- Level
- Mixed
- Basic and Premium Members Prices
- Premium Members $25 Basic Members $35
Register by August 24th and save $5, use code ZEROHERODEBIASE at checkout!
- Category
- Characters
- GMC
- Plotting
- $5 off Early Registration Coupon-expires 1 week before class starts
- ZEROHERODEBIASE
Your story surely has a protagonist, the hero of the story, but does it also have a mentor, ally, herald, trickster, shapeshifter, guardian or shadow? Who would Bilbo be without his mentor, Gandolf? Harry Potter without his shadow, Lord Voldemort? Scout without her ally, Jem? And is your hero pulling their own weight or are they floundering through your tale without agency? In this course, we will explore the eight archetypes that American Mythologist, Joseph Campbell, made famous in his academic work on the hero’s journey. Knowing your character’s archetype helps to inform their motivation and goals, so they can interact authentically and purposefully within the narrative. We will look at examples of each archetype in literature and reflect on how we can use archetypes to further develop our own literary characters. This course is for fiction writers of all levels.
- Syllabus
- Zero to Hero: Archetypes for Character Development
I. Introductions
II. What is agency and why does your character need it?
1. Types of Characters: Flat, Round, Dynamic, Static
III. Joseph Campbell’s 8 Character Archetypes
1. Hero:
a. Motivations
b. Goals
c. Examples
2. Herald:
a. Motivations
b. Goals
c. Examples
3. Ally:
a. Motivations
b. Goals
c. Examples
4. Mentor:
a. Motivations
b. Goals
c. Examples
Writing Exercise:
5. Trickster:
a. Motivations
b. Goals
c. Examples
Writing Exercise:
6. Shapeshifter:
a. Motivations
b. Goals
c. Examples
7. Guardian:
a. Motivations
b. Goals
c. Examples
8. Shadow:
a. Motivations
b. Goals
c. Examples
A. Types of Shadow
Personal:
Collective:
External
Writing Exercise:
Questions to ask about your characters when editing:
More Resources: