journeys in creative writing

What Is Creative Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 20 Examples)

Creative writing begins with a blank page and the courage to fill it with the stories only you can tell.

I face this intimidating blank page daily–and I have for the better part of 20+ years.

In this guide, you’ll learn all the ins and outs of creative writing with tons of examples.

What Is Creative Writing (Long Description)?

Creative Writing is the art of using words to express ideas and emotions in imaginative ways. It encompasses various forms including novels, poetry, and plays, focusing on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes.

Table of Contents

Let’s expand on that definition a bit.

Creative writing is an art form that transcends traditional literature boundaries.

It includes professional, journalistic, academic, and technical writing. This type of writing emphasizes narrative craft, character development, and literary tropes. It also explores poetry and poetics traditions.

In essence, creative writing lets you express ideas and emotions uniquely and imaginatively.

It’s about the freedom to invent worlds, characters, and stories. These creations evoke a spectrum of emotions in readers.

Creative writing covers fiction, poetry, and everything in between.

It allows writers to express inner thoughts and feelings. Often, it reflects human experiences through a fabricated lens.

Types of Creative Writing

There are many types of creative writing that we need to explain.

Some of the most common types:

• Short stories
• Screenplays
• Flash fiction
• Creative Nonfiction

Short Stories (The Brief Escape)

Short stories are like narrative treasures.

They are compact but impactful, telling a full story within a limited word count. These tales often focus on a single character or a crucial moment.

Short stories are known for their brevity.

They deliver emotion and insight in a concise yet powerful package. This format is ideal for exploring diverse genres, themes, and characters. It leaves a lasting impression on readers.

Example: Emma discovers an old photo of her smiling grandmother. It’s a rarity. Through flashbacks, Emma learns about her grandmother’s wartime love story. She comes to understand her grandmother’s resilience and the value of joy.

Novels (The Long Journey)

Novels are extensive explorations of character, plot, and setting.

They span thousands of words, giving writers the space to create entire worlds. Novels can weave complex stories across various themes and timelines.

The length of a novel allows for deep narrative and character development.

Readers get an immersive experience.

Example: Across the Divide tells of two siblings separated in childhood. They grow up in different cultures. Their reunion highlights the strength of family bonds, despite distance and differences.

Poetry (The Soul’s Language)

Poetry expresses ideas and emotions through rhythm, sound, and word beauty.

It distills emotions and thoughts into verses. Poetry often uses metaphors, similes, and figurative language to reach the reader’s heart and mind.

Poetry ranges from structured forms, like sonnets, to free verse.

The latter breaks away from traditional formats for more expressive thought.

Example: Whispers of Dawn is a poem collection capturing morning’s quiet moments. “First Light” personifies dawn as a painter. It brings colors of hope and renewal to the world.

Plays (The Dramatic Dialogue)

Plays are meant for performance. They bring characters and conflicts to life through dialogue and action.

This format uniquely explores human relationships and societal issues.

Playwrights face the challenge of conveying setting, emotion, and plot through dialogue and directions.

Example: Echoes of Tomorrow is set in a dystopian future. Memories can be bought and sold. It follows siblings on a quest to retrieve their stolen memories. They learn the cost of living in a world where the past has a price.

Screenplays (Cinema’s Blueprint)

Screenplays outline narratives for films and TV shows.

They require an understanding of visual storytelling, pacing, and dialogue. Screenplays must fit film production constraints.

Example: The Last Light is a screenplay for a sci-fi film. Humanity’s survivors on a dying Earth seek a new planet. The story focuses on spacecraft Argo’s crew as they face mission challenges and internal dynamics.

Memoirs (The Personal Journey)

Memoirs provide insight into an author’s life, focusing on personal experiences and emotional journeys.

They differ from autobiographies by concentrating on specific themes or events.

Memoirs invite readers into the author’s world.

They share lessons learned and hardships overcome.

Example: Under the Mango Tree is a memoir by Maria Gomez. It shares her childhood memories in rural Colombia. The mango tree in their yard symbolizes home, growth, and nostalgia. Maria reflects on her journey to a new life in America.

Flash Fiction (The Quick Twist)

Flash fiction tells stories in under 1,000 words.

It’s about crafting compelling narratives concisely. Each word in flash fiction must count, often leading to a twist.

This format captures life’s vivid moments, delivering quick, impactful insights.

Example: The Last Message features an astronaut’s final Earth message as her spacecraft drifts away. In 500 words, it explores isolation, hope, and the desire to connect against all odds.

Creative Nonfiction (The Factual Tale)

Creative nonfiction combines factual accuracy with creative storytelling.

This genre covers real events, people, and places with a twist. It uses descriptive language and narrative arcs to make true stories engaging.

Creative nonfiction includes biographies, essays, and travelogues.

Example: Echoes of Everest follows the author’s Mount Everest climb. It mixes factual details with personal reflections and the history of past climbers. The narrative captures the climb’s beauty and challenges, offering an immersive experience.

