Customer Reviews

The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 3rd Edition

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I've read this book a number of times, as well as listened to Chris Vogler's lectures -- and every single time I come away with a deeper understanding of the hero's journey, the underlying mythic structure of stories, and some really useful insights into whatever story I'm developing at the time. But what's more, I'm always inspired with a greater awe of life itself.

I always find it interesting to see what others comment on in the reviews -- especially the more critical ones -- and I feel compelled to respond to some of them...

First of all, let me say that I completely respect everyone's opinion. We all have different paths, different styles, different tastes... But I think it is unfair and misleading to state that this book distills Campbell's work down into a formulaic writing style -- and that we would be better off just reading The Hero With a Thousand Faces.

Don't get me wrong, "Hero" is a great book and probably should be required reading in all writing courses, but it's a 400 page scholarly text with very broad applications. Saying we would be better off only reading that to improve our writing is like saying we would be better off reading the collective works of Newton in order to learn how to play baseball!

Using the Hero With a Thousand Faces, you could probably create a powerful book on relationships, family, business and, of course, the journey of life. What Vogler has done here is created a classic writing guide that shows us how to create stories with mythical power. It is an excellent adaptation of Campbell's source material. And while it teaches form, it never forces you into a formula.

I highly recommend it to all writers; to anyone involved in the creation of stories in any medium. Read it over and over. Watch movies, read stories, and try to notice the mythic structure in them. Let these ideas penetrate your subconscious -- where they can work on you, your writing, and even your life.

This is not a standard writing book. It is a problem solver and story editor.

Too many people look inside it and find formula. The problem with this is that, used as a formula, it will work exactly once and then all the other stories written to its beats will mirror the previous story and then the creative portion of the mind will rebel at having such fetters place upon it. Using it as formula is a certain road to ruin.

Where this book shines is when a writer has an outline or a partially finished manuscript, and parts of those do not work. Something is missing. Using the ideas presented here allow him to get under the story's hood and fix the broken piece or adjust the fuel mixture. For instance, most writers I have known could get their story out of the Ordinary World (a character's homebase) and then get stuck. There was one of two problems at fault there. In the first, they never took the time to develop the Setting (Extraordinary World) their characters would venture into. In the second, once they got their characters there, they would meander. For that I have found the idea of the "Road of Trials" or "Tests, Allies, & Enemies" a fascinating and satisfying way to get my characters to their Bleak Moments.

I have also found this book useful in analyzing novels and films. I see how others have created their works and where things work or do not work. For instance, the first "Harry Potter" book and "The Eye of the World" both follow a mythic structure and yet are wildly different stories. "American Gods" and "Gardens of the Moon" use very different structures from the first two novels, and yet they are as epic in their own ways; I see within them the ways that writers find divergent voices and story models.

There are those who would use the ideas found here verbatum to write something that they may think is original, but what will likely result is a mess of allegory and empty shells (need I say "Willow"?).

My own way of applying these ideas is to aid my outlining. Either I start with Characters who might hold certain positions (Hero, Herald) for a time, and then write a Journey as an outline. But mainly I create my characters and then write a full outline. Once I have a basic roadmap of where my story is headed I take out the Hero's Journey and see if any of the Roles or Journey Stages will improve them and help them get to where I need them in a more dramatic fashion.

A couple of notes:
1. The Shadow is the most misunderstood thought in this process. The Shadow should be an event, a force, a movement. One could save that the Shadow of "Gone with the Wind" is the Civil War; or of "Inherit the Wind" is ignorance; of life in the USSR as the Communist Party and/or the KGB; of "Star Wars" it is the Empire. Making a person into the Shadow creates a character who is dangerously unsympathetic and likely to derail a story. The Hero's enemy is their Nemesis; ala, in "Casablanca" Bogey's Nemesis is the Nazi officer, while Nazism and the War serve as the story's Shadows. A Nemesis can be made into an interesting character, while the Shadow as a character tends to devolve into pure (boring) Evil.
2. The Herald is there to announce major changes. He does not have to be human. For instance, in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" the newsreel in the movie house served as the pivotal Herald in the story.
3. Like the Herald, the Mentor does not have to be human. In "The Seven Samurai" the code of Bushido acts as Mentor. Similarly in "A Man for all Seasons" Thomas More's conscience is his Mentor. It can be a memory, a code, a religious ideal, a quote, or just about anything else.
4. Setting can be one of the most interesting CHARACTERS in any story. A great Special World can make a story come alive. "Tara", "Oz", Alcatraz, the house in "Rebecca", most of Agatha Christy's locales, "Middle Earth", the Tower of London. Do not ignore these; treat them as characters, with history and personality and you will be richly rewarded.

