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Christopher E. Vogler

The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 3rd Edition Paperback – November 1, 2007

by Christopher Vogler (Author), Michele Montez (Illustrator)

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There is a newer edition of this item:

The Writer's Journey - 25th Anniversary Edition: Mythic Structure for Writers
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The updated and revised third edition provides new insights and observations from Vogler's ongoing work on mythology's influence on stories, movies, and man himself. The previous two editons of this book have sold over 180,000 units, making this book a 'classic' for screenwriters, writers, and novelists.

Print length

407 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Michael Wiese Productions
Publication date

November 1, 2007
Dimensions

6.1 x 1.26 x 9.08 inches
ISBN-10

193290736X
ISBN-13

978-1932907360
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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Michael Wiese Productions; 3rd edition (November 1, 2007)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 407 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 193290736X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1932907360
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.48 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 1.26 x 9.08 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #89,037 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #85 in Screenwriting (Books)
- #108 in Movie Direction & Production
- #267 in Writing Skill Reference (Books)

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1,054 ratings

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Christopher E. Vogler

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Christopher Vogler is a veteran story consultant for major Hollywood film companies and a respected teacher of filmmakers and writers around the globe.

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Aisling D.Top Contributor: Writing

Most-own reference for fiction writers

Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2013

Verified Purchase

I bought a copy of this book years ago, when it was a new concept and copies were only available at writer's conferences. I loved that book, re-read it regularly, loaned it to others, and nearly wore out my copy.

This edition is at least three times the size, and even more overloaded with useful information for fiction writers, and some nonfiction writers. (Biographies and personal stories could benefit from the insights in this book.)

This book pioneered the "hero's journey" as a plotting template, based on Joseph Campbell's study of mythology and archetypes.

However, this edition of the book takes readers (and fellow writers) far beyond the hero's journey concepts. In fact, this book is tremendously useful for all fiction writers, not just those following the "hero's journey" plot structure. (In other words, it will work with the three-act model, Aristotle's incline, and so on.)

For example, there's a wonderful chapter about polarity. It shows you ways to improve your characters and their conflicts. Polarity helps engage your readers, increase tension, and helps with that dreaded mid-book slump where the plot can drag.

In addition, the author has drawn on all kinds of cross-cultural examples of different elements of any story, fiction and nonfiction alike. Those insights are tremendously useful.

Also, this book is so well-organized and broken into headings, you can open the book to almost any page and find something useful for your story. When I read it -- even after all these years -- I discover about three "ah-HA!" ideas on every page.

Though this book may be almost overwhelming for beginning writers, it's a book every writer should own. No matter where you are on your writing journey, there's something to learn -- and benefit from -- even if you only read one page (or part of a page) at a time.

In addition, the both the table of contents and the subject index at the back of the book are thorough and useful, so you can find what you're looking for, quickly.

Every fiction writer (and most nonfiction writers) should own a copy of this book, and browse its pages, regularly. It's that good... and that important, to help you understand your best writing, and bring that to every story.

69 people found this helpful

Helpful

C. L.

If You Write Stories, Read This

Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2013

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A few years ago, I did comb through The Hero with a Thousand Faces and create my own guide for my storytelling. It was hard. It took a long time--time that I could have spent writing. If you are, like me, more a storyteller than a scholar, you need to dive right into this one.
If you are already a Jungian or a Joseph Campbell scholar, this book is not for you. Anyone else, writer or not, should give Vogler's work a try. If he challenges and inspires you to find out more about Campbell and Jung, he has done a noble thing indeed.
And, along the way, you will learn some things about why some stories fly off with our collective imagination and others...well, just don't. And if you are a writer and you've struggled with this problem in selling your own works, you can get some help here. Unless you don't care about what readers feel and think and you just want to write for you. That's cool. If that's the case, this book is not for you, either.
But there are several chapters beyond the "formulaic" bulk of the book that are worth a look even if you catch yourself looking down your nose at this text. The appendix entitled "Stories are Alive" underscores the importance of your character's initial wish for a change, but also emphasizes that WILL is at least as important as wish (quick, somebody call Rhonda Byrne...oh, never mind). And I did enjoy "The Wisdom of the Body"--yes, men can write about that, too! Although this man actually writes that your story should make at least two of your readers' organs "squirt fluids." Oh yes he did. But all kidding aside, The final section "Trust the Path" was a moving one for me and most likely the reason why, in the end, this accessible, amusing and very approachable book is a 5 star read for me.

One person found this helpful

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Corwin

Highly Recommended

Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2013

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I found this book by accident. I had received a listed of suggested reading from a local university's English/creative writing faculty. While looking on-line at those books, I stumbled on to this one. I found it much more helpful than any of the books the professor mentioned: it made me think about writing in different way. It's not a book about "writing." Rather, it discusses a bigger picture, what makes a "story" succeed, what makes it "work."

