Phra·se·ol·o·gy (frz-l-j) n. pl. phra·se·ol·o·gies 1. The way in which words and phrases are used in speech or writing; style. The Second Deadly Sin is placed here because despite how far you’ve come and gone with your writing, this one sneaks past you every time because you never see it coming. It’s internal to your […]
“The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense.”–Tom Clancy If you want to know what the most Deadly Sin in writing of any kind is, I want you to check out the trash can closest to your favorite reading area. Once you’ve located it, check the wall for scuffs and dents. These […]
Can you believe it’s finally here? The final chapter of our Hero’s Journey study. Boy, that’s actually kinda sad! But here we go, home again, home again, jiggity-jig. Return With The Elixir: When “heroes return to their startiing place, go home or continue with the journey. But they always proceed with a sense that they […]
Are you ready? Your hero has had highs, lows, wins and losses. Currently, he’s lost something important, but gained not only his original goal to his quest, but a sense of having grown. Now, of course, he’s on his way back where it all started. So, what else is there to do? Why…kill him, of […]
And now for Part Two of Returning With The Elixir: The Road Back. The best way to think of this is really that part where your character turns a corner. Remember, they all start somewhere, leaving to achieve some kind of goal. They’ve acquired the thing they sought out to get. Sure, they learned new […]
Our next phase, Return With The Elixir, is actually broken into two different sections. The first part is what is often called Reward or Seizing the Sword. Basically, your poor haunted character has overcome personal flaws and probably lost their lady love by this point, all so that they can achieve their goals. They’ve lost […]
It’s the moment in the Hero’s Journey that can often mess with a romance writer’s mind–the Ordeal. Or, as we all know is…The Black Moment. But, that’s a bit simplistic because depending on the depth of your story, it’s not the COMPLETELY worst moment of your hero’s story. Confused? That’s okay, believe it or not, […]
Like most aspects of the Hero’s Journey, there’s a funky, mystical name that just means that your hero is about to face something unpleasant. In this case, it’s the Approach To The Inmost Cave: “The approach encompasses all the final preparations for the Supreme Ordeal. It often brings heroes to a stonghold of the opposition, […]
I found that, first off, most of the stuff in the Hero’s Journey sounds scary. Like horror movie scary. So, I’m hoping to take the sting out of that, if I can. The first giant step your hero is going to take is called “Crossing the 1st Threshold”. It is the moment when they accept […]
When we last left your hero, they were in their “Ordinary World”. Things are the way they have pretty much always been. Think of Harry Potter at the Dursley’s. He’s unhappy, they like him unhappy. Such is life. But the whole purpose of a story is to take your hero–and thus your readers–on an adventure. […]