Last, I must admit that this book changed my life. It made me see in a different way and helped me heal my relationship with my father. It helped me find a path in life, as the mythic is the true element of life and everything else a temporary, chimeric miasma. Also, because of this wonderful guide I have completed every writing project that I have started.

To "A reader" who posted on Oct. 22 1999 that "Vogler's assertion that Daedalus helped create the Minotaur (p.50, UK edition)" was incorrect, I'm sorry, but YOU are incorrect.

Queen Pasiphae commissioned Daedalus to create the wooden form of a cow, covered with cowskins, which Pasiphae then hid in, allowing the white bull to mount her. This union was the origin of the Minotaur.

And to all those people who are saying "read Campbell first" or "Campbell is better," I'd have to say that if you are a WRITER who is interested in developing your storytelling ability (not just someone interested in the historical or academic study of existing mythology), then this book is indispensable. AFTER reading this, THEN move on to Campbell, if you're so inclined. I own about 12 Joseph Campbell books, but I ALWAYS come back to The Writer's Journey when I'm "stuck" in my writing.

However, if you are NOT a writer but rather someone who IS interested in the historical or academic study of existing mythology, then skip this book because it was not written for you. This is the WRITER'S Journey.

It's the best book I've read on how to develop compelling storylines and characters, and how to "fix" an existing script that may be lacking in some areas.

Finally, to those who think that Vogler ripped off Joseph Campbell, it's hard to rip someone off when they give you their blessing and encouragement to keep doing exactly what you're doing. Campbell knew about and encouraged Vogler's work, and Vogler repeatedly acknowledges and praises Campbell throughout this book. In no way does he represent that the 7 archetypes and 12 stages of "the Journey" were his own creation.

He also repeatedly discourages the use of his book as a "formula."

So there.

As a fan of Joseph Campbell and amateur writer, this book really appeals to me. It is more than just a how-to for aspiring novelists, it is a how-to for life. It is geared toward the writing of novels and stories with human drama and interaction, which makes it a bit more specialized. If you want a more general but very good reference for writing in general, then I recommend Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers (8th Edition) (MyCompLab Series) -- it is worth it's weight in gold.

Back to the book at hand. Christopher Vogler's 3rd edition TWJ is actually a very compelling read rather than a dry textbook sort of how-to. It is a very clear and readable application of J. Campbell's theories about the mythic structure in film and book. The inclusion of the 6 Star Wars movies and their epic story arc makes for very interesting reading too. Delving into this book reveals ways to better create strong characters with depth and substance that will help set any story apart. Its study of mythology gives it a strong classical foundation from which a writer can draw upon in the creation of their own epic sagas.

The author has worked on such films as The Thin Red Line, Fight Club, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast so have no doubt that he knows his stuff, and presents in well in this 365 page gem. Vogler shows you how to go beyond the normal everyday writing (emails, letters, articles, etc.) to tackle the daunting task of structuring a novel that is thousands of words in size.

If you have yet to publish a novel but are an aspiring writer, add this to your list of required reads. If you are a fan of Joseph Campbell and myth, or even just interested in the mysteries of life and human interaction, then this book will not let you down. The iconic woodcut illustrations were a nice touch as well.

There are a minority of writers out there who through copious amounts of reading and a god given intuition have a natural feel for story structure and it's dramatic elements. They will hate this book. Don't let their elitism deter you.

For those of us who don't have a natural gift for dramatic structure this book provides a sound place to start. It will give you a skeleton on which to hang the meat of your stories. It will help you understand what makes a story dramatic. It will help you understand what makes a hero interesting. It will give you direction.

Granted, if you apply this relatively simplistic structure as a wrote formula and do not sacrifice the formula for the sake of your individual story, theme and creativity, this book will do nothing to make you a better writer.

P.S. Campbells writings (on which this book is based) are far more complicated and dense than Vogler's writings. If you are not up for a very challenging read then do not listen to other reviewers' advice. Read Vogler first. Then, if you're feeling up to it read Campbell work on mythology.

This year, I've been immersing myself in the world of fiction writing, after having been relatively successful as a nonoficiton writer, with articles in Writer's Digest, Omni, Success, National Enquirer (several covers on health and self help) and more.

This book has been a real revelation to me. I read it after reading Robert McKee's Story Structure, and then taking McKee's workshop. The integration of the Joeph Campbell Hero With a 1000 Faces concept into story creation is brilliant.

McKee's book is excellent and filled with great ideas and material and Vogler's book does an amazing job of taking such a different approach to the same topic-- creating great stories.

