The Hero’s Journey

I love studying the architecture of stories - how different stories are built and all the elements that we see working together.

Have you ever watched a movie or read a book and thought, “Huh, this story sounds a lot like that other story in that one book or movie…”

It’s because there are patterns of stories that we tend to follow as a society and in different cultures.

One of the key story structures we see throughout history is what is now known as the Hero’s Journey.

Thousands and thousands of stories seem to follow this story structure. From ancient stories to modern-day Hollywood blockbusters, there is the story of a hero who sets off on a quest to accomplish one burning desire or conquer a challenge.

Joseph Campbell wrote a fantastic book called “The Hero With a Thousand Faces” in which he talks about the twelve stages or steps of the Hero’s Journey. It’s a fascinating read if you’re interested in studying the structure of stories.

Over the next few days, we’re going to work through each stage one by one, and I’m going to share some ideas on how to connect your audience’s story within each stage.

I can’t wait to dive into the Hero’s Journey and share more with you. For now though, make it a great day.

Copy and Content for Thought Leaders is presented by Jon Cook, founder of Keynote Content. Jon and his team help thought leaders, namely speakers, coaches, and consultants, craft and share their messages to better serve their audiences. Connect with Jon and his team at Keynote Content by visiting keynotecontent.com. You can subscribe to the Copy and Content for Thought Leaders Flash Briefing by visiting bit.ly/CopyContentFlash and enabling it there. Then, all you have to say is, “Alexa, what’s my flash briefing?”