The Hero’s Journey

Following a hero on their adventure is fun and rewarding for readers and writers. Many popular stories feature a familiar pattern known as the hero’s journey. Joseph Campbell coined this term, and his original concept includes seventeen steps. Christopher Vogler used these steps as a foundation and created a twelve-stage hero’s journey. Check out our breakdown of the hero’s journey.

The Original Three Stages

If you’re wanting a simple guide to the hero’s journey, then you’ll want to focus on three main stages.

The Departure Act: The hero leaves their world.
The Initiation Act: The hero journeys into a new world and begins to face trials and obstacles.
The Return Act: The hero finishes their quest and returns home.

Vogler’s Twelve Stages

1. Ordinary World

The story starts at the ordinary world stage. Readers are introduced to the hero and their world. This gives the readers a chance to connect with the hero before the journey begins.

2. Call to Adventure

The call to adventure is the event that propels the hero on their journey. Sometimes this is one event, and other times it is a series of events.

3. Refusal of the Call

There’s usually a moment when a hero is leery of moving forward. This is known as the refusal of the call. Fear and insecurities can cause the hero to be hesitant of leaving their ordinary life.

4. Meeting the Mentor

Everyone needs a little help in life, and this is where the mentor comes into play. The mentor helps the hero accept the call and guides the hero on their journey.

5. Crossing the First Threshold

After a little encouragement from the mentor, the hero is ready to begin their adventure. At this point, they accept the challenge. There’s no turning back from this point.

6. Tests, Allies, Enemies

As the hero continues on their journey, they will meet new friends and new enemies as they try to adjust to the new environment. This will also be the starting point of tests and challenges.

7. Approach the Inmost Cave

The inmost cave refers to the moment before the hero faces their most challenging test thus far. The hero hasn’t quite reached this test, but they are quickly approaching it. The hero must prepare for this challenge, and they may deal with some of the fears they first had when beginning their journey.

8. Ordeal

Before the hero can complete their quest, they have to face tests. The ordeal is the hero’s biggest obstacle up to this point. This is often the hero’s lowest point and when they must confront their greatest fear. The hero will have to use everything they’ve learned to survive this challenge.

9. Reward

After successfully undergoing the ordeal, the character reaps a reward. It’s the thing the hero has been working toward throughout their journey. Receiving this will have a lasting effect on the character and the story.

10. The Road Back

Just when the hero, and the reader, thinks the story is over, something else gets in the way. Anytime a hero completes a task or makes a decision, there will be consequences. At this stage, the hero comes face to face with these consequences and must deal with them before they can return home.

11. Resurrection

The hero must complete one final test before journeying home. This is the climax of the story and when the hero comes face to face with death. This can be a life-threatening situation, but it can also be a mental or emotional death. If the hero can survive this challenge, they will get their happy ending.

12. Return with the Elixir

After successfully dealing with the final challenge, the hero gets to go home. The conflict has been resolved. After everything they’ve been through, they return home as a changed person. This is where readers get to see their full character arc.

The hero’s journey can be seen in many of our favorite stories. Though it is a popular storytelling structure, it isn’t one that has to be followed. However, it can be helpful if you are struggling to structure your story. The hero’s journey can offer guidance and help you brainstorm ideas and directions for your book.