The Hero’s Journey: A Step-by-Step Guide for Writers (With Examples)

Are you struggling to craft a compelling story that truly captivates your readers? You are not alone. Many writers face the challenge of having many ideas but no way to get them on paper. There is a storytelling framework that has been used successfully for generations: The Hero’s Journey. It provides a clear road map to write unforgettable stories.

Understanding the Hero’s Journey: A Classic Storytelling Framework

The hero’s journey is a commonly used story structure. Joseph Campbell popularized it in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. It describes a pattern found in myths, legends, and modern story storytelling. The structure typically involves a protagonist who embarks on an adventure, faces challenges, and returns transformed. Understanding this storytelling technique will help you craft great stories that readers find compelling. In this guide, we will break down the hero’s journey and teach you how to use it to your advantage.

Why Is the Hero’s Journey So Effective?

The hero’s journey resonates deeply with readers because it reflects personal growth and transformation. It provides action and tension at the same time as it is simple. It’s not just a formula; it’s an echo of our struggles and what we find important.

The 12 Stages of the Hero’s Journey Explained

1. Ordinary World: The hero’s everyday life before the adventure begins.
2. Call to Adventure: The hero is presented with a challenge or quest.
3. Refusal of the Call: The hero hesitates or refuses the call due to fear or doubt.
4. Meeting the Mentor: The hero encounters someone who provides guidance or tools.
5. Crossing the Threshold: The hero commits to the journey, leaving the familiar world behind.
6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies: The hero faces challenges and meets friends and foes.
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave: The hero prepares for a significant challenge.
8. Ordeal: The hero confronts their greatest fear or challenge.
9. Reward (Seizing the Sword): The hero gains a reward or insight.
10. The Road Back: The hero begins their return journey.
11. Resurrection: The hero faces a final test and emerges transformed.
12. Return with the Elixir: The hero returns home, bringing wisdom or a boon to share.
13. Ordinary World

It is the introduction of your protagonist. Who they are and where they come from. You learn what is important to them, their misbeliefs, flaws, and strengths. Their ordinary life before they go on an adventure. 

This lays the foundation for the rest of the story, which has yet to unfold. Let the readers perceive the hero as an ordinary person.

2. Call to Adventure

The hero encounters an event causing them to leave their normal world. It is a present problem, discovery, or quest the hero cannot ignore. 

This shakes the hero’s world and pushes them out of their comfort zone. The hero’s goals and desires are clear. It is only a question of whether the hero rises.

3. Refusal of the Call

Often, the hero rejects the adventure for various reasons. The most common one is fear or doubt. The character hesitates, which forces them to make a choice that teaches us what kind of person they are.

Refusal of a call is a moment of vulnerability of the hero. They are raw. It leads to change, not only for themselves but their world. It highlights their weakness and provides room to explore.

4. Meeting the Mentor

A mentor is someone or something that provides guidance, wisdom, or tools to help them on their journey. It does not have to be a person, it can be something that will help them prepare for the challenges ahead. For instance, a journal can be a mentor.

A mentor plays a vital role in helping the heroes to receive the knowledge, skills, or tools they need. Some sort of guidance is crucial for the character to leap into the unknown. 

5. Crossing the Threshold

The character leave their ordinary world and fully commit to the adventure. They are pushed into action and fully immersed in their new world.

Crossing the threshold symbolizes the hero’s commitment. From this point onward, they face their fears and choose to face them in one way or another.

6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies

The hero will be tested repeatedly, make allies, and have enemies. They will be challenged in many ways, which will all lead to growth. The hero will grow through interaction and confirmation. The lessons learned here are essential for the final stages of the story.

Tension only grows from this stage. Problems add up, which the hero will solve later on. It is a great place to develop subplots. Focus on multiple characters. It is a place of growth.

7. Approach to the Inmost Cave

It is when the hero is getting closer to the goal. The ultimate prize. This stage represents the hero’s preparation for their greatest ordeal. It highlights that they are almost there but have much to accomplish before they are there.

They will soon approach fear and doubt. A major setback has yet to happen. During this phase, the hero has to take time planning, gather allies, and gain strength. It feels intense and builds momentum. 

8. Ordeal

The hero faces their greatest challenge. They experience a significant crisis in the story. It is the climax of the story.

The ordeal forces the hero to confront their deepest fears and push beyond their limits. Success here often leads to a transformative realization or achievement.

