Russell F. Hirsch
Imagine that! Opening and Closing Images
Great books begin with great openings. It’s our first taste of a story that will excite, move, and enthrall us. And endings are just as...
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Russell F. Hirsch
- Aug 16
- 2 min
Making Music With Words
Great writing has two main components: The “storytelling” component — big, structural things, like an exciting plot, good pacing, and...
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Russell F. Hirsch
- Jan 8, 2017
Further Reading & Feminist Alternatives to the Hero’s Journey
Further 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. Hirsch
- Jan 2, 2017
The Hero’s Journey – Resolution
Happy 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. Hirsch
- Dec 20, 2016
The 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. Hirsch
- Dec 11, 2016
The Hero’s Journey – Propelling Event
The beginning of THE END! We enter the third and final phase of a hero’s journey plot line. Act 3 Propelling Event Climax (aka Death &...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Dec 29, 2015
The Hero’s Journey – Reward
The Hero’s Journey – Reward Well that last post on the Ordeal was so frightening, I almost couldn’t go on! But after a bit of a break,...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Oct 21, 2015
The 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. Hirsch
- Oct 3, 2015
The Hero’s Journey – The Approach
We 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...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Sep 22, 2015
The Hero’s Journey – Tests, Allies & Enemies
Perilous tasks! Noble Companions! Dastardly Villains! At this point in their journey, characters tackle initial challenges, making new...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Sep 1, 2015
The Hero’s Journey – Call to Adventure
Listen up, you! Yes—you! On we go to the 2nd stage of a Hero’s Journey plot line: the “Call to Adventure.” This is where the fun begins....
Russell F. Hirsch
- Aug 30, 2015
The Hero’s Journey–Ordinary Worlds
Let’s begin! Authors and screenwriters often refer to the Beginning, Middle, and End of stories as Acts 1, 2 & 3. Over the next few days,...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Sep 6, 2013
The “Tyrant Complex”
The “Tyrant Complex” Stories involve change. Lots of people say: “A good character is one who experiences a change from beginning to...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Aug 25, 2013
The “Well that was convenient… oh, wait!” Technique
I’ve encountered a lot of storytelling and screenwriting tips that say something like: “Coincidences are great for getting your character...
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