The Monomyth of Inclusion: The Hero and Heroine's Journey

Luke Skywalker died much to the heartbreak of millions of fans. But for writers, his death hailed the demise of the hero’s journey in popular culture, raising the question: does the monomyth still matter? In this presentation, I demonstrate how the monomyth can be retooled for inclusion of both journeys, and I show how George Lucas was not only the master of telling the hero’s journey, but the heroine’s journey as well. Join us!

Mythic Quests: The Hero and Heroine’s Journeys in Romance

This talk is a craft workshop that examines each step of the hero and heroine’s journey to showcase how they can be incorporated in romance writing. Drawing on Joseph Campbell’s monomyth, the hero’s journey has been wittled down to 12 steps by Christopher Vogler.  Maureen Murdock has outlined a heroine’s journey, also based on the monomyth, which I explain in 12 steps with a multitude of video examples (from Jane Eyre to Guardians of the Galaxy and many, many others).

A webinar for the Dallas Area Romance Authors Association explaining how to utilize Maureen Murdock’s conception of the heroine’s journey in story, with a road map and clear examples from popular film. Join us!

A webinar for the Chicago-North Romance Writers’ Association explaining how to utilize Maureen Murdock’s conception of the heroine’s journey in story, with a road map and clear examples from popular film. Join us!

Gave a talk early on about the hero’s journey in Star Wars and the heroine’s journey in Tangled, before I finalized the title.

“It is useful to know that there is something common linking a lot of films together and that it isn’t random, but rooted in psychology and a reflection of our psyche.” Fariha Iqbal, attendee