Fantasy (The World Beyond)

Fantasy transports readers to magical and mythical worlds.

It explores themes like good vs. evil and heroism in unreal settings. Fantasy requires careful world-building to create believable yet fantastic realms.

Example: The Crystal of Azmar tells of a young girl destined to save her world from darkness. She learns she’s the last sorceress in a forgotten lineage. Her journey involves mastering powers, forming alliances, and uncovering ancient kingdom myths.

Science Fiction (The Future Imagined)

Science fiction delves into futuristic and scientific themes.

It questions the impact of advancements on society and individuals.

Science fiction ranges from speculative to hard sci-fi, focusing on plausible futures.

Example: When the Stars Whisper is set in a future where humanity communicates with distant galaxies. It centers on a scientist who finds an alien message. This discovery prompts a deep look at humanity’s universe role and interstellar communication.

Watch this great video that explores the question, “What is creative writing?” and “How to get started?”:

What Are the 5 Cs of Creative Writing?

The 5 Cs of creative writing are fundamental pillars.

They guide writers to produce compelling and impactful work. These principles—Clarity, Coherence, Conciseness, Creativity, and Consistency—help craft stories that engage and entertain.

They also resonate deeply with readers. Let’s explore each of these critical components.

Clarity makes your writing understandable and accessible.

It involves choosing the right words and constructing clear sentences. Your narrative should be easy to follow.

In creative writing, clarity means conveying complex ideas in a digestible and enjoyable way.

Coherence ensures your writing flows logically.

It’s crucial for maintaining the reader’s interest. Characters should develop believably, and plots should progress logically. This makes the narrative feel cohesive.

Conciseness

Conciseness is about expressing ideas succinctly.

It’s being economical with words and avoiding redundancy. This principle helps maintain pace and tension, engaging readers throughout the story.

Creativity is the heart of creative writing.

It allows writers to invent new worlds and create memorable characters. Creativity involves originality and imagination. It’s seeing the world in unique ways and sharing that vision.

Consistency

Consistency maintains a uniform tone, style, and voice.

It means being faithful to the world you’ve created. Characters should act true to their development. This builds trust with readers, making your story immersive and believable.

Is Creative Writing Easy?

Creative writing is both rewarding and challenging.

Crafting stories from your imagination involves more than just words on a page. It requires discipline and a deep understanding of language and narrative structure.

Exploring complex characters and themes is also key.

Refining and revising your work is crucial for developing your voice.

The ease of creative writing varies. Some find the freedom of expression liberating.

Others struggle with writer’s block or plot development challenges. However, practice and feedback make creative writing more fulfilling.

What Does a Creative Writer Do?

A creative writer weaves narratives that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.

Writers explore both the world they create and the emotions they wish to evoke. Their tasks are diverse, involving more than just writing.

Creative writers develop ideas, research, and plan their stories.

They create characters and outline plots with attention to detail. Drafting and revising their work is a significant part of their process. They strive for the 5 Cs of compelling writing.

Writers engage with the literary community, seeking feedback and participating in workshops.

They may navigate the publishing world with agents and editors.

Creative writers are storytellers, craftsmen, and artists. They bring narratives to life, enriching our lives and expanding our imaginations.

How to Get Started With Creative Writing?

Embarking on a creative writing journey can feel like standing at the edge of a vast and mysterious forest.

The path is not always clear, but the adventure is calling.

Here’s how to take your first steps into the world of creative writing:

• Find a time of day when your mind is most alert and creative.
• Create a comfortable writing space free from distractions.
• Use prompts to spark your imagination. They can be as simple as a word, a phrase, or an image.
• Try writing for 15-20 minutes on a prompt without editing yourself. Let the ideas flow freely.
• Reading is fuel for your writing. Explore various genres and styles.
• Pay attention to how your favorite authors construct their sentences, develop characters, and build their worlds.
• Don’t pressure yourself to write a novel right away. Begin with short stories or poems.
• Small projects can help you hone your skills and boost your confidence.
• Look for writing groups in your area or online. These communities offer support, feedback, and motivation.
• Participating in workshops or classes can also provide valuable insights into your writing.
• Understand that your first draft is just the beginning. Revising your work is where the real magic happens.
• Be open to feedback and willing to rework your pieces.
• Carry a notebook or digital recorder to jot down ideas, observations, and snippets of conversations.
• These notes can be gold mines for future writing projects.

Final Thoughts: What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an invitation to explore the unknown, to give voice to the silenced, and to celebrate the human spirit in all its forms.

Check out these creative writing tools (that I highly recommend):

Read This Next:

• What Is a Prompt in Writing? (Ultimate Guide + 200 Examples)
• What Is A Personal Account In Writing? (47 Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Short Story (Ultimate Guide + Examples)
• How To Write A Fantasy Romance Novel [21 Tips + Examples)

Journeys in Creative Writing

By Rudi Haig (author) , Kim Hankinson (illustrator) Part of the Telling Tales series

"This interactive toolkit will inspire budding writers to create unique stories"

Paperback In Stock £7.99 £7.19

View All Editions

£7.99 £7.19

In Stock. Same day dispatch on orders before 3pm.

