Story Structure: Hero’s Journey Story Structure With Examples | Mohammed Shamash | Skillshare
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Story Structure: Hero’s Journey Story Structure With Examples

teacher avatar Mohammed Shamash

Watch this class and thousands more

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Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Watch this class and thousands more

Get unlimited access to every class
Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Lessons in This Class

    • 1.

      Introduction

      1:22

    • 2.

      What is structure

      3:27

    • 3.

      Different ways to structure a story

      3:54

    • 4.

      Difference between plot and Structure

      4:54

    • 5.

      Elements of a story

      10:56

    • 6.

      The structure of adventure story

      21:32

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About This Class

To write a good story, you must first develop a decent storyline structure. Many stories have an interesting and pleasing structure, which is one of the most crucial factors that contributes to their popularity. That is why the structure of your story is important. It is important because structure is everything when it comes to constructing an engaging story narrative. If you do this properly, your readers will notice a significant increase in quality of your work. If your book lacks a consistent structure, readers might not even comeback for reading something more. So, in this class, I'll show you how to construct a story structure using the hero's journey story structure. In this class, I have covered topics such as: 

  • What is structure
  • Different ways to structure a story
  • Difference between plot and Structure
  • Elements of a story
  • The structure of adventure story

Meet Your Teacher

Hello, I'm Mohammed a beginner level writer. I help other beginner level writers find simple and effective ways to write. I am a Masters Student at Ibn Haldun University, Istanbul, Turkey. I also give free writing classes to Bachelor and high school students.

