The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

by Christopher Vogler (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
At the beginning of The Writer's Journey, Christopher Vogler asserts that "all stories consist of a few common structural elements found universally in myths, fairy tales, dreams, and movies." Some may be hard-pressed to accept this idea (and will wonder how storytellers from Homer to Shakespeare to Robert Altman might respond to the proposition). Others may imagine that since Vogler uses movies like the Star Wars trilogy and The Lion King to defend his mythological philosophy, he is, unwittingly, listing the reasons why Hollywood films of the last 20 years have been so unimaginative. But there's no doubt that Vogler's notion, based on psychological writings by Carl Jung and the mythmaking philosophy of Joseph Campbell, has been profoundly influential. Many screenwriters have used Vogler's volume to understand why certain scenarios sell, and to discover a blueprint for creating mythic stories of their own.

Now in its second edition, The Writer's Journey sets forth archetypes common in what Vogler calls "the hero's journey," the mythic structure that he claims all stories follow. In the book's first section, he lists the different kinds of typological characters who appear in stories. In the second, he discusses the stages of the journey through which the hero generally passes. The final, supplementary portion of the book explains in detail how films like Titanic and The Full Monty follow the patterns he has outlined. --Raphael Shargel

Product Description
In 1993, The Writer's Journey became one of the most popular books on writing of the last 50 years. Now, the 2nd Edition provides new insights and observations from Vogler's pioneering work in mythic structure for writers.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 325 pages
• Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions; 2nd edition (October 25, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941188701
• ISBN-13: 978-0941188708
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (188 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #260,357 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #63 in

  Books > Reference > Writing > Play & Scriptwriting

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic Writing Guide, June 5, 2006

By	Derek Rydall "Enlightened Entertainer" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

69 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daedalus DID help create the Minotaur (and this book is the best), September 16, 2005

By	V. Jayne (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Journey for Everyman, September 21, 2007

By	Kort Kramer "Art, Music, Book & Movie Enthusiast" (South Florida, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 3rd Edition (Paperback)

(What's this?)

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.