The Writer's Journey

4 November 2013

I’ve been reading Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey. The subject matter is the so-called Hero’s Journey.

Vogler argues that most stories follow a familiar twelve-stage pattern which begins with life in the ordinary world. The hero receives a call to action, which he/she may well refuse at first. The hero eventually sets off on whatever task is required of them, along the way facing threshold guardians and shadows, enemies and Shapeshifters, but helped by mentors and allies while grappling with tests and ordeals. Usually the hero will overcome all these challenges and return home with whatever reward or elixir he or she was seeking. Along the way, the Hero will experience personal growth and gain new knowledge and insight.

The pattern is familiar but infinitely variable and every writer creates their version.

Vogler is a scriptwriter but it works for novels too. Try fitting it to famous stories like Titanic, Star Wars and Indiana Jones, and you will see it works.

Interestingly, Vogler argues that all writers must undergo a Hero’s Journey of their own as they learn to be writers. Indeed, he argues that all of us as human beings must undertake this journey if we wish to realise our potential.

‘Writing is often a perilous journey inward to probe the depth of one’s soul and bring back the elixir of experience,’ he writes.

Having been through the process of writing a crime novel, I can certainly agree with Vogler about the experience. Writing takes you into many dark corners but also into strange new areas you would never have thought about otherwise – I had to learn about poisonous fish and echo sounders, for example.

I would not have missed this journey for anything – it’s exhilarating. Also a huge challenge. I’m now starting out on the journey again in a new novel involving many of the same characters. What shadows and Shapeshifters, tests and trials will I meet on the way? It will be fun to find out.

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