From the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh<\/em> to the Greek legend of Jason and the Argonauts, countless tales have embraced this structure. More modern examples include The Hobbit<\/em> by J.R.R. Tolkien, and Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hero’s Journey is a three-act plot structure that divides into twelve stages with a specific purpose and function within the narrative. The reason The Hero\u2019s Journey is the most popular is that it combines plot direction with character building. It is as much about the characters’ emotional or mental development as it is about the physical journey they undertake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By travelling a physical path and their inner journey simultaneously, plots based around The Hero\u2019s Journey are full of conflict and tension. Characters struggle and grow, and there is a clear flow to the way the story moves. With an obvious beginning, middle, and end, the reader will be on the edge of their seats, but know that they will have a satisfying conclusion by the time they\u2019ve finished your book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your hero leaves their ordinary world and takes up the call of adventure. This should make up the first 25% of the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the first stage, you should introduce your hero, the world they inhabit, and what their everyday life looks like. This is where your character development will do the bulk of the heavy lifting – your readers need to care about your character before something enters their story to disrupt their existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Things to include in Stage 1 are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stage 2 should happen around the middle of Act 1, at the 12% mark of your story. It shouldn\u2019t take up too much space and be no longer than a single chapter, two at most. It is in this stage that your hero will have their everyday life disrupted. Whether your protagonist willingly heeds the call of adventure or needs more convincing will determine how much time you spend on this part of your story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The call of adventure introduces the main conflict. It will come in the form of a challenge or a quest that the hero must embark on before they can return to their idyllic life. Otherwise known as the inciting incident, or hook, it is this call that will determine the trajectory of the rest of your story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Things to include in stage 2 are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your hero has refused the call of adventure in stage 2, then this is the section where they need to be convinced. If your protagonist is a willing adventurer, then this step can be skipped completely – the importance of stage 3 depends entirely on the nature of the character and the challenge you\u2019ve created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many reasons your hero may initially refuse the call of adventure: modesty, too much risk, age, and beliefs might factor into it. In stage 3 the hero must have no choice but to finally accept the call. This may take multiple attempts with stakes being raised each time, but it must end with the hero finally accepting their task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Things to include in stage 3 are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if your hero willingly heeded the call of adventure, they will still need encouragement and the right tools to succeed on their journey. Stage 4 leads to the end of Act 1 and should bring the story to the 20% mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the protagonist refused the call to adventure in stage 3, then meeting the mentor can serve as the catalyst for an acceptance of their role. If they accepted the call in stage 2, then the mentor can serve as someone who can train the hero in the skills they need to make it home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The mentor should be an expert, a specialist, or someone whose advice the hero trusts. Whether through training, providing equipment, giving advice, or simply being a ready ear to give the hero the emotional support they need to mentally prepare for what is to come, the mentor will be the one to give the protagonist the final push they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Things to include in stage 4 are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the mentor has helped the hero accept their role in the call of adventure, and prepared them as best they can, your book should have reached the end of Act 1. This should bring you to the 25% mark of your novel. It represents the first turning point – the moment when your protagonist leaves their ordinary world behind and ventures into the unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By crossing the first threshold, your hero commits to the call of adventure. They should be equipped with the bulk of what they will need to progress on their journey, but don\u2019t be afraid to leave them in the dark about certain things. Whether your hero feels they have learned all they can and are mentally ready to progress, or whether their training is cut short thanks to the actions of your book\u2019s antagonist will yield the same result – your hero is fully dedicated to overcoming the challenge before them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stage 5 should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hero enters an unfamiliar world where they encounter new friends and enemies and overcome various trials and challenges. <\/em>Act 2 should make up 50% of your story (from 25%-75%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Act 2, your plot really gets going. From the first moments of stage 6, your hero will face challenges that test their new resolve or abilities. While the mentor has given them a good starting point, your hero still has a lot to learn, and your protagonist will need to learn to rely on the assistance of friends and allies they meet along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both the hero and the reader should have doubts about their ability to succeed against the overwhelming odds stacked against them. The rules of the outside world are different to where they came from, which makes stage 6 the perfect time for additional character development. The hero and their allies will react to the stresses of challenges in different ways and doubt their abilities or suitability for the task in front of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stage 6 will make up a huge portion of Act 2. It\u2019s when you\u2019ll introduce the majority of your new characters and introduce any additional stakes. You\u2019ll need to develop any allies or enemies and how they react with your hero. Don\u2019t be afraid to play with loyalties – just like your hero, the circumstances of friends and foes can change. Just because your characters are on this journey together, doesn\u2019t mean their motivations are aligned. Each will have had their personal reasons to heed their own call of adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stage 6 should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the build-up of stage 6, stage 7 is the calm before the storm. After all the world and character building of the trials and challenges that have come before, your hero finally has their goal in sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A lot of stage 7 will be about preparation. Your hero and their