Category: The Hero’s Journey

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 […]
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 […]
Listen to the Podcast Episode about Attorney Woo’s Hero’s Journey. 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 […]
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 […]
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 CALL TO ADVENTURE REFUSAL […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
Have you heard of the hero’s journey? It’s at the core of the mythic structure. It basically goes like this: Hero lives in the ORDINARY WORLD CALL TO ADVENTURE REFUSAL OF THE CALL MEETING OF THE MENTOR CROSSING THE THRESHOLD (to some magical or new world, which is entering the (6) ROAD of TRIALS). At this point, […]
Where it Started The Hero’s Journey is THE Template for Screenplays, and it works for novels, too. Why? Because the hero is relatable and undergoes growth. In short, they earn their heroic status via their success at the end of the story. As a teacher, there are some topics I find so fun to teach. […]