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Level: Beginner

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Transcripts

1. Introduction: Hello friends. In this class, we will talk about creative writing. The topic of the class will be about creating an adventurous story structure, using the Hero's Journey structure. In this class, I will explain you some examples to show you how to use the Hero's Journey structure. The examples will help you understand how to structure a story. And it will also help you comprehend why story structure is important while writing a story. In this class, I have covered topics such as, first, I will explain what is structure. Then we will talk about different ways to structure a story. Then we will talk about difference between plot and structure. Then we will talk about elements of a story. Lastly, we will talk about the structure of adventure story. 2. What is structure: Understanding how to structure a storyline is one of the most important parts of story writing. Therefore, let's start with understanding the structure. First. Let's define the structures definition and then it's meeting. Allow me to ask you a question about this thing called structure. What is your definition of structure? Structure is commonly defined as the formation and the pattern of segments and their relationships. But it may also be defined as the organization of anything complex that must be organized so that it can be neatly arranged. Let us now examine the relationship between the structure and its definition in the context of the story writing. The term structure in the context of stories simply refers to the sequence order and the arrangement in which the story is presented. In other words, the structure of your story is way you organize your story by putting one significant part after another in some type of chronological sequence. Or it may also be in a non chronological order and random as well. It is sometimes referred to as a skeleton or a framework around which the story is built. One of the primary goals of designing the structure and the framework of the story is to fully develop a very good story that can influence many people because of its plots powerful approach, and it's powerful impact. In order to portray your story in a style that will captivate many readers and keep them reading all the way to the conclusion. Your story must be well-structured. If you want to create a short story, then developing the structure and the framework of the story is a pretty clear and simple task. However, if you want to create a long novel than developing and building the structure and the framework might be difficult, and it might be time-consuming as well. However, this is for those who do not know how to structure a good storyline. The framework of the short stories might differ from person to person. For shorter stories, the pattern of the story might also vary. When the story becomes longer, such as in novels, you must establish a specific pattern and a specific structure and try to arrange it in a way that will keep your readers interested in the story. 3. Different ways to structure a story: There are several ways you may use when structuring your story. Now, let me tell you about some of them so that you may write a fantastic story. The first way of structuring a tail is to begin it in the present, carry it forward in the present, and finish it in the present. It means that the story will be over just only in a matter of days or just some weeks. The story's time period will be completed. Only in a relatively short amount of time. It will not continue for a long time, or it will not continue for years. This style of story is often linear. When it comes to the second way of story structure, it may be classified as non-linear. It's because the story will begin in the present, or it may begin in the past and then move from present to past and past to present. That is why it is referred to as a non-linear structure. In order to offer the reader a very clear understanding of where the story is heading, as well as the message that lies behind it and its significance. The story frequently bounces back and forth between the present and the past. Now, let's have a look at the third story structure, which is comparable to the linear structure. The main difference between the previous linear structure and this one is that the prior linear structure was just a few weeks long. However, this style of linear structure, on the other hand, is a chronological one. And it will span over years. It may begin during the protagonist childhood and continue until the protagonist gets older. Or it might begin in the protagonists adulthood and continue through the years until the protagonist to achieve his goals and become successful and as life. The next way to structure your story is to follow a pattern that will ensure that it advances steadily through both time and space. You write this story in this manner because you want to provide the readers with a thorough comprehension of the plot, as well as a deep emotional touch to the characters to which the readers may relate. Now that I've outlined the various ways in which you might structure a story. Many of you may think that the structure of the story is similar to the plot of the story. It may appear that the aspects present in the plot of the story are also present in its structure. And because those aspects appear to be the same in both the plot, in the structure of the story. It may be confusing to some writers who are just starting out. As a result. In the following section, I will try to explain the difference between the plot of the story and the structure of the story in a very simple and clear way. 4. Difference between plot and Structure: Of course, we all know that both the plot and the structure of the story is very important part of the story. And without both of them, the story will fall apart. So in this case, both are inevitable to the storyline. Therefore, we will talk about the difference between the plot and the structure of the story. They both are very different things. There is a very big difference between their definitions and their elements. The definition of a plot is a series of events, incidents, and occurrences, and it's descriptions and telling in describing what will happen in the story. On the other hand, however, the definition of the structure is completely different. It means that you tell the reader when the events and the occurrences happened in the story. As an author, you will decide which occurrence in which event will come first, which event in middle, and which one and last. It also means that you decide how you will present the events of the story. Another major difference between the plot and the structure of the story is that when you create a plot, you always created in a linear manner. However, when you decide to create the structure of the story, you can decide to make it a linear structure, or you can also make it a non-linear structure. You can make it either way. And it will work perfectly. Because the creation of the structure of the story does not need to adhere to the linear manner as the plot. Even if it jumps one time to another time, it will not disrupt the flow of the story because of the nature of the plot creation is easy and different from the nature of the structure creation. The plot creation always comes