The Hero's Journey For Modern Writers

The quickest and easiest way to structure your story, book or movie script for maximum impact!

De: Mike Martin

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

I WROTE THIS FOR ME NOT YOU: This was never intended to be a book. It was created for my personal use, to make my storytelling process more efficient and structured. As someone who writes a lot of sales stories—and stories in general—I needed a system to structure them properly. One of my books, The Sales Parables, is filled with stories of people in sales, and through writing it, I realised the importance of structuring a story so that it pulls the reader in emotionally. I needed to build a connection with the reader, make them feel the pain of the challenge, and then see the hero triumph at the end.

To learn how to do this, I studied storytelling frameworks like Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces, The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler, and Michael Hague’s discussions on the Hero’s Journey. All of these resources were insightful and fascinating, but what I really needed was something simpler. I didn’t want to carry around a 300-page book just to reference a framework, so I decided to create my own condensed version—a pamphlet, essentially.

I started with Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey and adapted it to my understanding, renaming some steps that didn’t fully resonate with me. Terms like “The Innermost Cave” didn’t quite click, so I simplified and restructured it in a way that made more sense to me. Here’s the version I came up with, which breaks down into 12 steps:

1. Everyday Life

2. The Opportunity

3. Doubt and Hesitation

4. Finding a Guide

5. Going All In

6. Challenges and Connections

7. Facing the Big Test

8. The Turning Point

9. The Breakthrough

10. The Journey Home

11. The Final Challenge

12. Back to Reality, Changed

When I’m writing now, I don’t need to keep referring to massive books. I write down these 12 headings, and under each, I fill in the relevant details for the story. It keeps me focused and ensures that I’m structuring my story properly without getting confused or bogged down.

To make this process even quicker, I’ve included summaries at the beginning and end of each chapter. After reading through the full chapter a couple of times, these summaries serve as quick refreshers, so you can glance at them and instantly recall what each step entails. This saves time and keeps you from having to re-read every chapter in detail.

This approach is designed for anyone who wants to outline their stories efficiently. Whether you’re writing short stories, novels, or screenplays, these 12 steps are built on proven storytelling techniques and will help you structure your narrative without having to dive into lengthy books each time. It allows you to write faster and more effectively by focusing on the key elements of the story.

All you need to do is list the 12 steps, write brief descriptions for each, and you’re ready to start. Of course, creating characters and developing your story’s unique elements is still important, but this structure will make that process 10 times easier. Because I’ve kept this as short and simple as possible, you can quickly flip through it and know exactly how to proceed.

The goal is to give you a tool you can carry anywhere—whether in your laptop bag or alongside your writing pad—without the burden of carrying a large book. I prefer paperback over digital copies, so I keep this on me wherever I go. It’s streamlined to eliminate unnecessary fluff and helps you jump straight into the writing process.

So, if you’re like me and want a modern, easy-to-understand guide to writing structured stories, this pamphlet will be incredibly helpful. Of course, I encourage you to read the full-length books I’ve mentioned for deeper learning, but this will be your go-to reference for fast, structured writing on the go.

All the best,

Mike Martin

https://mikemartin.uk