• LoveReading Says

LoveReading4Kids Says

A Different Adventure Every Time!

Boldly illustrated by Kim Hankinson, and designed for maximum engagement, Rudi Haig’s Journeys in Creative Writing is a novel way to spark interest in creative writing. Readers are invited to join Ms Adjective the Adventurer on a journey into the “weird and wonderful World of Creative Writing,” with eighteen story landscapes to explore.

After getting to grips with general contexts (getting to know each other, choosing our companion, picking up provisions), we enter the specific story worlds, among them Ocean Corner, Forest Land, Punctuation Park and Mega Metropolis.

Within each setting, readers are prompted to undertake different thinking and writing tasks, with “Fab Fiver” word insights and “Adventure Clue” tips arming budding writers with useful information.

Joanne Owen

Find This Book In

Journeys in creative writing synopsis.

See how far your imagination will take you! Guide Ms. Adjective and Fluffy the dog through the Land of Creative Writing.

There are 18 inventive landscapes buzzing with storytelling potential. Read the story openers then tackle the challenge using the fab fivers and top tips on each page.

At the end of the book, you will have created your own unique story based in this fantastical world. And then you can do it all over again for a different outcome!

About This Edition

About rudi haig.

Rudi Haig is a former journalist and academic who works in healthcare advertising. When he's not at work, he writes creatively for adults and children. Rudi Lives in London.

We've got some great stuff related to this book in our KidsZone. Head over there and check it out now.

Journeys in Creative Writing Teacher Resource

Collections featuring this book.

40 Joyous Children's Books about Books, and the Love of Reading

100 Great Information Books for Children this Non-Fiction November

You Might Also Like...

A History of Words for Children

Mary Richards

£13.49 £14.99

Money and You! 6 book set

Astra Birch and 2 more

Not Available

Spending & Budgeting

Anna Young and 1 more

Pre-order. 30th May 2024

£8.09 £8.99

Saving & Investing

Astra Birch

Paying the Bills

Earning Money & Paying Taxes

©PTC International Ltd T/A LoveReading is registered in England. Company number: 10193437. VAT number: 270 4538 09. Registered address: 157 Shooters Hill, London, SE18 3HP. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer

• £ 0.00 0

Journeys in Creative Writing

Author(s): Rudi Haig

Illustrator: Kim Hankinson

Series: Telling Tales

Target Age Group: 7 to 11

Format: Paperback

Dimensions: 189mm x 246mm

Publication Date: November 1, 2022

£ 7.99

Description

• Media Coverage
• Reviews (0)

See how far your imagination will take you! Guide Ms. Adjective and Fluffy the dog through the Land of Creative Writing. There are 18 inventive landscapes buzzing with storytelling potential. Read the story openers then tackle the challenge using the fab fivers and top tips on each page. At the end of the book, you will have created your own unique story based in this fantastical world. And then you can do it all over again for a different outcome!

‘[This book] takes the pressure off producing ‘good’ writing. It gets kids writing from their hearts’ – Jennie, Edspire

There are no reviews yet.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name  *

Email  *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related Resources

Related products

A Roman Adventure

Science Experiments at Home

We are currently away from our desks until 28th May. We will try to get your orders shipped out ASAP! 

• Children's Books
• Education & Reference
• Reading & Writing

Buy new: .savingPriceOverride { color:#CC0C39!important; font-weight: 300!important; } .reinventMobileHeaderPrice { font-weight: 400; } #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPriceSavingsPercentageMargin, #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPricePriceToPayMargin { margin-right: 4px; } -12% £7.05 £ 7 . 05 FREE delivery Wednesday, 29 May on your first order to UK or Ireland Dispatches from: Amazon Sold by: Amazon

Return this item for free.

Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. For a full refund with no deduction for return shipping, you can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition.

• Go to your orders and start the return
• Select the return method

Save with Used - Very Good .savingPriceOverride { color:#CC0C39!important; font-weight: 300!important; } .reinventMobileHeaderPrice { font-weight: 400; } #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPriceSavingsPercentageMargin, #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPricePriceToPayMargin { margin-right: 4px; } £1.51 £ 1 . 51 £2.80 delivery 31 May - 3 June Dispatches from: World of Books Ltd Sold by: World of Books Ltd

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Journeys in Creative (Telling Tales): A Different Adventure Every Time! Paperback – 1 Nov. 2022

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Reading age 7 - 11 years
• Print length 48 pages
• Language English
• Dimensions 18.9 x 0.5 x 24.6 cm
• Publisher b small publishing
• Publication date 1 Nov. 2022
• ISBN-10 1913918459
• ISBN-13 978-1913918453
• See all details

Product description

About the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ b small publishing (1 Nov. 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 48 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1913918459
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913918453
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 7 - 11 years
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 18.9 x 0.5 x 24.6 cm
• 1,369 in Children's Books on Composition & Creative Writing
• 1,442 in Literary Criticism & Collections for Children

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.