first. It means that you will have to first create a plot, then you have to structure it afterwards. It implies that you first have to write down all the events, occurrences, and incidents of your story in a linear and sequential order. Then afterwards you can decide which event should come first, which one should be in the middle, in which one should be in the last. It also means that the structure of the story decides which events should come in which chapter. And it also decides how the story is broken down and divided into sections. It also means that you can decide when and how you prefer to present the conflict of the story, climax of the story, of an ending of the story. Let me give you an example and try to explain it to you in a simple way. Let's say it as a story of a simple man who achieved success in life. At the start of the story. He is just a simple man. Then as the story progresses towards the middle, he is working hard and he has found a good way to become successful. Then towards the climax of the story, he faces some obstacles in the way of success. However he overcomes it. But in the end of the story, all the things that happened in his life or just to dream. He was dreaming. Then he suddenly wakes up. After waking up, He is back to his old self, living as simple and normal, regular life. This is how a structure of a good story works. However, in the beginning of the story, if you tell the readers that all the things that happened to him was just a dream than the readers would not be interested to read it. It works much better if you disclose it at the end of the story. So this is how a structure of a story works. 5. Elements of a story: To understand the structure of a story, we first have to understand the main elements of a story. This is because the elements of a story are the things that drive the narrative actions, such as protagonist, conflict, and setting of a story and so on. So to understand the main elements of a story, we have to first know and understand what they are. First element is the introduction element. Many people refer it to as Exposition. It means to describe and explain the setting of the story and the situation of the main characters. Therefore, in this part of the story, the author will introduce the characters of the story to the readers. The author will also introduce the readers to the setting of the story. First, the author will have to introduce the main protagonist of the story. This is because the story we'll tell the journey of the main protagonist. Then the author will introduce the readers, the antagonist of the story. This is because he will oppose the protagonist throughout the story. It means that his goals and his situation is opposite to that of the goals and the situation of the protagonist of the story. Now, if there are any extra characters or any side characters than the author will introduce them to the readers. There are usually two types of side characters. First are the people who change according to the situation. It means that they will change as a result of the events of the story. The second type of side characters are the ones who are static and do not change. They do not change no matter how the story affects them. They do not change at all. They remain the same throughout the story. Now, let me explain you with an example on how to introduce the characters and the setting of the story. Let's say the name the hero is Adam. So in the opening scene of your story, you have to introduce your story's protagonist, that is atom, to your readers. Then you have to introduce the setting of the story by explaining where the main characters lives and what they do for a living. So the hero lives in New York. He is an architect. When he finished his high school, he went to Germany to pursue his further education and research. When he was in high school, he was in love with Susie, who was his classmate. Now, after finishing his studies in Germany, he works there as an architect for a big company. Now he has returned home to reunite with his love, Suzy, this girl. Suzy was not able to finish her studies due to her poor financial situation. Now she works as a waiter in a restaurant in New York. The main antagonist of the family is the father of atom. He does not want to add them to reunite with Susie. He opposes the reunion than Adam is forced to marry someone else who he doesn't love. The person Adam Mary's is a girl called Sophia. She is a Dr. her family is rich. Her father and Adams father. Our childhood friends and business partners. Sophia is in love with Adam since they were both children. They used to play together. When they were small children. Susie gets married to someone else. Then she changes. In this story. Suzy is a dynamic character because she'd changes as a result of some situations. However, Sophia is static character who does not changes. Her love for atom remains same. The next element of the story is rising action. It means that in this part of the story, the protagonist will face many different difficulties. He will have to face different crises and hard challenges. It is the one the main factor that sets the course of the story. It sets the story in motion. They're crises. And the challenges that protagonist faces are very hard. Because of the harsh difficulties, the protagonist has to step out of the comfort zone and face the challenges. Now, let me explain you this with an example. When Adam comes back from Germany, he directly goes to the place where Susie works. There, he meets Susie and their reunion starts. Then they both admit that they love each other. Now comes the challenge. That is Adams father is now aware of their situation. He tries to separate them. Now. The next element of the story is climax of the story. In this part of the story, the hero has to make a very important decision. This decision will impact his future and the future of Susie as well. It will also influence lives of the people around him. This part of the story is most entertaining and most interesting part. This is because the protagonist is tested in this part of story. Now, the protagonist tasks to make a decision. He has to choose between Susie and his family. If he chooses Suzy, he has to leave his family. And his father will disown him. If he chooses his family and rejects Susie than his father and his family will be happy. His father will give him a very big house and an office of his own. But of course, Adam has to marry Sophia if he wants the House and the Office. In this part of the story, protagonist decides to reject Susie and decides to marry Sofia. He does this in order to protect Suzy from his father. The next element of the story is after climax. Many people refer to it as falling action. This part of the story tells the readers that the protagonist has failed to achieve his goals. He is in a very bad mood because he is very upset. In this part of the story. The protagonist shuts himself in a room for some time. He does not speak or talks to anyone. He is very upset and depressed. All the people around him are very worried about it. The next part of the story is ending. This part of the story is where the things resolve. In this part of the story, the conflict will come to an end. In this part of the story, the character will change. In this part, the author can decide to go with a happy ending or a tragic ending. The author can end the story in three