Hero's Journey template
Map the Hero's Journey as a visual story template with known world, threshold, ordeal, return, and transformation beats.
Best for: Adventure, fantasy, coming-of-age, and transformation stories.
What to map first
Put these beats down before you write the scene list. The order matters less than the connections: what causes what, what mirrors what, and where the story changes direction.
- 1Ordinary World
- 2Call to Adventure
- 3Refusal of the Call
- 4Meeting the Mentor
- 5Crossing the Threshold
- 6Tests, Allies, Enemies
- 7Approach to the Inmost Cave
- 8Ordeal
- 9Reward
- 10Road Back
- 11Resurrection
- 12Return with the Elixir
Map the known world and return on opposite sides of the canvas.
Place the threshold and ordeal as major hinge points.
Draw mirror links between what the hero leaves and what they bring back.
Best fit
- Fantasy and adventure
- Coming-of-age stories
- Characters who must become someone different
Watch for
- Not every story needs a mentor or literal journey.
- Anti-hero and ensemble stories usually need a modified version.
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