allies know how to reach their goal, and now they need to rest and gather any necessary supplies, information, or last-minute knowledge. If allies and enemies have come, gone, or switched allegiances in the previous stage, this is the point where the final team is in place. These are the characters who will be with your hero largely until the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the end of stage 7, your hero and their team must be prepared to face what comes next. It\u2019s also a good time to reintroduce the mentor if applicable to provide some much-needed morale boost for the group. Any lingering doubts your protagonist has about their ability to complete their quest must be overcome with a reaffirmation of their commitment to the call of adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stage 7 should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This marks a mini climax of your novel as the rising action of your narrative begins to peak. Your hero will face a series of challenges as they and their allies work toward their goal and face the antagonist. Stage 8 is the culmination of your story\u2019s central conflict. It brings together everything your hero has learned not only from their mentor but also through the trials and challenges of stage 6 to emerge victoriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is at this point that your hero will undergo a transformation. There must be a metaphorical death and rebirth (although for some narratives this can be literal), where they leave behind who they were in stage 1 and become a stronger, more powerful version of themselves. This death can come in the form of a significant sacrifice, or the death of a character who is close to them – whatever this catalyst is, it must be powerful enough to change your hero as a person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on the nature of your story, where the ordeal happens and whether it is successful may vary. A successful ordeal will likely happen late in Act 2 as a natural climax. If the hero is unsuccessful, however, then the ordeal should happen closer to the middle of Act 2 as it will introduce more stakes and tension that will need to be explored and developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stage 8 should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether a success or failure, your hero will have passed through the ordeal, receiving their reward, marking the end of Act 2. This reward can be knowledge or an object – whatever form it takes, it will be the catalyst that propels them toward the final battle and ensures their survival. No matter the losses of stage 8, this is a moment of celebration for your hero and gives your readers a breather before your story ramps into the climax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While this moment represents a victory for your protagonist, it\u2019s also a good time for your characters to remember those they have lost along the way. It\u2019s an emotional reset where your hero and their allies can come to terms with everything they have endured, and what is yet to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stage 9 should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your hero enters the final battle and begins their journey home but is a very different person from when they left their ordinary world. It makes up the final 25% of your story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the reward now firmly in their possession, the hero begins their journey home. Instead of being a simple journey, however, this is where you will increase the tension and heighten the stakes of your narrative, leading to the ultimate climax of your story. It is in stage 10 that your protagonist must face the consequences of the outcome of stage 8: the ordeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This part of the narrative will mark the catalyst that leads to the climax. It is where your hero will complete their quest, leading them to the final battle. The stakes should be higher than when your hero undertook the ordeal – with the mission not yet fully complete, there must be severe consequences if they were not to complete their quest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stage 10 should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is where your story finally reaches its climax. The stakes should be higher and the difficulty more acute than anything your hero has faced before. It should tie together all the lessons your hero has learned during their journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This climax carries all the emotional weight of the rising action – your hero is fighting for a cause and for those they have lost along the way. After this battle they will have fully embraced the role of hero and can return to their ordinary world, changed by their experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stage 11 should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having undergone profound change, your hero is now ready to return home. The return should make up only 5% of your narrative, and reaffirm your protagonist\u2019s growth and development. Have your hero reflect on their experiences, what they\u2019ve learned, and the people they have met and lost along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your hero can now look forward to a new phase of life, whether that be settling back into their ordinary world, or seeking out a new adventure, finding their old life incompatible with their growth. Either way, on their return, the hero is rewarded and celebrated. They have faced danger and challenges, and have come through it, which earns them the respect of those they have left behind, or at least a new perspective for both the hero and the people of the ordinary world to consider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stage 12 should include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u00a0download the template<\/a>\u00a0below to use it for your next project and import it directly into Novlr<\/a>. If you go to your Projects<\/a>\u00a0page from your Novlr dashboard and click on \u201cImport,\u201d the template will automatically split your project into acts and sections for easy plotting!<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is The Hero’s Journey?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAct 1: Departure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Stage 1: The Ordinary World<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Stage 2: The Call of Adventure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Stage 3: Refusal of the Call<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Stage 4: Meeting the Mentor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Stage 5: Crossing the First Threshold<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAct 2: Descent and Initiation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Stage 6: Test, Allies, Enemies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Stage 7: Approach to the Inmost Cave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Stage 8: The Ordeal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Stage 9: Reward (Seizing the Sword)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAct 3: Return<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Stage 10: The Road Back<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Stage 11: Resurrection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Stage 12: Return with the Elixir<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Download the template<\/h2>\n\n\n\n