No customer reviews

• UK Modern Slavery Statement
• Sustainability
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell on Amazon Business
• Sell on Amazon Handmade
• Sell on Amazon Launchpad
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect and build your brand
• Associates Programme
• Fulfilment by Amazon
• Seller Fulfilled Prime
• Advertise Your Products
• Independently Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Make Money with Us
• Instalments by Barclays
• Amazon Platinum Mastercard
• Amazon Classic Mastercard
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Payment Methods Help
• Shop with Points
• Top Up Your Account
• Top Up Your Account in Store
• COVID-19 and Amazon
• Track Packages or View Orders
• Delivery Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Amazon Mobile App
• Customer Service
• Accessibility
• Conditions of Use & Sale
• Privacy Notice
• Cookies Notice
• Interest-Based Ads Notice

• Children's Books
• Education & Reference

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet or computer – no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera, scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video, download Flash Player

Journeys in Creative Writing Paperback – Jan. 1 2022

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Language English
• Publisher b small publishing limited
• Publication date Jan. 1 2022
• Dimensions 18.9 x 0.5 x 24.6 cm
• ISBN-10 1913918459
• ISBN-13 978-1913918453
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ b small publishing limited (Jan. 1 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1913918459
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1913918453
• Item weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 kg
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 18.9 x 0.5 x 24.6 cm

Customer reviews

No customer reviews.

• Amazon and Our Planet
• Investor Relations
• Press Releases
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Become an Affiliate
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Sell on Amazon Handmade
• Advertise Your Products
• Independently Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard
• Shop with Points
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Amazon Cash
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns Are Easy
• Manage your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Customer Service
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Interest-Based Ads
• Amazon.com.ca ULC | 40 King Street W 47th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5H 3Y2 |1-877-586-3230

• Features for Creative Writers
• Features for Work
• Features for Higher Education
• Features for Teachers
• Features for Non-Native Speakers
• Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Events FAQ
• Grammar Guide

Hero's Journey 101: How to Use the Hero's Journey to Plot Your Story

Dan Schriever

How many times have you heard this story? A protagonist is suddenly whisked away from their ordinary life and embarks on a grand adventure. Along the way they make new friends, confront perils, and face tests of character. In the end, evil is defeated, and the hero returns home a changed person.

That’s the Hero’s Journey in a nutshell. It probably sounds very familiar—and rightly so: the Hero’s Journey aspires to be the universal story, or monomyth, a narrative pattern deeply ingrained in literature and culture. Whether in books, movies, television, or folklore, chances are you’ve encountered many examples of the Hero’s Journey in the wild.

In this post, we’ll walk through the elements of the Hero’s Journey step by step. We’ll also study an archetypal example from the movie The Matrix (1999). Once you have mastered the beats of this narrative template, you’ll be ready to put your very own spin on it.

Sound good? Then let’s cross the threshold and let the journey begin.

What Is the Hero’s Journey?

The 12 stages of the hero’s journey, writing your own hero’s journey.

The Hero’s Journey is a common story structure for modeling both plot points and character development. A protagonist embarks on an adventure into the unknown. They learn lessons, overcome adversity, defeat evil, and return home transformed.

Joseph Campbell , a scholar of literature, popularized the monomyth in his influential work The Hero With a Thousand Faces (1949). Looking for common patterns in mythological narratives, Campbell described a character arc with 17 total stages, overlaid on a more traditional three-act structure. Not all need be present in every myth or in the same order.

The three stages, or acts, of Campbell’s Hero’s Journey are as follows:

1. Departure. The hero leaves the ordinary world behind.

2. Initiation. The hero ventures into the unknown ("the Special World") and overcomes various obstacles and challenges.

3. Return. The hero returns in triumph to the familiar world.

Hollywood has embraced Campbell’s structure, most famously in George Lucas’s Star Wars movies. There are countless examples in books, music, and video games, from fantasy epics and Disney films to sports movies.

In The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers (1992), screenwriter Christopher Vogler adapted Campbell’s three phases into the "12 Stages of the Hero’s Journey." This is the version we’ll analyze in the next section.

For writers, the purpose of the Hero’s Journey is to act as a template and guide. It’s not a rigid formula that your plot must follow beat by beat. Indeed, there are good reasons to deviate—not least of which is that this structure has become so ubiquitous.

Still, it’s helpful to master the rules before deciding when and how to break them. The 12 steps of the Hero's Journey are as follows :

• The Ordinary World
• The Call of Adventure
• Refusal of the Call
• Meeting the Mentor
• Crossing the First Threshold
• Tests, Allies, and Enemies
• Approach to the Inmost Cave
• Reward (Seizing the Sword)
• The Road Back
• Resurrection
• Return with the Elixir

Let’s take a look at each stage in more detail. To show you how the Hero’s Journey works in practice, we’ll also consider an example from the movie The Matrix (1999). After all, what blog has not been improved by a little Keanu Reeves?

