Writing Tip Wednesdays

Every Wednesday I will include a new Writing tip. These are not "cut in stone", and of course, there are exceptions. Use them if they seem right for you.

Today I decided to talk about the monomyth or hero's journey. Most stories follow this road-map with some variation. Here are the steps:

1. Introduction to character in normal setting

Life may be perfect or not, but it is stable. The character will remain in this environment unless something outside himself/herself acts to tip the balance.

2. Call to adventure

Something unusual happens to disrupt the world.

3. Refusal to call

The main character doesn't want to let go of their normal life.

4. Meeting a mentor

Someone with knowledge teaches the main character.

5. Crossing into the unknown

The character is introduced to a new world or rules. Things aren't how they thought in the beginning.

6. Trials

The character is tested.

7. The Belly of the Whale / Dark Moment

The character reaches their limit, almost unable to go on. This is usually when the reader or viewer is on the "edge of their seat". Will they survive?

9. Prize

The character reaches their goal or makes a discovery that solves everything.

10. Return home

The character goes home as a changed and empowered individual.

Not every story follows this path. Two famous stories that do are Star Wars and Harry Potter. Usually a story uses some elements, but possibly not all. For instance, not every story includes a mentor, and some characters don't return home but instead make a new home somewhere else. There is freedom to play around with the steps a bit.

The emphasis of these steps is that it is a process of change. A character lives a peaceful life until something demands them to act different. In the end, a character has changed, hopefully for the better. When an author creates a plot, they need to pay attention to the process. It should be gradual and not abrupt. Luke Skywalker did not become a Jedi overnight. It took hard work. An author's duty is to make character's believable.

Writing Software Review

YWriter 5 Software is completely free. The program is simple but effective. It won’t grant ideas, but it will help organize the ones already in an author’s head. Setting up a project is easy, and there is even a video to show the process step-by-step. Writing a novel could never be more organized. Tabs section the project into scenes, notes, characters, locations, and items. All the sections are interconnected. For instance, when a character is created it is available for selection for point of view in a scene. Another example is that when an item is made it can be put into a scene. This interlacing sorts out thoughts into a workable design that doesn't demand constant replica of fill in the blanks. Pictures can also be added as visual aids. Chapters show status (outline, in-progress, complete) and the amount of words written. It is painless to keep track of the novel’s progress. It even offers the ability to select target word count goals.

I’m not sure if there are any flaws to this software. I’ve tried some other programs that gave random character names and idea triggers. One divided the story into set points for the hero’s journey. This software allows freedom from rigid “rules” and is ideal for anyone who has a story to tell, rather than looking for a blockage cure.

Description Exercise

Okay, here is an exercise to work on our description. Describe the colors, shapes, feelings, ect. in this picture. Feel free to add other aspects to the picture, such as music or scents that connect with it. You can use third person characterization or yourself as POV if you'd like, but the focus should be on the description. For instance, what are you or your character wearing as you stand before the tree? Why did you/they choose to put this on at this time? Why are you or they here? This could very well develop into a story.

Reply with your response to the exercise. I'll reply too, but don't look until you've done your own. It will be fun to see how different our responses are.