ways. First is by giving the protagonist what he wants. If the author wants to end it this way, than he can make the protagonist happy by resolving the conflict with his father. Then making Adams family except Susie as their daughter-in-law. The second way to end this story is not giving their protagonist what he wants. It means that atom will have to follow his father's order. And Mary, Sophia, and Susie will have to marry someone else. The third way to end the story is by not giving the protagonist what he wants, but giving him something better. It means that atom will not get what he wants. But he will realize that he got something that is more important. It implies that Susie will marry someone else and she will forget atom. Then Adam will marry Sofia. He will reciprocate Sufi is feelings. He will also forget Susie and will they both will live a happy life. There. Protagonist will soon come to realize that family is more important than anything. And he will come to realize his true love, which is Sophia, because she has been with him and his good and bad times. She always helped him no matter what the situation. So they live happily ever after. 6. The structure of adventure story: In this part, we follow one of the best story structure is called as the hero's journey. Many authors have used this structure to write many famous and good stories. So we will also use this structure to write an adventure story structure. This story structure is one of the best-known story structure. This type of structure works on many types of storylines. In this type of story, we will see that the protagonist will first leave his hometown. Then on his journey, he will face many different difficulties, trials and crises, and overcomes it. Then he will return to his hometown. So to start, the story will begin in the first phase called departure. In this phase, the hero will leave the place where he has been staying since he was born. He has not seen outside world. He will leave this place to answer the call for adventure. His ordinary and mundane life will end and an adventurous life will begin. Then comes the next phase, which is called initiation. In this phase, he will set out on a journey. The journey may be his individual journey, or he will meet some friends in this journey. Since he has not seen the outside world, he will be introduced to a world which was unknown to him, a new world which will be an adventurous one. Here. He will face some challenges and find some opponents which he will overcome and become successful. The last part is return. In this phase, he will complete his adventurous journey successfully and return back to his hometown, the place where he was born and brought up. He will return home as a stronger and more mature person, as if he is transformed into a new person. Now, I will show you how to structure an adventurous storyline. Using this structure style. You do not have to follow it step-by-step. If you want. You can skip some steps. If you think it will not be needed in your story. I will explain each step with an example. In each step, the protagonist of the story will become more stronger and mature person, which will eventually lead to his success and future. He will transform and a new person, both internally and externally. The first step is the ordinary and mundane world of hero. In this step, the author will introduce the hero to his readers. In this step, readers will get to know the everyday life of the hero, which is ordinary and mundane. This is the only kind of life which hero knows. This step is very much similar to the first element of the story called exposition. In this part, the reader will get to know the world of the protagonist. What kind of place he stays in, what eats, what he wears, his friends, and who are as family members, and so on. In this phase, the journey of the protagonist has not started. It is yet to be started. The place he stays in his whole world. This is called as his known world. This opening phase will set the stage and make the readers aware of the hero's world. This will make the readers feel that the protagonist of the story as a normal person, just like them. They will feel connected to the hero. The things hero will do will be relatable to the readers. The readers will feel the normal life of a protagonist and the normal setting of a story. Now, let me explain you this with an example. Let's say the protagonist's name is Adam. He is an orphan. He stays in a very small town. This town is very far away from cities. Now. He is 20 years old. He stays alone in his old and small rented house. He is a mediocre man who has been a very poor since he was a child. The people of his town helped him in getting education. Now his is an errand boy for the people of his small town. He is a very good runner. He gained this ability by running errands in his everyday life. The next step is calling of adventure. This step is also called as invitation of the journey. In this phase, some things will happen to hero. Then there will be some changes to the heroes mundane life. In this step, the hero will make a decision to go on a journey or not. It is that he will have to make a decision as to whether he will continue as mundane life or go on a journey to change his life. This journey can be a very long one, or it can just be a change of place. In this step. Sometimes the adventure itself comes to the heroes door. It means that hero will not have to choose adventure. The adventure we'll choose the hero. No matter what. In this step, the hero will have a new idea. That is, he will think of leaving his hometown for the first time in his life, leaving his comfortable mundane life behind. He will think of leaving the comfort zone. It is because he will come across a big problem or a big change in his life, which he is unable to ignore it or delay it. In this step, the hero is invited to leave the place and start a new journey. In this stage, the goal of the hero will be revealed to the readers. The hero will also recognize what are the things that are on steak? Now, let me explain this to you with an example. After running daily, Adam has become a very good runner. One day, he will receive a mail telling him to join the training team for running competition. Adam has been invited by a famous person to be in his training team. Now, Adam has to decide whether he will leave his hometown and go to the big city and train or not. The next step is refusal to the invitation. In this step, the hero will hesitate to go to a new place. He is not willing to go to a new place because he is more comfortable than his current life. He is not willing to leave his comfort zone. Here, the protagonist may directly reject to go to an unknown place. Or the protagonist might just be hesitant for just some time, temporarily. Now that the protagonist is called to a new place which is unknown to him, he might naturally hesitate. The author will decide if this hesitation is temporary or permanent. If the hesitation is temporary than the protagonist will eventually go. However, if the, he just doesn't want to go than the author will decide to raise the stakes. Let us continue the story to understand it better. Now that Adam has received the letter, he is not ready to leave his town. He is not willing to go to a new place where he doesn't even know what is awaiting him there. So to give him a further push, he will be receiving