Does it ever feel like you're approaching the boss level?
Apr 27, 2024 5:36 am
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Dear reader,
As a nerdy author guy, I definitely spend a lot of time thinking about story structure. The Three Act Play, Freytag's Pyramid, the Hero's Journey: all of them live rent-free in my head pretty much 24/7.
Of late, that last one has been more intriguing than usual. I've heard of people using Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey as a way to understand life, breaking down the 12 Steps and 7 Character Archetypes into something that provides meaning and structure to the ups and downs of daily existence. Cool as that sounds, the idea's never really clicked with me...
Until this year.
What a wild year it's been (and yes, as a high school teacher I think about years beginning in August and ending in June). This year I took a job at a new school district, built two new curricula, designed and taught a separate writing workshop for adults, led a group of thirty-something teenagers to New York and DC, moved my family into a new house in a new city...
Oh, and did I mention we're about to have another baby in May? Well, we're about to freaking have another freaking baby this freaking May.
A wild ride it has certainly been.
Upon pondering said wild ride, I realized I'm chilling right around steps 8 or 9 of the Hero's Journey. (That's the part where the hero dusts himself off after a big, nasty failure, grabs his magic sword, and finally gears up to do the thing.)
That was a surprisingly cathartic revelation for me. My family and I crossed the threshold into the unknown world this year. We braved the road of trials. We confronted test and enemies, and we found new allies and mentors.
Hopefully that doesn't mean there's a big boss fight around the corner...
If you have a moment, I'd encourage you to try and plot out the recent events in your life too. You might be surprised by the hope and clarity it can bring.
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In other news, you should check out the audio version of The Iron Crown, now available in all your favorite storefronts:
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Thanks for reading, friends. Hopefully, as summer approaches, life is slowing down and easing up for you as well,
Ben Schwarting
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My Books:
The Sum of Ages Series is available from a variety of retailers
Kindred Straits is available from a variety of retailers
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