Russell F. HirschOct 25, 20232 minDescriptive Language that SparklesKill your darlings! Get to the point! Plot over prose! How many times have you heard advice about simplifying your writing for middle...
Russell F. HirschOct 11, 20231 minSIWC - Simply Inspiring Writers' ConferenceWe all know the feeling of finding our tribe. Whether we were kids discovering new friends on the playground, teens navigating a new...
Russell F. HirschJan 8, 2017Further Reading & Feminist Alternatives to the Hero’s JourneyFurther Resources on the Hero’s Journey I hope you’ve found my summary of hero’s journey plot lines useful, but there is really no...
Russell F. HirschJan 2, 2017The Hero’s Journey – ResolutionHappy New Year to all! We have reached the 10th and final stage of a hero’s journey plot line and a fitting stage it is for January 1st...
Russell F. HirschDec 20, 2016The Hero’s Journey – Climax!Huzzah! We have reached the Climax, the grand hurrah, the big shebang, a moment so exciting that only funny-sounding words can express...
Russell F. HirschOct 21, 2015The Hero’s Journey – Ordeal“That which does not kill us makes us stronger!” Quoting Nietzsche might seem a bit intense for a post on children’s stories but he...
Russell F. HirschOct 3, 2015The Hero’s Journey – The ApproachWe really shouldn’t go in there—but we have to! We’re now well into the Middle Phase (Act 2) of a story. The characters have started to...