The Hero’s Journey (for novels)

The Hero’s Journey is a narrative pattern identified by scholar Joseph Campbell that appears in drama, storytelling, myth, and psychological development. It describes the typical adventure of the archetype known as The Hero, the person who goes out and achieves great deeds on behalf of tribe, group or civilization.

Christopher Vogler popularised Campbell’s work when he was working as a story consultant for Walt Disney Pictures. He sent a famous memo explaining how to use the ideas for story structure in films. The memo evolved into the popular ‘Writer’s Journey’ book. Learn more about the Hero’s Journey here.