The Key to Writing an Amazing Hero’s Journey Story
If you’ve read any good fiction — or even watched some awesome movies — you’ve likely encountered the traditional hero’s journey as outlined by Joseph Campbell. In this journey, a protagonist moves through three key points (departure, initiation, return). In departure, the protagonist encounters an inciting incident that prompts them to go on a quest. They usually find a mentor and leave their home. In initiation, the protagonist goes through all kinds of difficulties, going to physical and inner dark caves for combat. In return, the protagonist gathers whatever they have gained through their trials and returns home. They use their gains to live a better life or help others. We’ve seen it a million times, so it should be easy to hit repeat on. But many hero’s journey stories still suck. So, what’s the key to a worthwhile hero’s journey story?
The readers know the winner in a hero’s journey, but not the change and reward
On a superficial level, the hero’s journey looks like it’s all about whether the protagonist can overcome the obstacles in their way. Good authors create tension by making their victory seem uncertain. But the reality is, the hero’s journey requires the protagonist to win. So, readers already know what the outcome will be. In that sense, the hero’s journey is a story arc that’s as boring as Hades.
What sets each hero’s journey apart is not the obstacles they encounter — think about how many times a protagonist has battled a giant, other-worldly monster. Rather, it is the change that occurs in the protagonist and the specific rewards they obtain from their battles, which must have a distinct value that the reader can empathize with and prize.
Let’s say one of the obstacles a protagonist faces is the loss of a specific resource. In one story, the protagonist might overcome the obstacle by seeking help from others. A second story might have the protagonist overcome the obstacles by innovating. In the first story, the protagonist changes in the ability to trust. In the second story, the protagonist changes by discovering their creativity and resourcefulness.
Because it is the change in the protagonist and the rewards they get that create a unique hero’s journey story, as a writer, you have to know the protagonist deeply before you put pen to paper. Unless you know their character, situation, motivations, and goals, it’s impossible to identify the weaknesses they have to erase and the rewards that would provide satisfying improvement. If the protagonist cannot be dynamic, their journey will fall flat, because they will not have learned or moved forward.
Knowing the protagonist sets up everything else
Knowing your protagonist doesn’t mean you have to meticulously outline your tale. It’s OK to pants the story a little bit. But the idea is that you know the protagonist well enough that you understand how they would respond to different obstacles. You should see them in a light that allows you to craft worthy adversaries who can manipulate the weaknesses the protagonist has. Each piece of their journey is included not just for suspense or conflict, but because it solves some part of their development dilemma. Every battle has a purpose.
The wonderful thing about the hero’s journey is that there’s no rule about how to fill the protagonist’s gaps. In a simple story, they might have a single, straightforward battle to correct a single weakness. But if you want a more complex story, they can encounter many battles that give them only the smallest of incremental gains. You have to watch your pacing, of course, but incremental movement is the stuff a great series is built on. Side quests are never for nothing!
If you approach the hero’s journey well, your reader should have a sense that the protagonist is more complete at the end of the tale. But they also should feel that they have experienced the protagonist’s growth within themselves. So, when you craft your protagonist, consider your audience. What do they typically fail to understand or struggle with? The more relatable the protagonist is to them, the more invested and interested in the story they likely will be.