9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)

Having overcome the ordeal, the hero earns a reward. This can be a physical object, knowledge, or even inner strength.

The reward is growth and newfound strength. It can be used as motivation to continue on the road ahead and face the remaining challenges.

10. The Road Back

The hero begins their journey home, but challenges may still arise. They will have to find a solution to get out of their current situation. This stage is about using the skills they learned and applying the knowledge they attained.

The road back is not always smooth. The hero may face further obstacles. It raises the question: Will the hero return to their old life or use what they learned to better themselves and their world?

11. Resurrection 

The hero faces their final test. The climax. This is where all the roads have been leading. Tension is at its peak. 

It highlights the hero’s wisdom and strength. Success highlights those things. If they succeed in their mission, they will return stronger.

12. The Return with the Elixir

The hero returns home, transformed and carrying the “elixir”—a lesson, skill, or treasure gained from the journey. This final stage brings closure to the story.

Tension is resolved, and the story comes to an end. The hero will never go back to how they used to be. Not back to their old world.

How Harry Potter and The Hobbit Follow the Hero’s Journey

Ordinary World: Harry lives with the Dursleys, unaware of his magical heritage.

Call to Adventure: He receives his Hogwarts letter.

Refusal of the Call: The Dursleys try to prevent him from going.

Meeting the Mentor: Hagrid introduces Harry to the wizarding world.

Crossing the Threshold: Harry boards the train to Hogwarts.

Tests, Allies, and Enemies: Making friends (Ron, Hermione) and enemies (Draco Malfoy).

Approach to the Inmost Cave: Sneaking past obstacles to reach the Philosopher’s Stone.

Ordeal: Facing Voldemort’s possession of Professor Quirrell.

Reward: Preventing Voldemort from getting the Stone.

The Road Back: Returning to the regular school year.

Resurrection: Defeating Voldemort gives Harry new confidence.

Return with the Elixir: Harry returns to the Dursleys with a stronger sense of self.

The Hero’s Journey in The Hobbit: A Classic Example of Joseph Campbell’s Framework

Ordinary World: Bilbo lives a quiet life in the Shire.

Call to Adventure: Gandalf invites him on a quest.

Refusal of the Call: Bilbo initially refuses, preferring his safe life.

Meeting the Mentor: Gandalf provides guidance and encouragement.

Crossing the Threshold: Bilbo leaves the Shire.

Tests, Allies, and Enemies: Encounters with trolls, goblins, and Gollum.

Approach to the Inmost Cave: Reaching Smaug’s lair.

Ordeal: Facing Smaug.

Reward: Gaining confidence and a sense of courage.

The Road Back: The Journey Home.

Resurrection: Bilbo returns transformed, wiser, and braver.

Return with the Elixir: A newfound appreciation for his simple life.

How to Apply the Hero’s Journey to Your Own Writing

Understanding the hero’s journey is the first step. You can only use it to your advantage if you truly understand it deeply. Outline your story using the 12 stages. Your book does not have to meet every stage, you can even change up the order. For instance, make allies or enemies before the inciting incident. 

Keep in mind how you want your protagonist to develop through the story. Do you want a positive or negative character arc? The characters’ action determines how the story unfolds. It is the other way, too. The action in the story does change the character. Be mindful of internal conflict, it can be a powerful tool in story writing. 

Avoid These Pitfalls When Applying the Hero’s Journey

There are many places one can go wrong. For beginners it might be more tricky than for a one with experience. As I mentioned earlier, do not force your story to fit all 12 stages. A story structure is a guide, not a rule. 

Another common mistake is neglecting character development for the sake of the plot. Yes, the plot is important, but without the characters, there would be no story. A great story needs both internal and external conflict. Combining those two will already be a good start.

In the middle of all the technical matters, remember to keep your personal style. Beginners, you might not know for certain how you want to write, but do what feels right for you. Ignoring your unique voice can lead to your writing feeling bland. Among a world filled with books, yours needs something that makes it one of a kind.

Bringing the Hero’s Journey to Life in Your Writing

The hero’s journey is a valuable tool for writers on all levels. It gives you a structure, an idea of how your story will turn out. It is hard staring at that blank page with a loud mind. Use this guide as a tool to help you on your journey. By understanding and applying this structure, you can create powerful, engaging stories that connect with your readers.