The mythic approach to story creation is based on Campbell's study of the common elements and archetypes of thousands of myths from cultures all over the world. Understanding the model enables the writer to tap into deep, deep dimensions of being human. I've found this book has helped me, not only in the novel I am working on, but also in putting together lectures for my professional work and even in creating web pages for my website. Ironically, I had already begun reading another of Campbell's books, and Vogler's book pointed me in the direction of Hero with 1000 faces, which is also well worth reading. While Vogler builds the bridges to the story idea, Campbell, of course, goes into much greater depth in the mythic and archetypal dimensions. Put them together and throw in McKee's story structure and you have a science of story that will jump start the worst case of writer's block

'The Writer's Journey' (TWJ) came to me highly recommended (not least from the reviews on this site).... Perhaps this was why I was so disappointed: I was expecting more than the book could ever deliver.

In essence, TWJ is a distillation of Joseph Campbell's 'Hero with 1000 Faces' combined with 'readings' of various films. However, instead of elucidating Campbell's work Vogler has merely reduced his source material to the level of formula. The result lacks substance; tries to fit the theory to the films rather than vice versa; and is often ponderous & pretentious.

Vogler is also a rather careless writer. The book is littered with unnecessary mistakes: Vogler's assertion that Daedalus helped create the Minotaur (p.50, UK edition) when actually he only built the labyrinth that housed the beast; or James Bond's deactivation of the bomb in 'Goldfinger' (p.205) -it is actually disarmed by Felix Leiter... these are just a couple of examples in a book endemic with inaccuracy.

On the positive side, Vogler's model for reading 'hero texts' can throw up some surprises: trying watching 'Saving Private Ryan' in the light of TWJ and you will realise that the true hero of the movie is not Private Ryan, nor Cpt. Miller (the Tom Hanks character) but actually Private Opheim - the translator.

Overall though I must once again state my disappointment with TWJ (inspite of wanting to like it). Apparently it started life as a 7 page memo to Hollywood studios. Perhaps it should have stayed just that: a 7 page memo! If you are really looking for a book that deals the principles of myth and the hero, may I strongly suggest Vogler's inspiration: 'The Hero with a 1000 Faces'. It is a much more rich and rewarding text and one that does not disappoint.

While most of the kind things people say about Writer's Journey are no doubt substantially true, I would inject a few notes of context into this flood of enthusiasm:

If you apply the Hero's Journey literally in constructing a story, you end up with a melodrama or a fairy tale -- a story for children, basically. It will be filled with superstition and magic and many, many friends and foes of the hero who pop up more or less mechanically and act without apparent motive other than the structural requirement that the hero be assisted or opposed at various points in the narrative.

While this kind of unsophisticated melodramatic structure is probably necessary to reach audiences of the scale that see "Star Wars" or "Titanic," it is just not everyone's cup of tea.

Humanity has progressed in countless areas since the Hero's Journey structure emerged 3,000 or so years ago. Science, music, politics, technology and art are all very different now from what they were like in Homer's day. In theory, then, literature might progress also and audiences might be ready for new techniques that Homer never tried.

I know I am. I was bored to the point of nearly falling asleep by the Star Wars movies -- even the first one -- and I never got around to seeing Titanic. Nothing that I heard about it made it seem the least interesting.

Another point to bear in mind is that Campbell and Vogler may be guilty of over-interpretation when they claim the basic story structure of the Hero's Journey is a reflection of innate and immutable needs of the human psyche. It seems to me much of it has more to do with the storyteller's needs than the audience's psyche.

By that, I mean that a good part of the Hero's Journey structure simply reflects the component parts without which a story is unimaginable -- about on the same level of inevitability as saying that, if you want to build a car, in any culture, you're probably going to end up with something that has wheels and a motor, at a minimum.

Suppose you knew nothing of the Hero's Journey theory, and you set out in blissful ignorance to devise a few basic ground rules to create something resembling a story.

Well, you've got to have conflict of some sort, or what's the point? And you really need human actors (even if they are disguised as space aliens or dragons or lawyers) in your story if it's to interest human readers. How do humans come into conflict? Opposing agendas, basically. So you take one guy with an agenda and call him the protagonist. Take another guy with the opposite agenda and call him the antagonist. Now you've got conflict.

OK, fire the starting pistol. Your guys come into conflict and one of them wins in the first chapter. Story over and everybody's happy, right?

Of course not. Too short, too cut-and-dried, to be very interesting. So let's throw in a few ups and downs, some doubt and uncertainty, some advances and retreats, to put some meat on the bones.

