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If you want to learn how the hero's journey applies in the film world, then read this book.
This book was recommended in a seminar as a useful writer's tool. It's very good.
I had recently picked up Campbell's "Hero With a Thousand Faces" hoping it would help in my story development and found it to be rather dense. However, that is not Vogler's intent. If you can't figure out what your story is missing, consider the Hero's Journey and see what elements from it might help to take your story to the next level. Then I stumbled upon "The Writer's Journey" by Christopher Vogler.Vogler takes Campbell's work, modernizes it, and incorporates dozens of stories (mostly films) that most of us are familiar with. The Hero's Journey will provide you with a lot of options that are truly useful.I have a number of story ideas in my head as well as a handful that I'm currently developing with writer's and as I read the book, dozens of possibilities were coming to mind for each. The result. Though I'm an avid reader, it was difficult to get through. In fact, he says at several different points that you shouldn't treat his method as a formula, but rather as a loose guide.
I couldn't put it down. It was a quick and enlightening read.To be clear, naysayers will say that "The Hero's Journey" (the concept you learn about throughout the book) is too formulaic and will result in unimaginative stories. Not sure about the flow of your story or what should come next. Any book that can do that for me is a good book indeed.
Campbell is a known commodity in the creative world. This book, along with "Hero", has changed my life. Nuf said.
The Writers Journey is going to help me develop a conceptual stucture and framework upon which I can flesh things out into a proper written tale.That's not to say the book is all about formula, because it's not. It made me eager to sink my teeth into my own story-telling project with all kinds of ideas running through my head about how to look at storylines and the characters. From the very start this book really excited me. Certainly some folks will look at it that way because the author does lay out a story progression framework and defines the character types. I am someone who likes to work with a structure, even if it's only a guideline. That's something I've struggled with in terms of actually getting my story ideas into print. He does not, however, say "write it this way". He merely provides thoughts on what plot paths and character elements speak to readers, leaving their specific application to the prospective author to explore.To me the bottom line is if you're looking for a book to help you be a better story teller, The Writers Journey would be a great investment.
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