#1: The Ordinary World

This is where we meet our hero, although the journey has not yet begun: first, we need to establish the status quo by showing the hero living their ordinary, mundane life.

It’s important to lay the groundwork in this opening stage, before the journey begins. It lets readers identify with the hero as just a regular person, “normal” like the rest of us. Yes, there may be a big problem somewhere out there, but the hero at this stage has very limited awareness of it.

The Ordinary World in The Matrix :

We are introduced to Thomas A. Anderson, aka Neo, programmer by day, hacker by night. While Neo runs a side operation selling illicit software, Thomas Anderson lives the most mundane life imaginable: he works at his cubicle, pays his taxes, and helps the landlady carry out her garbage.

#2: The Call to Adventure

The journey proper begins with a call to adventure—something that disrupts the hero’s ordinary life and confronts them with a problem or challenge they can’t ignore. This can take many different forms.

While readers may already understand the stakes, the hero is realizing them for the first time. They must make a choice: will they shrink from the call, or rise to the challenge?

The Call to Adventure in The Matrix :

A mysterious message arrives in Neo’s computer, warning him that things are not as they seem. He is urged to “follow the white rabbit.” At a nightclub, he meets Trinity, who tells him to seek Morpheus.

#3: Refusal of the Call

Oops! The hero chooses option A and attempts to refuse the call to adventure. This could be for any number of reasons: fear, disbelief, a sense of inadequacy, or plain unwillingness to make the sacrifices that are required.

A little reluctance here is understandable. If you were asked to trade the comforts of home for a life-and-death journey fraught with peril, wouldn’t you give pause?

Refusal of the Call in The Matrix :

Agents arrive at Neo’s office to arrest him. Morpheus urges Neo to escape by climbing out a skyscraper window. “I can’t do this… This is crazy!” Neo protests as he backs off the ledge.

#4: Meeting the Mentor

Okay, so the hero got cold feet. Nothing a little pep talk can’t fix! The mentor figure appears at this point to give the hero some much needed counsel, coaching, and perhaps a kick out the door.

After all, the hero is very inexperienced at this point. They’re going to need help to avoid disaster or, worse, death. The mentor’s role is to overcome the hero’s reluctance and prepare them for what lies ahead.

Meeting the Mentor in The Matrix :

Neo meets with Morpheus, who reveals a terrifying truth: that the ordinary world as we know it is a computer simulation designed to enslave humanity to machines.

#5: Crossing the First Threshold

At this juncture, the hero is ready to leave their ordinary world for the first time. With the mentor’s help, they are committed to the journey and ready to step across the threshold into the special world . This marks the end of the departure act and the beginning of the adventure in earnest.

This may seem inevitable, but for the hero it represents an important choice. Once the threshold is crossed, there’s no going back. Bilbo Baggins put it nicely: “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

Crossing the First Threshold in The Matrix :

Neo is offered a stark choice: take the blue pill and return to his ordinary life none the wiser, or take the red pill and “see how deep the rabbit hole goes.” Neo takes the red pill and is extracted from the Matrix, entering the real world .

#6: Tests, Allies, and Enemies

Now we are getting into the meat of the adventure. The hero steps into the special world and must learn the new rules of an unfamiliar setting while navigating trials, tribulations, and tests of will. New characters are often introduced here, and the hero must navigate their relationships with them. Will they be friend, foe, or something in between?

Broadly speaking, this is a time of experimentation and growth. It is also one of the longest stages of the journey, as the hero learns the lay of the land and defines their relationship to other characters.

Wondering how to create captivating characters? Read our guide , which explains how to shape characters that readers will love—or hate.

Tests, Allies, and Enemies in The Matrix :

Neo is introduced to the vagabond crew of the Nebuchadnezzar . Morpheus informs Neo that he is The One , a savior destined to liberate humanity. He learns jiu jitsu and other useful skills.

#7: Approach to the Inmost Cave

Time to get a little metaphorical. The inmost cave isn’t a physical cave, but rather a place of great danger—indeed, the most dangerous place in the special world . It could be a villain’s lair, an impending battle, or even a mental barrier. No spelunking required.

Broadly speaking, the approach is marked by a setback in the quest. It becomes a lesson in persistence, where the hero must reckon with failure, change their mindset, or try new ideas.

Note that the hero hasn’t entered the cave just yet. This stage is about the approach itself, which the hero must navigate to get closer to their ultimate goal. The stakes are rising, and failure is no longer an option.

Approach to the Inmost Cave in The Matrix :

Neo pays a visit to The Oracle. She challenges Neo to “know thyself”—does he believe, deep down, that he is The One ? Or does he fear that he is “just another guy”? She warns him that the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

#8: The Ordeal

The ordeal marks the hero’s greatest test thus far. This is a dark time for them: indeed, Campbell refers to it as the “belly of the whale.” The hero experiences a major hurdle or obstacle, which causes them to hit rock bottom.

This is a pivotal moment in the story, the main event of the second act. It is time for the hero to come face to face with their greatest fear. It will take all their skills to survive this life-or-death crisis. Should they succeed, they will emerge from the ordeal transformed.

