The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers, 3rd Edition Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
The udated and revised third edition provides new insights and observations from Vogler's ongoing work on mythology's influence on stories, movies, and man himself. The previous two editons of this book have sold over 180,000 units, making this book a 'classic' for screenwriters, writers, and novelists.
Paperback: 300 pages
Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions; 3rd edition (November 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 193290736X
ISBN-13: 978-1932907360
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.3 x 9.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (286 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #3,313 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #1 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Performing Arts > Film & Television #4 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Movies > Screenwriting #5 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Movies > Direction & Production
As a fan of Joseph Campbell and amateur writer, this book really appeals to me. It is more than just a how-to for aspiring novelists, it is a how-to for life. It is geared toward the writing of novels and stories with human drama and interaction, which makes it a bit more specialized. If you want a more general but very good reference for writing in general, then I recommend Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers (8th Edition) (MyCompLab Series) -- it is worth it's weight in gold.Back to the book at hand. Christopher Vogler's 3rd edition TWJ is actually a very compelling read rather than a dry textbook sort of how-to. It is a very clear and readable application of J. Campbell's theories about the mythic structure in film and book. The inclusion of the 6 Star Wars movies and their epic story arc makes for very interesting reading too. Delving into this book reveals ways to better create strong characters with depth and substance that will help set any story apart. Its study of mythology gives it a strong classical foundation from which a writer can draw upon in the creation of their own epic sagas.The author has worked on such films as The Thin Red Line, Fight Club, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast so have no doubt that he knows his stuff, and presents in well in this 365 page gem. Vogler shows you how to go beyond the normal everyday writing (emails, letters, articles, etc.) to tackle the daunting task of structuring a novel that is thousands of words in size.If you have yet to publish a novel but are an aspiring writer, add this to your list of required reads. If you are a fan of Joseph Campbell and myth, or even just interested in the mysteries of life and human interaction, then this book will not let you down. The iconic woodcut illustrations were a nice touch as well.
From page one, Christopher Vogler evidences his sincere passion for the theories of Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung. This is his book's greatest asset. Even in the introduction, he reflects on the applicability of the "Hero's Journey" to everyday life, rendering what is otherwise a mere literary and mythological structure into a life philosophy that will certainly have the capacity to assuage those readers who may find themselves, from time to time, in "the belly of the beast" or among any number of "threshold guardians." Moreover, Vogler establishes himself early on as an expert, occupying countless positions in Hollywood and particularly in Disney's animation department.But regardless of his passion and his experience, Vogler does not transform his book into anything but a watered-down rehash of Joseph Campbell's theories. Yes, these theories may prove more relevant to the layman since Vogler elects to justify the Hero's Journey through contemporary examples rather than Campbell's esoteric myths; he frequently refers to a small cache of pop culture films to illustrate each of the hero's faces and stages. However, the reader should never be fooled: this is diluted Joseph Campbell, and Vogler is even so bold as to slightly re-imagine the stages of the journey to fit his own whim. The fault of the book is that "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" is such an accessible masterwork, with ideas so cogent and convincing, that a book like Vogler's--which aims to make Campbell's ideas applicable to the writer--seems almost superfluous. In short, there is little for the screenwriter to learn here that he couldn't have learned better and more meaningfully from Campbell. What the book requires is an original angle--some kind of entry point into Campbell's theories that merely reading "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" cannot provide. Not surprisingly, the most valuable elements of Vogler's book are the prefatory material and appendices, which are some of the only times we are permitted to see Vogler's own insights and approaches to writing. This is valuable material for an aspiring author!Unfortunately, much of this must sound like criticism. As an introduction to both Joseph Campbell and screenwriting, the book serves its purpose very well and should likely be a staple for every newcomer to the profession. But for anyone with slightly more experience, the book will surely prove trite and redundant. There is one topic on which Vogler must be given no little credit. He fully recognizes the accusations from auteurs that any "writing theory" substitutes formula for originality. Vogler is aware of this argument and makes every attempt to disavow such a belief. Moreover, he takes great pains to prevent his students from resorting to a formulaic approach to plot construction. While his warnings may not prevent the risk of a new onslaught of paint-by-numbers screenplays, Vogler should be admired for his attempt to counteract this impulse.
"The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers" was suggested to me by a professional editor while I was working on my second revision of my now-published debut novel. This inspirational guide became one of my most valuable tools; it not only helped me deepen plot and character development, but also made me fall deeper in love with the art of storytelling ~~author of award-winning debut novel "The Grace of Crows"
Originally published in October 1998, "The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers by Christopher Vogler is now available in an updated and expanded third edition and continues to justifiably lay claim to being one of the most relied upon and influential instructional reference works for aspiring writers -- especially screenwriters. Drawing from the late Joseph Campbell's groundbreaking work, Vogler explores the historic and fundamental relationship between modern storytelling and classical mythology, and in the process reveals a set of useful myth-inspired storytelling paradigms, as well as step-by-step guidelines to plot and character development. This newest edition of a writer's reference classic includes a revised chapter that looks back on the 'Star Wars' phenomenon and an analysis of all six of the feature films as an epic on the theme of father-son relationships. There are new illustrations and diagrams providing additional perspectives to mythic principles. Of special note is the final chapter 'Trust the Path', an inspiring call to adventure for those aspiring writers seeking to discover themselves through their writing. A basic component of any personal, professional, academic, or community library basic writing reference collection, "The Writer's Journey" will now be of benefit to a whole new generation of movie executives, screenwriters, playwrights, literary critics, academic scholars, writers of fiction and non-fiction, students of pop culture, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the adaptation of ancient myth to contemporary storytelling.
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