Surely, most of us would call that a story: human actors, conflicting agendas, ups and downs. Certainly, anything less wouldn't be.

Obviously, you could call your guys the Hero and the Shadow; the conflicting agendas the Journey; the bit players Allies and Shape shifters and Threshold Guardians; and the ups and downs you could call Ordeals. And then you'd have the substance of the Hero's Journey, though in less detail than Vogler presents in his book.

All that said, however, even I think the Writer's Journey is worth reading, for the following reasons:

1. It is the shortest, most coherent presentation of a unified theory of story that I know of. Maybe it's not the only theory of story, or the best, but it is a strong one, worth considering.

2. It does drive home the useful point that every major character in a story, as well as the larger minor characters, should have his/her own story, arc or journey (call it what you like).

3. While it is true that too-literal application of the Hero's Journey structure will give you a fairy tale or a fairly stupid melodrama, it's also true - as Vogler notes - that you can modify the elements, dispense with the magic, and do other things that make the theory useable for more modern or literary stories than Star Wars or Titanic. To my mind, Vogler spends too little time on this subject -- a way of adapting the hero's journey to modern literature.

4. If you aspire to be a screenwriter, none of my quibbles matter. The Hero's Journey seems to be the sole context and vocabulary in which people in the movie business discuss stories, so you have to read the book and learn the lingo if you want to talk to them.

One final note of skepticism before I go: Vogler claims to have analyzed something like 10,000 movie scripts. Let's do some math. Suppose it takes him a day to analyze a script. (Sounds fast to me, but maybe he's a genius.) Suppose he does this five days a week, 50 weeks a year. That's 250 scripts a year, which means it would take 40 years to do 10,000 scripts. Plus, of course, he somehow has had time to write two editions of The Writer's Journey. Somehow, I doubt it. Maybe in the next edition of WJ, he'll explain his own Script Analyst's Journey.

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This book is a difficult one to review - mostly because it is so complex in its simplicity. Vogler somehow condenses everything a fiction writer should know into a collection of typewritten words - yet as you read The Writer's Journey, you realize that there is something much more than fiction writing advice in this author's instructions.

Cop out though it may seem, this is one of those books you really have to read for yourself to grasp how essential it is to you. Whether you intend to write professionally, or just want to better understand life, this book is just the elixir you've been seeking.

When I first came across The Writer's Journey, I had been safe and secure in my ORDINARY WORLD (of closet fiction writing) for some time. Somewhere between page 1 (preparing for the journey) and page 94, (establishing what's at stake,) I heard the CALL TO ADVENTURE beckoning me to begin my journey to Published Authordom. Of course, my REFUSAL OF THE CALL kept me procrastinating for months, until a MENTOR urged me to cross the FIRST THRESHOLD. (That is, my best friend who was sick and tired of hearing me say "one day I'm going to write a book," actually dared me to sit down and write the durned novel.)

Of course, as I progressed along the path toward my destination, the TESTS, ALLIES and ENEMIES abounded, (my kids, job and household responsibilities kept getting in the way) but with faith in Vogler's instruction, I was able to conquer those threshold guardians and focus my energies and talents once again on the journey I had committed myself to.

As I made my APPROACH TO THE INMOST CAVE (got an agent) that is when the real ORDEAL began (negotiating with the publisher.) When at last I seized my REWARD (signed the contract and got the advance check), I was in for a rude awakening (little did I know the writing was not the most difficult part - - promoting the book is a much more daunting task.) I thought to give up, and let my precious work of art fade away into obscurity

But, I did not give up, and instead traveled the country signing my name on the inside page of a newly released book no one had heard of yet. Fortunately, after a grueling tour, while on THE ROAD BACK, I was greeted by fans who had read and loved my novel, and the author in me experienced a glorious RESURRECTION which allowed me, ultimately, to RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR (an option from the publisher to publish my next book!) Those of you who've read Vogler's book will recognize that the capitalized words above are the stages of the hero's journey Vogler so deftly laid out.

Consider this opinion a "Call to Adventure" and buy this book! You will be glad you did.

TWJ was a text in a screenwriting class I had in Chicago a few years ago. I've returned to it and referenced it often. It got me to read Campbell's The Hero With A Thousand Faces and more of Karl Jung. When you get it -- this book distills and elucidates the 'grammar' of what makes a story a viable story -- you find you start thinking of people in your life in terms of the archtypes -- threshold guardian, shape-shifter, mentor, shadow, trickster and you find this book spells out something key about how life works. TWJ is not the original scholarship and has no pretension to be such. It's an effective application of The Hero's Journey written for writers, mainly of screenplays. It's well worth reading for non-writers because the substance is simply profound.