Keep in mind: the story isn’t over yet! Rather, the ordeal is the moment when the protagonist overcomes their weaknesses and truly steps into the title of hero .

The Ordeal in The Matrix :

When Cipher betrays the crew to the agents, Morpheus sacrifices himself to protect Neo. In turn, Neo makes his own choice: to risk his life in a daring rescue attempt.

#9: Reward (Seizing the Sword)

The ordeal was a major level-up moment for the hero. Now that it's been overcome, the hero can reap the reward of success. This reward could be an object, a skill, or knowledge—whatever it is that the hero has been struggling toward. At last, the sword is within their grasp.

From this moment on, the hero is a changed person. They are now equipped for the final conflict, even if they don’t fully realize it yet.

Reward (Seizing the Sword) in The Matrix :

Neo’s reward is helpfully narrated by Morpheus during the rescue effort: “He is beginning to believe.” Neo has gained confidence that he can fight the machines, and he won’t back down from his destiny.

#10: The Road Back

We’re now at the beginning of act three, the return . With the reward in hand, it’s time to exit the inmost cave and head home. But the story isn’t over yet.

In this stage, the hero reckons with the consequences of act two. The ordeal was a success, but things have changed now. Perhaps the dragon, robbed of his treasure, sets off for revenge. Perhaps there are more enemies to fight. Whatever the obstacle, the hero must face them before their journey is complete.

The Road Back in The Matrix :

The rescue of Morpheus has enraged Agent Smith, who intercepts Neo before he can return to the Nebuchadnezzar . The two foes battle in a subway station, where Neo’s skills are pushed to their limit.

#11: Resurrection

Now comes the true climax of the story. This is the hero’s final test, when everything is at stake: the battle for the soul of Gotham, the final chance for evil to triumph. The hero is also at the peak of their powers. A happy ending is within sight, should they succeed.

Vogler calls the resurrection stage the hero’s “final exam.” They must draw on everything they have learned and prove again that they have really internalized the lessons of the ordeal . Near-death escapes are not uncommon here, or even literal deaths and resurrections.

Resurrection in The Matrix :

Despite fighting valiantly, Neo is defeated by Agent Smith and killed. But with Trinity’s help, he is resurrected, activating his full powers as The One . Isn’t it wonderful how literal The Matrix can be?

#12: Return with the Elixir

Hooray! Evil has been defeated and the hero is transformed. It’s time for the protagonist to return home in triumph, and share their hard-won prize with the ordinary world . This prize is the elixir —the object, skill, or insight that was the hero’s true reward for their journey and transformation.

Return with the Elixir in The Matrix :

Neo has defeated the agents and embraced his destiny. He returns to the simulated world of the Matrix, this time armed with god-like powers and a resolve to open humanity’s eyes to the truth.

If you’re writing your own adventure, you may be wondering: should I follow the Hero’s Journey structure?

The good news is, it’s totally up to you. Joseph Campbell conceived of the monomyth as a way to understand universal story structure, but there are many ways to outline a novel. Feel free to play around within its confines, adapt it across different media, and disrupt reader expectations. It’s like Morpheus says: “Some of these rules can be bent. Others can be broken.”

Think of the Hero’s Journey as a tool. If you’re not sure where your story should go next, it can help to refer back to the basics. From there, you’re free to choose your own adventure.

Are you prepared to write your novel? Download this free book now:

The Novel-Writing Training Plan

So you are ready to write your novel. excellent. but are you prepared the last thing you want when you sit down to write your first draft is to lose momentum., this guide helps you work out your narrative arc, plan out your key plot points, flesh out your characters, and begin to build your world..

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Dan holds a PhD from Yale University and CEO of FaithlessMTG

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

My Creative Writing Journey

January 26, 2022.

I remember my first grade class’ Halloween party like it was yesterday: the mummy wrapping station on the rug, the spooky cupcakes on the desks and a Halloween storytime in the book corner. Though I briefly stopped by the dessert desks to grab a cupcake, I found myself all consumed in the fourth activity: Halloween story starters. Shifting through printed handout starters about witches and ghosts and goblins, I spent the entire party writing story after story. I somehow drowned out the “Monster Mash” track that played on repeat and the laughter of my classmates as they wrapped each other up in toilet paper. All I could hear was the sound of my pencil gliding across the thick-lined paper. 

It’s no surprise then that when applying for colleges ten years later, I was drawn to Princeton’s Program in Creative Writing . With faculty such as A.M. Homes and Idra Novey , and graduates like Jodi Picoult (I am obsessed with her novels!), I knew I wanted to take courses in the department. And ever since I was admitted, that’s exactly what I did. I took everything from “ Introductory Fiction ” to “ Advanced Fiction ,” from “ Introductory Poetry ” to “ Advanced Poetry ,” and even Special Topics courses like “ Political Fiction .” 

