Ep205: Using the Hero’s Journey to Write Better Stories (and Live a Better Life) | with Chris Vogler Optimize Yourself

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Chris Vogler is the author of "The Writer's Journey”, a wildly popular (and flat out must-read) guidebook to mythic structure for storytellers. Beyond being a successful author, Chris is also a Hollywood story consultant who has worked with multiple studios, including a long stint with Disney, where he heavily influenced the projects The Lion King, Hercules, and Aladdin to name a small few. Throughout his career Chris has reviewed and provided coverage for over 20,000 scripts (you read that correctly).
In our conversation, Chris effortlessly breaks down the stages of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey into simple, accessible principles that you can use to write your own story (both literally and figuratively). Beyond Chris’ detailed explanation of how you can write more captivating stories - and select the perfect characters your audience will adore - we dive deep into how you can use the principles of the Hero’s Journey to both understand and change the story of your own life.
Whether you’re interested in learning how to apply the Hero’s Journey to your own work, or if you’re looking for ways to better understand (and rewrite) your own personal story, this conversation is for you. I absolutely loved this interview and have no doubt you will find Chris’ breakdown of the Hero’s Journey as mesmerizing and entertaining as I did.
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Here's What You'll Learn:A SIMPLE break down of each principle in the Hero’s JourneyHow you can identify the exact stage of the Hero’s Journey you are at in your own lifeThe importance of trusting the path of our own life story, especially when you feel overwhelmed by the unknownWhy understanding the Hero’s Journey can help you better understand your own story (and even allow you to rewrite it)How plagiarism led to Chris working on the Lion King…How to simplify the writing process by leaning into the formula rather than relying on creative “magic”The specific ways you can captivate your audience as a storyteller using the Hero’s JourneyUnderstanding the deeper aspects of the mentor and mentee relationship (and why Chris says the mentor needs the relationship just as much as the mentee)How our own desire for transformation fuels our passion for stories (and how your writing can benefit from this fact)How to select the perfect characters for your story as a storytellerThe special way Chris views the Hero’s Journey (that absolutely blew my mind)How to move forward in your story even when you are afraidUseful Resources Mentioned:The Writer’s Journey by Chris Vogler
Joseph Campbell
Memo from the Story Department: Secrets of Structure and Character
Chris Vogler's Writer's Journey Blog
Christopher Vogler Hero's Journey: What is a Scene?
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Episode Transcript[fusebox_transcript]
Guest Bio: Chris Vogler

Chris Vogler has had a long career as a Hollywood story consultant and executive, but is probably best known as the author of "The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers", a popular guide to the Hero's Journey concept that has deeply influenced storytelling in Hollywood and publishing. Now in print for over 25 years,