Screenwriting : The Heroines Journey resources? by Keith Wiggins

Keith Wiggins

The Heroines Journey resources?

Greetings all. I am working on a screenplay (drama) of a 14 year old girl as the main character. It would be a coming of age story where she must rise to the occasion to save her neighborhood from some bad people and also confront a controversial situation that most adults turn a blind eye to. I am looking for resources concerning the Heroines Journey. If you know of any, please let me know. I've been finding some items through searches but wanted to query the expertise on here :) Thanks.

Kerry Douglas Dye

Well there's talk of a Heroine's journey on this page: http://othernetwork.com/2014/03/01/the-story-structure-countdown-how-dif... But are we sure it's different from a Hero's journey?

Tom Lazarus

It's all about the main character's journey - gender not important.

Keith Wiggins

From what I have researched, there are slight differences that should be considered for the Heroines Journey vs the Hero. To be sure, I want to check out other resources.

D Marcus

I agree with Tom. The protagonists journey isn't gender specific. There are no differences in the journey itself - the differences are how the protagonist takes the journey. The Call to Adventure does not mean the protag putting on armor, picking up a sword and heading out to kill something. It can be the situation that sparks this girl to save her neighborhood. The slight differences are how the writers expresses the characters journey. Keith, I'm interested in your research so far. What have you found that suggests there are slight differences that should be considered for the Heroines Journey vs the Hero?

Keith Wiggins

I think you are right. There are some blogs about this (http://fangirlblog.com/2012/03/the-heroines-journey-defining-concepts/) and the stages are the same it's the differences of how she makes the journey.

D Marcus

And with different men how they make the journey is important. Lester Bumham's journey is very different than John McClane's which is very different than Andrew Wiggin's. All male, all with a "hero's journey" and all very different. Same with female characters. Dorothy Gale's journey is different than Mattie Ross's which is different than Ree Dolly's. All female, all with a "hero's journey" and all very different.

CJ Walley

The main difference is in the external environment that surrounds the journey, not the journey itself. It's about that interaction back and forth.

Keith Wiggins

My query came about because of the stage32 course that is being offered. ""Hero's Journey" How to Write Memorable Characters. I was thinking about registering for it and wanted to make sure that it would benefit my story. Thanks everyone for the fantastic feedback.

Keith Wiggins

Thanks Alle. I've seen your responses to others on Stage32 and am thankful that you also responded here :) My main driver for writing this story is because of my daughter (almost 12 now). In looking through what is available for preteen or teen movies, the girl role models are pretty weak. My daughter rides horses competitively and I draw upon all the other girls that ride with her at the barn as to what they would relate to or look up to in a character. Whether I am able to capture it properly we shall see. For my story, I think only the compassion of a female will work. The B story would revolve more around her steadfast belief in unconditional love and how she is tormented by the bitter divorce of her parents and her refusal to trust relationships that would go beyond friendship. The action arc would be a show of her resolve, strength and intelligence. The inciting incident draws her into a situation where she compassionately makes a promise to someone, to retrieve something that was taken (abducted). Inter weaved with her B story is her contempt at those who break promises, as her parents did. However, she needs help to accomplish her task and she seeks the guidance on a mentor like figure that helps her along the way to understand that in life there are many aspects to love and not everything is black and white. Their journey (including other friends) leads them to the larger scope of "why" the abduction took place and this is the "eyes of the innocent" highlighting something that is morally wrong but even that is not black and white. The compassion and sympathy that she has and the way I want to show the different levels, perhaps types of love, I can only see a female character in that role. There's no sexual content or themes in this movie :)

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