THE Writer’s Journey

By: Christopher Vogler

ISBN: 978-1932907360

QUESTIONS EXPLORED:

• Where do stories come from?
• Why do we need stories?
• How do storytellers find the deeper meaning in stories? 

WHAT I LOVE:

 When discussing Joseph Campbell’s insights about stories worldwide, writers encounter dual layers of meaning.

First, we see story itself. When we step back and look at stories from around the world, and over the span of thousands of years, what patterns emerge? These patterns are certainly helpful in the construction of a solid, meaningful story. In Vogler’s book, writers will find deep insight to help them consider character development, plot, and much more.

Second, on a personal level, writers will also encounter themselves. When considering what makes a story meaningful, it’s only natural to add a second question. What makes this story meaningful to me? The journey of finding those points of connection with our artist’s heart often leads us to face challenges. They may be irritations, threshold guardians, or true foes, the enemies we find in the dark of our inmost cave.

I particularly like The Writer’s Journey as a lens for looking at my writerly development because Vogler applies Campbell’s rich constructs directly to the writing process and the writerly life. This book is one to study and to savor. 

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION:

The updated and revised third edition provides new insights and observations from Vogler’s ongoing work on mythology’s influence on stories, movies, and man himself. The previous two editions of this book have sold over 180,000 units, making this book a classic for screenwriters, writers, and novelists.

Buy from:

The links on this page are affiliate links. More details here.

 THE WANDERER

By: SHARON CREECH

ISBN: 978-0064410328

QUESTIONS EXPLORED:

• What role do our memories play in our day-to-day lives?
• How do our pasts define or contribute to who we are today?
• How might a quest or an adventure deepen our connection to our true hearts?

WHAT I LOVE:

The Wanderer stands out to me for many reasons, but two are primary.

First, the story is very clearly a hero’s journey.

It’s set in the here and now, but has that epic journey feel. In some seasons, the best thing for our emotional growth might be to leave our everyday lives and venture out. Our journey might take us across the sea, as in The Wanderer, along the Pacific Crest Trail, or even on a trek through a distant country.

Even when a quest isn’t possible, we can build the emotional equivalent by taking on a new challenge. We might choose a learning or creative challenge. What’s important is that we choose a true stretch that engages us on a practical level and as an emotional one. While on a personal quest, books such as The Wanderer can heighten our experience. They add an epic undercurrent to otherwise ordinary-feeling days.

Cognitive scientists have discovered that when we read, listen to, or watch stories, our synapses fire along the same lines as they would if we experienced those events in person. Maybe you can’t head out on a physical quest right now. Still, if you’re ready for a transformational experience, take on a challenge and stack your bedside table with epic stories like this one.

Second, I return to this book again and again as a writer. 

I return to examine how Sharon Creech uses memory and back story. With these tools, she creates characters who leap off the page in three dimensions. As I’ve grown as a writer and teacher, I’ve become at least as interested–if not more interested–in what’s not on the pages of a story. I might include those “scenes around the edges” in the story. However, often they resonate invisibly behind the character’s actions and reactions. They’re the gems that transform figments of imagination into memorable, believable characters. 

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION:

“A beautifully written and imaginatively constructed novel that speaks to the power of survival and the delicacy of grief.” —School Library Journal (starred review)

This acclaimed bestselling Newbery Honor Book from multi-award-winning author Sharon Creech is a classic and moving story of adventure, self-discovery, and one girl’s independence.

Thirteen-year-old Sophie hears the sea calling, promising adventure and a chance for discovery as she sets sail for England with her three uncles and two cousins. Sophie’s cousin Cody isn’t so sure he has the strength to prove himself to the crew and to his father.

Through Sophie’s and Cody’s travel logs, we hear stories of the past and the daily challenges of surviving at sea as The Wanderer sails toward its destination—and its passengers search for their places in the world.

Buy Now:

 Print | eBook | Audiobook

The links on this page are affiliate links. More details here.

 THE HERO IS YOU

By: KENDRA LEVIN

ISBN: 978-1573246880

QUESTIONS EXPLORED:

• What are your biggest challenges as a writer?
• How might you overcome those challenges?
• Where might you find a sense of play and possibility in your creative process?

WHAT I LOVE:

It won’t surprise anyone that I love The Hero is You. This book invites you think about your writerly development within the context of the Hero’s Journey as defined by Joseph Campbell. What’s more, the ideas and concepts included are highly compatible with Writerly Play.

The Hero is You is subtitled: Sharpen Your Focus, Conquer Your Demons, and Become the Writer You Were Born to Be. While ambitious, this promise is realized in the book. Levin examines eight archetypes that Campbell identified as common to tales around the world for thousands of years. With each archetype, she illuminates one aspect of the writing process and life. Through the lens of these archetypes, we see aspects of our creative selves. Once seen, we can play to their strengths.

Take for instance the Herald, about whom Levin writes, “Wherever you go, the Herald in you is seeking the narrative, the juice, the inspiration in the everyday. It’s the part of you that’s always looking for a story.” She also discusses the inner mentor. “Each of us is guided by a source of inner wisdom, a deeper part of ourselves that knows things our rational mind takes longer to process.”

The book is filled with pearls of wisdom such as these, as well as playful activities to engage your imagination in the thinking process of exploring your artist’s heart. As Levin writes, “Ultimately, what we are up to here is bigger than a single piece of writing. It’s about translating our writing to ourselves, using writing as a way to better understand ourselves and our world.”

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION:

Imagine having your own personal mentor―someone encouraging yet honest, supportive yet empowering, who could help you set and achieve your goals, turn your moments of doubt and fear into sources of strength, and discover what you’re truly capable of when you’re at your best.

Kendra Levin is that mentor. And with this book, she’s here to help you do the best writing of your life―and live your best life while doing it.

Using a fresh new approach to Joseph Campbell’s archetypal Hero’s Journey, Levin reveals how to be a hero in the narrative of your own process. She weaves together wisdom drawn from her years as a life coach for writers and an editor at the world’s biggest publishing house with behind-the-scenes stories from a panoply of best-selling authors and career entertainers. With over thirty exercises designed to help you reinvent your creative process from the inside out, this book will show you how to:

• Identify your biggest challenges and render them powerless
• Start a project that you love―and stick with it
• Design a structure for writing regularly

Whether you’re a first-time writer with a brand-new project or a seasoned pro, you’ll reach the end of this book feeling fulfilled, inspired, and ready to mentor the next writer on their creative journey.

Buy Now:

Print | eBook

The links on this page are affiliate links. More details here.