The book's concept is that the mythological/psychological theories of Joseph Campbell (_The Hero with a Thousand Faces_) provide a helpful tool for modern story-telling - and also for the lives led by writers. The second item is not a strong theme in the book, but does put in the occasional appearance. The first theme has led some to disparage the book for suggesting writers take a formula-istic approach to their tales. The author himself repeatedly states what he discusses is not to be used as formula. Regarding this "controversy," my opinion is that you'll get out the book what you read into it.

The book is written by someone in the movie industry, and it offers a host of "screenwriting" examples, from _The Wizard of Oz_ up to _Star Wars_ and _Titanic_, the majority of which most people will have at least passing knowledge of. The book is written in a clear and easy-to-read style. It has one annoying stylistic fault (perhaps in an attempt to be "PC," it always uses the feminine pronoun for a "hero"), but that is a rather minor complaint. Each chapters ends with a Summary & series of Questions, which help reinforce the discussion. The book discusses such topics as story structures, the different "acts" and elements of a tale, archetypal characters, and more. Even the Appendices of this book are quite interesting, discussing how a story is "alive," the concept of catharsis, and more.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

John

Helpful, even if you think you're not writing a hero's journey story.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 1, 2017

Verified Purchase

Lots of detail to help you to understand the character archetypes and each stage of the hero's journey. It also helps to clear up any confusion that you might have. I like that he advises against trying to make your story fit the structure.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that you can also use the book as a guide through life. Not in the same way as a self-help book but you can see how the people that you encounter through life, the challenges etc, it's all there.

It makes me want to read Carl Jung's work and I will at some point.

Not a book that you can rush through, if you really want to absorb it and to understand it properly. Definitely a book that you will need to go back to, dipping in and out of. What he talks about, really connects with being a human being and finding yourself on your own journey.

If you're human and a writer of stories, you can't help but get a better understanding of yourself and how and why stories work.

17 people found this helpful

The Outsider

Heroic

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2020

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Christopher Vogler is one of the most influential writers and teachers on film - the first to formally illustrate how Joseph Campbell's ideas of the The Hero's Journey can apply to movies. Unlike some others, he was able to have a full blown career in movies, not as a screenwriter but as a story consultant.

It is a very interesting and stimulating read - laying out the HJ as a useful model for all writers. He breaks everything down into bite sized chunks, and throws in examples to illustrate. There is an over-reliance on The Wizard of Oz and Red River in the examples but you get it. He also refers to Star Wars and Lucas a lot, but while generally very precise and accurate, makes silly mistakes, such as saying the Emperor cuts of Luke's hand (it is, of course Vader). There is a reluctance to provide the overview this book needs, and there are a few unrelated chapters added to the end, which are perceptive but don't entirely fit the book.

Overall, Vogler had a great original notion and the reader will learn a lot from him. But it's not the knockout success I was expecting - it is both over-ambitious and over-cautious.

One person found this helpful

Tar811

It is like a light bulb literally my brain

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 22, 2018

Verified Purchase

Phenomenal book has really helped the flow of writing the process and understanding. It is like a light bulb literally my brain. Easy to follow, is a lengthy book & quite thick so be prepared to spend a lot of your time reading making notes and thinking and planning of your future novels, books, fiction, non-fiction writing. Any person that wishes to write I highly recommend purchasing this book. Phenomenal book has really helped the flow of writing the process and the understanding. It is like a light bulb lift in my brain. Easy to follow, is a lengthy book I’m quite thick should be pad to spend a lot of your time reading making notes and thinking and planning of your future novels, books, fiction, non-fiction writing. Any person that wishes to write I highly recommend purchasing this book.

One person found this helpful

Filipe P.

He supports his points of view with good examples, which helps you ground the concepts with ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2018

Verified Purchase

Just by reading Christopher's curriculum you will see how much he knows about his craft. I haven't finished it just yet, but it has been an entertaining journey. He supports his points of view with good examples, which helps you ground the concepts with less effort. CV does reference the Hero's Journey heavily, but using his own works, which I believe is a good way to help you immerse yourself even deeper into the HJ by having not one, but multiple ways of explaining the core structure of it. As so, best read with Joseph Campbell's Hero of a Thousand Faces, as they complement each other, and CV does mention JC work often.

One person found this helpful

greyowl

Uncanny!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 29, 2016

Verified Purchase

Vogler seems to know all about my novel! Or is he saying that all stories are basically the same, whether it's The Wizard Of Oz, Star Wars or Titanic? Then how can anyone write anything new?
As the title suggests, Vogler borrows a lot from ancient mythology and says every story is a hero's journey through 12 stages from the Ordinary World – through adventures and ordeals in the Special World – to return victorious with the Elixir. Each stage is developed in depth, introducing nine standard character Archetypes – Hero, Mentor, Shapeshifter, Trickster, etc.
I think this is a Must-read for any aspiring novel author, even more valuable than Robert McKee's Story.

4 people found this helpful

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