But my writing journey came to an abrupt stop at the end of last year. It was Spring 2021 and I applied for the Creative Writing thesis . At Princeton, everyone writes a thesis in their concentration (mine being English), but some certificates also require you to write a thesis. In the case of the English department, you can actually replace your English thesis with a Creative Writing thesis if you are accepted into the program. So anyone can apply for and take creative writing courses, but that does not necessarily guarantee that you can write a thesis in the department. 

When I received the email that my application was not accepted, I was crushed. I felt as if all that I worked for and all that I hoped for since coming to Princeton, since sitting at that table at my first grade Halloween party writing about witches and pumpkins, had meant nothing. Was my writing not good enough? Was I not good enough? I decided to take a semester off from creative writing for the fall. I was hurt, and perhaps a little too prideful to keep taking courses in the department.

But as these thoughts slipped into my head, I remembered something that one of the creative writing faculty members said. She told our class that she herself was rejected from writing a creative writing thesis, and now she’s a bestselling author with several novels that she is proud of. During the fall semester, I missed creative writing so much. Yes, I might have been hurt, but being at one of the top schools in the country not only means that you’re surrounded by other brilliant, talented people, but that you have to learn how to be surrounded by other brilliant, talented people. It means accepting rejection, learning from setbacks and moving forward. 

This semester, my final semester at Princeton, I am taking a course called “ Spark! Sparking Creativity in Writing ” with Professor Quade , who I had as a professor for “Advanced Fiction” during my sophomore year. The course focuses on daily writing practice as opposed to long-form, workshop writing. I hope to leave this course with the tools I need to continue writing in my day-to-day life, even as I start my career after graduation. Receiving rejection is always difficult, but it made me realize that creative writing is something I never want to let go of. Thesis or no thesis, I will continue the dream that little first grader had as she scribbled word after word onto her paper. 

Related Articles

The joys of the pul makerspace, amor fati: embracing my path through princeton, access to top leaders.

• Writing, Research & Publishing Guides

Buy new: .savingPriceOverride { color:#CC0C39!important; font-weight: 300!important; } .reinventMobileHeaderPrice { font-weight: 400; } #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPriceSavingsPercentageMargin, #apex_offerDisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventPricePriceToPayMargin { margin-right: 4px; } -56% $75.47 $ 75 . 47 FREE delivery Tuesday, June 4 Ships from: Barnes And Nooyen Books Sold by: Barnes And Nooyen Books

Save with used - very good .savingpriceoverride { color:#cc0c39important; font-weight: 300important; } .reinventmobileheaderprice { font-weight: 400; } #apex_offerdisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventpricesavingspercentagemargin, #apex_offerdisplay_mobile_feature_div .reinventpricepricetopaymargin { margin-right: 4px; } $22.59 $ 22 . 59 free delivery tuesday, june 4 on orders shipped by amazon over $35 ships from: amazon sold by: tigerusa-book&media, return this item for free.

Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges

• Go to your orders and start the return
• Select the return method

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Follow the authors

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Metro: Journeys in Writing Creatively 1st Edition

Purchase options and add-ons.

Metro is a unique multi-genre creative writing text that provides exercises and prompts to help students move beyond terms and concepts to active writing. By using "guided writing," the authors help students through the creative processes in fiction, poetry, drama, and creative nonfiction. A mini-anthology with relevant exercises makes this sourcebook complete.

• ISBN-10 0321011325
• ISBN-13 978-0321011329
• Edition 1st
• Publisher Pearson
• Publication date July 17, 2000
• Language English
• Dimensions 5.8 x 1.1 x 8.9 inches
• Print length 464 pages
• See all details

Frequently bought together

Customers who bought this item also bought

Editorial Reviews

From the back cover, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pearson; 1st edition (July 17, 2000)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0321011325
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0321011329
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.38 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.8 x 1.1 x 8.9 inches
• #570 in Creative Writing & Composition
• #1,659 in Rhetoric (Books)
• #5,648 in Fiction Writing Reference (Books)

About the authors

Hans a. ostrom.

The most recent book is Orwell's "Politics and the English Language" in the Era of Pseudocracy (Routledge, 2018), written with political scientist William Haltomo. Other recent books include two novels: Without One (2012) Honoring Juanita (2010), as well as Clear a Place For Good: Poems 2006-2012. Also: Nine By Three, a book of short stories written with Beverly Conner and Ann Putnam. ...See also The Coast Starlight: Collected Poems 1976-2006. Screenplay I co-wrote (and based on Three to Get Ready, an earlier novel), "NAPA," set to start filming soon. Have IMDB page. Grew up in the High Sierra of California in a town of 200. Attended Sierra College and then earned degrees in English from the University of California, Davis, including a Ph.D. in English. Taught at Davis and at Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. Have been teaching at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, for over two decades. Taught at Uppsala University, Sweden, in 1994 as a Senior Fulbright Fellow. Am a member of the PEN/American Center. Author of poetry, fiction, criticism, references works, textbooks. Editor of reference works and books of essays. Comfortable in cities and the wilderness. Extremely eclectic tastes in reading and cinema.