another male. In this male, the sender tells him that he wants to meet him. Next step is to meet a mentor. In this step, the protagonist will meet a mentor or get to know someone who will guide him on his journey. They will help make the mind of hero to leave on a journey. They will give them the extra push that is needed to go on the journey. He will help him make decision and leave his hometown and go to a new place. Now, let's continue with the story to understand this better. When Adam was hesitant to go to city to join training, his next male said that the sender was his father. The father is also a coach and he is training people for running competition. So. His father says that he wants to meet him and he wants to train him personally so that he can win the running competition. The next step is leaving the comfortable unknown place and going to the unknown place. In this step, he will leave this place and start his actual journey to a place he is not familiar with. This adventure will make him realize that his life will start a new. And everything that has been with him till now will change. It means that the hero will enter the new world. It also means that the hero is ready for the new world. It means that there is no turning back for the hero. The hero comes out of the life which was comfortable to him, and he takes a step to the unknown life awaiting him in future. Now, let us continue our story to understand this step better. Now, when Adam reads his second male, he is ready to leave the hometown and go to a new place. Although he is unfamiliar with to the New World, he decides still go on this adventure. Because first, he wants to meet his father. Second, he wants to become best runner and win the competition. Therefore, he boards the train and leaves for the city. The next step is about finding new friends and allies and discovering new rivals as well. In this step, the author of the story, we'll introduce the readers with new people and new characters of the story. These people are not from the hometown of the protagonist. He has never met these people until now. These people are for new place. In this place, the protagonist will make new friends. He will also make some enemies or rivals who will become an obstacle in the way of heroes success. He will face new difficulties. He will overcome these difficult situations with the help of his new friends. Let us understand this better with an example. By continuing our story. Now that Adam left his hometown, he has arrived in the new city. This city is very strange and very unfamiliar to him. But when he starts training with his father, he will make some friends who are his training colleagues. They are also training with his father to become winners and running competition. They will help him get adjusted to the new place. Here. He will also meet his rivals who are also training to win the competition. The next step is called approaching the inmost cave. It means that the protagonist is very near in achieving success. As if he is born for this situation and born for running and winning the competition. The hero of feels as if he is very near and achieving his goals. The hero feels that he is almost there. To understand this better. We will continue with our story. Now. Adam and his friends are training very hard. However, the training seems very good and helpful for him. Now. He is able to run more faster without getting tired. He feels like he will win that competition very easily. Now in the next step, the protagonist will face the harsh reality. In this step, he will face a very hard difficulty. Now, he will feel that he is not ready for this. In this step, the protagonist will have to come face to face with his biggest fear. That is, he will face a challenge that he will not be able to overcome. He will feel as if he is in the situation where it is getting worse and worse. Until now, all challenges he has faced are nothing compared to this new challenge. Now, let's understand this better. Continuing with our story, Adam is training very hard. He feels he can win the competition. When his father sees this, he will bring Adam to have a trail match with teams from another city. When Adam competes with another team, he will fail miserably. The other team beat him easily. Although Adam gave his best, he not able to even come closer to the team which he was competing with. This will make his world crumble down. The next step is reward. In this step, the hero realizes that he has some flaws and he finds a way to overcome it. He will find some new techniques and some tools and strategies that he will use to overcome as challenges. The realization of its flaws and accepting that he has to work more harder to become stronger is the reward. Also the methods and strategies he will apply to overcome as challenges is reward. He is seeing a light in end of the tunnel. He just has to cross the tunnel to feel the light. Let's understand this better by continuing the story. Now that Adam has lost against the other team, he will realize that he has to work harder. He will develop some techniques and strategies to overcome as challenges. He drops the over-confidence and believes in his training and in his hard work and strategies. The next step is about the hero realizing that the challenges he is facing is harder than he may have thought. He will come across some unexpected crises and some unseen difficulties. He will come face to face with some things that he may not have predict. Now, let us understand this better by continuing our story. Now, Adam has finished his training. He is now in the competition. His rival is evenly matched with him. Although Adam has used all the techniques and applied all the strategies, he is still not able to surpass his rival. Both his rival and him are equally strong. The next step is called resurrection. This step can also be called as climax of the story. In this step, the hero will become a new person. He will have to push his limit further. This is the last challenge for the hero. In this step, the hero will face his last obstacles that he has to overcome, no matter what. In this last challenge, he will have to use every material and every resource available to him to understand this better. We will continue our story from before. Adam is now in the neck to neck competition with the other team. He is using everything that he has learned just to surpass his opponent. He and his opponent both are at the verge of collapsing. Now, it is rivalry of courage and endurance because it will decide who will win. The last step is called return with elixir. In this step, the hero will finally come out of the game. As a victorious champion. The hero will win at the end of the journey. He will return home. As a winner. The hero will return home as a stronger and matured person. To understand this better, we will continue our story. Now. Adam will use all his courage and endure the game till the end and wins it. Then he will give the trophy to his father. Then he will return to his hometown as a winter, where he will start his next journey. The man who left the hometown and the man who returned are completely different in terms of maturity. Now, Adam has grown up. He is wise and sensible person. He is much stronger than before. He has transformed into a new person. This is how you can write an adventure story structure using the Hero's Journey structure.