Rooster gets in trouble. Maverick sacrifices himself to save Rooster. Everyone is ordered back to base. Rooster defies orders and goes after Maverick, shooting the helicopter just before it was going to kill Maverick. But then, enemy planes shoot down Rooster.
    Central Ordeal– 

    Maverick finds Rooster. They sacrificed for  each other. Their relationship is somewhat mended. Maverick says, “What were you thinking?!” and Rooster replies, “You told me not to think!”

    Recurring Motif: Don’t think, just do.

    They steal an enemy F15. This harkens back to Top Gun 1 and the planes Maverick and Goose flew. Rooster helps get everything ready to go, then they escape. The runways were destroyed by Tomahawks (US) to slow the enemy down.

    Reward– 

    Maverick manages to get the plane in the air. They think they’re home free.

    Road Back– 

    They start back toward base. Rooster gets the old equipment working. But then enemy planes appear.

    Resurrection–

    Another dogfight. They fight back with the few missiles and guns, which don’t compare to the weaponry of the new planes. They also can’t outrun them. But this is the plane Maverick learned in. He maneuvers and defeats all the planes. UNTIL one appears at their nose suddenly, coming straight at them.

    They are doomed. Until Hangman, who was Rooster’s nemesis in the way Iceman was Maverick’s, appears. He shoots the enemy plane in the nick of time. They all survive.

    Return w/ elixir–

    Maverick and Rooster’s relationship is healed. As Iceman wanted, Maverick has let go of the past (as has Rooster).

    Maverick and Penny ride off into the sunset on the motorcycle.

    Comments:

    This second installment does not disappoint. There are so many turning points and, once again, the story follows a solid Hero’s Journey. 

    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!

    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!

    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. 

    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.
    5Jan, 2022
    Write Better with this Simple Guide to The Hero’s Journey

    As a teacher, there are some topics I find so fun to teach. The Hero’s Journey is one of those topics. 
     
    Joseph Campbell originated the idea of The Hero’s Journey, or the Monomyth, in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces.
     
    It has since become THE template for screenplays, and so many writers use it to guide them as they write their books, as well. 
     
    I got a little joyful jolt a few weeks ago when I was listening to Will Smith’s new memoir, Will. He mentions going to see Stephen Spielberg when Will didn’t want to take the role of Jay in Men in Black. He talks about Spielberg giving him a copy of The Hero with a Thousand Faces, and how The Hero’s Journey changed his life and his approach to developing the characters he played and the roles he chose (and still chooses). I was like, Will Smith knows about the monomyth! Cool! 
     
    For writers, it can be completely life-changing. It can help you rethink how you tell a story. It certainly did for me.
     
    Below is an overview of the steps of The Hero’s Journey (The Writer’s Journey*, by Christopher Vogler). I cover The Hero’s Journey in depth in 30 Days to Craft Your Novel, as it is the one of the core story structures.
     
    *

     

    This is a brief explanation of the 12 steps of the Hero’s Journey.

    1. Ordinary World
    The ordinary world is the world in which the hero lives/exists before his/her adventure starts. Often it is considered a ‘safe’ place (think of Bilbo Baggins’s Hobbit Hole at Bag End).

    2. Call to Adventure 
    The Call is the presentation to the hero to leave the ordinary world and enter a new world. 

    3. Refusal of the Call
    The hero refuses the temptation to leave the ordinary world. This can be by personal choice (Bilbo Baggins) or from a sense of obligation (Luke Skywalker) or the choice can be made for the hero (Will Thatcher, A Knight’s Tale).

    4. Meeting of the Mentor
    The mentor can come in various forms. It is someone (or a magical helper) who helps the hero take the leap forward. 

    5. Crossing of the Threshold
    At this point in the story, the hero actually leaves the ordinary world behind and enters the new world (Bilbo literally walks through the doorway of his Hobbit hole, leaving his home behind). The hero leaves what he/she knows behind for the unknown adventure ahead. 

    6. The Road of Trials (Tests, Allies, & Enemies)
    This is the bulk of the 2nd Act in the 3 Act structure. The hero faces a variety of tests, each of which help him/her grow and begin the transformation from ordinary person to hero. There are successes and failures, as well as friends and enemies met along the way. The power of three is a tool used in this section of the story.

    7. Approach to the Inmost Cave
    The hero will face a major test (turning point) during which all he/she has learned will be put to use. The hero may experience setbacks and failures at this point, but rebuilds and becomes stronger through the process.

    8. Central Ordeal
    A major battle occurs (turning point). We are still in Act II, and this is the second major turning point happens. The hero uses all the tools s/he has gained on the journey and succeeds.

    9. Reward
    If there is a physical object the hero has been after, s/he takes possession of it (the witch’s broomstick in The Wizard of Oz). Or, the reward can be succeeding in the battle.

    10. The Road Back
    The battle is complete. The hero begins the journey back to his/her ordinary world.

    11. Resurrection
    The Resurrection is akin to the Climax in the 3 Act Structure. The Central Ordeal was a false win. THIS is the true test of the hero’s mettle. What the hero thought was the final battle was not, in fact, the final battle. Now it is life or death. This is the moment of transformation. The ordinary person is fully resurrected as a hero. 

    12. Return With the Elixir
    The hero has succeeded in winning the final battle. The transformation is complete. Now the hero is the master of the ordinary world and the new world. The hero returns home a hero. S/he is no longer the same person as before. 


    CLICK HERE to read about the Hero’s Journey, Mystery Style

    And visit the Hero’s Journey Database!

     

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