Young Writers Society

The Hero's Journey is a book that deals with, as it suggests, how one becomes a hero. However, it is clear Paolini has never heard of this book, for stages can be skipped, rearranged or changed.

It's when they are exactly the same that it becomes copying.

Blink wrote:The Hero's Journey is a book that deals with, as it suggests, how one becomes a hero. However, it is clear Paolini has never heard of this book, for stages can be skipped, rearranged or changed.

It's when they are exactly the same that it becomes copying.

I've looked at the Hero's Journey in Eragon (I did that for my own curiosity, then for a school paper). Even though the stages are very clear cut, some steps do overlap. Mostly steps (digs through Word to find where I wrote this down!) Approach to the Innermost Cave bleeds into Tests, Allies and Enemies along with meeting with the Mentor only truly happening After the Call to Adventure.

If you read his Powells.com interview (found here) he says he used the Hero's Journey to come up with his story. That interview is pretty cool to read because it's a four way between the interviewer, Christopher Paolini, Tamora Peirce and Philip Pulman. Paolini and Pierce are two of my favourite authors.

You have found a book called the Hero's Journey? I've found a book that deals with that, but it's called the Writer's Journey. It has character architypes and ways a story can flow as well. I use it to come up with a basic outline, but then where the books goes is up to my characters.