13. Introduce The Main Elements of ...

Introduce The Main Elements Of Storytelling:

To transform random diary posts into a hero's story, MHdiaries offers direction, through simple prompts, to inject the main elements of storytelling, specifically:

plot - also referred to as storyline, is the sequence of events where each affects the next through the principle of cause and effect. It typically consists of an introduction to a normal world, rising action, climax, falling action and an ultimate resolution.
setting - the time, place and social environment;
characterization - the way you reveal attributes about friends, family and yourself;
point of view (POV) - the camera lens in which the diary entries are posted;
style - the word choice, syntax and tone;
theme - what the diary entries in general tend to be about,subtle messages such as 'dealing with adversity', 'beating the odds' or 'turning your life around';
mood/voice - repeated ranges of emotions such as: 'whimsical', 'philosophical' or 'expressing compassion';
symbols - people, objects, images or words having meanings other than traditional use;

Starting with plot, MHdiaries is based on a simplified summary of a stereotypical storyline structure, also known as story arc, motif or archetype. Often referred to as the 'Hero's Mythical Journey' in the writing of fictional novels and the making of movies, the plot is typically broken down into the following sequenced stages (condensed version):

The HERO:

is seen in everyday life, in his/her normal non-sterile world in its state of equilibrium. Goals, values, compulsions, contradictions, neuroses, paradoxes and curious beliefs are fleshed in.
is called to adventure or to take action by some initial motivating event.
initially refuses to answer the call.
feels the heat for not acting. Moral dilemmas emerge. Problems occur which trigger a chain reaction of larger ones. Time and options start to run out. The ante gets upped with a wager possibly involving life and death. Conflicts multiply.
consults sages and mentors to obtain advice, training, and preparation.
accepts the call and commits wholeheartedly.
faces trials and tests of worthiness to proceed and makes friends and enemies in the process.
confronts the challenge or ordeal. Character flaws impact subsequent actions, decisions and impulses in a manner which advances the plot and plays a role in the climax.
reaps some reward for the journey.
returns changed to a new state of character, equilibrium and understanding.

The posting and revising discussed in chapters 11 and 12 essentially captures your normal world in its state of equilibrium as described in item 1. To get your story rolling, you need some motivating event or call-to-action. For the time being, until a call-to-action is identified, (to be further discussed in chapter 14), focus on two things:

First, familiarize yourself with both The Main Elements Of Storytelling and the storyline structure of The Hero's Mythical Journey just mentioned. This will help you to recognize and fully appreciate the significance of the MHdiaries prompts to follow. Your responses to these prompts will add the storyline to your diary posts.
Second, continue the posting and revising in your MASTER_DIARY.doc file as outlined in chapters 11 and 12, now with the understanding you are capturing your normal world.

NOTES:

Storyline structures other than 'The Hero’s Mythical Journey' include:

rebirth (finding purpose);
rags to riches (success and crisis);
voyage and return (boldly exploring);
comedy (from confusion to enlightenment);
tragedy (the price of fatal flaws);
mystery (an outsider attempts to discover the truth);
rebellion against authority;
overcoming the monster (hero and the bad guy).

For further reading on the subject (unnecessary for these purposes - simply out of interest), refer to either 'Hero's Journey' in wikipedia.org; 'The Writer's Journey' by Christopher Vogler; 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces' by Joseph Campbell, or studies on Greek mythology by Carolyn Myss, Robert Moore or Carl Jung.

[#normal-world, #call-to-action, #call-refusal, #seeking-advice, #accept-the-call, #tests, #challenges, #rewards, #return]