The journey of the hero to master

the 12 steps of the scenario

 

Here is the last part of the articles devoted to the journey of the hero. if you have not read the previous articles click here.

Last part !!!

10 – way back

Even if it has resolved most of its problems, your character is not yet out of the woods. From now on, your story will still move up in power. It is also possible to drag in this part, the end of the part 9. In fact, if Marty had not spoken to his parents at the exit of the ball of the sirens, it is at this point that it must be done.

The way back is the part of all of the dangers. If in your story your character is continued, the continued final must be there. Thus all the problems of the adventure linked to the world that your hero is about to leave must be paid !

For Marty it is the scene of the clock of the town hall. Doc finds it and rips the letter Marty has written. The cable that crashes, the car that won’t start. The lightning strikes on the car and makes it disappear.

11 – The resurrection

The hero returns to his world. It is no longer the same, because the adventure has transformed (physically, intellectually, etc..). There is a small resemblance with the death and rebirth of stage 8 (last event / death), because again the hero defies death and wins. Each event has hardened, transformed, or given experience. He can now face his world without fear.

The Delorean time machine appeared in 1985. Marty returns to the time of the death of Doc. He has reglued the letter. It has, therefore, survived. Then Marty returns to his home.

12 – Return with the object of the quest

Your hero is so back in his world. But now he has the experience or the object that he brought back from his adventure.

When Marty wakes up, the house has changed. His parents, his brothers and sisters are processed. Everything is for the best. There are even Biff, who brick the car of his father. The icing on the cake, his parents offered him a 4×4 to go to the Lake with his girlfriend.

Let’s summarize : Your character lives in his world, and then adventure calls. At first he denies it, then accepts it, helped by the guide/mentor to pass the first test. There, he meets his allies and enemies. He will confront his fears in the cave and endure the supreme test. He survives and returns with the sword. It is the opposite way, transformed by their experiences, with the object of his quest.

CAUTION : as with any “formula” there are things that you must avoid, to use this recipe properly.

You are going to follow these 12 steps, but do not be too rigid. I want to say that you can’t have 12 scenes, 12 scenes. You don’t have to show the tricks, the tricks that you used. Being too strict is a danger.

Let me explain : This guide. These 12 steps are justa skeleton that needs to be drowned in the general history. Just as your skeleton without the heart, lungs, skin etc… you’re just a bag of bones, not very attractive.

Sometimes, your story will not necessarily follow the order of 1 to 12. You can move some of them, lengthen them etc…

Let’s back to the future : its structure is more complex than it seems. As the mentor (doc) is presented two times ! The father of Marty is presented as an enemy at the beginning of the story, because it does nothing for his son. While in the middle of the film, he is clearly an ally….

Put all the steps in your scenario. Regardless of the order and the duration. Each step will not lose its impact, its force, believe me.

Everything is possible, only your imagination and your concentration will be a brake.

One last thing for those who like to be a little more guided. Below you will find the duration in time and number of pages in average for each step (these indications are indicative, this is only an idea, not a law !)

1 – 12 pages is 12 minutes

2 – 10 pages or 10 minutes

3 – 5 pages or 5 minutes

4 – 2 to 4 pages 2 to 4 minutes

5 – 1 to 2 pages 1 to 2 minutes

6 – 18 to 20 pages or 20 minutes

7 – 20 pages or 20 minutes

8 – 15 pages or 15 minutes

9 – 3 pages, 2 to 3 minutes

10 – 20 to 25 pages or 25 minutes

11 – 5 pages or 5 minutes

12 – 2 pages 1 to 3 minutes

The hero’s journey and its 12 steps is not an easy thing. Even if the explanations on the blog are “normally” easy to understand, it takes some time to master all these steps of the hero’s journey. It is necessary for you to put in the work, it is necessary to test, write and write again and again. Then, little by little, the secrets of the hero’s journey to become a no-brainer.

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Soon,

Tom