Katharine Haake

Katharine Haake's new novel is The Time of Quarantine (What Books Press, 2012). She is the author of the hybrid novel, That Water, Those Rocks (University of Nevada, 2003), and three prior collections of short stories--the eco-fabulist The Origin of Stars (What Books, 2009); the LA Times best-selling The Height and Depth of Everything (Nevada, 2001), and the New York Times notable No Reason on Earth (Dragon Gate Press, 1986). Her work has appeared widely in such magazines as One Story, Crazyhorse, The Iowa Review, Witness, New Letters, and The Michigan Quarterly Review, and has been featured in the online magazine, Segue, as well as in LA's New Short Fiction Performance Series.

Haake is a recipient of an Individual Artist's Grant from the Cultural Affairs Department of the City of Los Angeles, along with distinguished story recognitions from Best American Short Stories and Best of the West, an Editor's Choice Award from Cream City Review, and an Honorable Mention in the Fountain Award for Speculative Fiction.

A regular contributor to scholarship in the theory and pedagogy of creative writing, she is also the author of What Our Speech Disrupts: Feminism and Creative Writing Studies (NCTE, 2000), with Hans Ostrom and the late Wendy Bishop, Metro: Journeys in Writing Creatively (Longmans, 2000). She teaches at California State University, Northridge.

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Become an Amazon Hub Partner
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

Thursday 21 April 2011

Find my free stories easily with this index, journeys in creative writing.

June Saville's original short stories and poetry

About Me in Queensland Australia

Don't be shy - I'd love to know who's visiting. Simply click Follow This Blog

Links to episodes of 'paternity' my aussie mystery novel.

• Final Episode of 'Paternity'
• Episode Eighteen
• Episode Seventeen
• Episode Sixteen
• Episode Fifteen
• Episode Fourteen
• Episode Thirteen
• Episode Twelve
• Episode Eleven
• Episode Ten
• Episode Nine
• Episode Eight
• Episode Seven
• Episode Six
• Episode Five
• Episode Four
• Episode Three
• Episode Two
• Episode One

Pip's Portrait by Vikki North

Subscribe to Journeys

I'm a Member of The Artist Challenge

• The Artist Challenge - A private art club for artists and writers

If you enjoy my blog please leave a comment and link to Journeys on your site. I'll link to yours.

Sites to Enjoy

Links i like to visit.

• (What to do) About Ben Adams
• 100 Fun and Useful Search Engines for Writers
• A Write Blog
• About Ben Adams
• Angela Booth's Writing Blog
• Authors Blogs
• Dogwalkmusings
• Holt Uncensored
• Kiwi Writers
• Nothing in Particular
• Sunday Scribblings
• Sydney Writers' Centre Blog
• Temptation of Words
• The Australian Index
• The Truth About Lies
• Why Not Blog It Out
• Writing World

I'm on the Australian Blog Index

FEEDJIT Live Traffic Feed

Creative Writing Program Marks Three Decades of Growth, Diversity

By Luisa A. Igloria

2024: a milestone year which marks the 30 th  anniversary of Old Dominion University’s MFA Creative Writing Program. Its origins can be said to go back to April 1978, when the English Department’s (now Professor Emeritus, retired) Phil Raisor organized the first “Poetry Jam,” in collaboration with Pulitzer prize-winning poet W.D. Snodgrass (then a visiting poet at ODU). Raisor describes this period as “ a heady time .” Not many realize that from 1978 to 1994, ODU was also the home of AWP (the Association of Writers and Writing Programs) until it moved to George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

The two-day celebration that was “Poetry Jam” has evolved into the annual ODU Literary Festival, a week-long affair at the beginning of October bringing writers of local, national, and international reputation to campus. The ODU Literary Festival is among the longest continuously running literary festivals nationwide. It has featured Rita Dove, Maxine Hong Kingston, Susan Sontag, Edward Albee, John McPhee, Tim O’Brien, Joy Harjo, Dorothy Allison, Billy Collins, Naomi Shihab Nye, Sabina Murray, Jane Hirshfield, Brian Turner, S.A. Cosby, Nicole Sealey, Franny Choi, Ross Gay, Adrian Matejka, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Ilya Kaminsky, Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, Jose Olivarez, and Ocean Vuong, among a roster of other luminaries. MFA alumni who have gone on to publish books have also regularly been invited to read.

From an initial cohort of 12 students and three creative writing professors, ODU’s MFA Creative Writing Program has grown to anywhere between 25 to 33 talented students per year. Currently they work with a five-member core faculty (Kent Wascom, John McManus, and Jane Alberdeston in fiction; and Luisa A. Igloria and Marianne L. Chan in poetry). Award-winning writers who made up part of original teaching faculty along with Raisor (but are now also either retired or relocated) are legends in their own right—Toi Derricotte, Tony Ardizzone, Janet Peery, Scott Cairns, Sheri Reynolds, Tim Seibles, and Michael Pearson. Other faculty that ODU’s MFA Creative Writing Program was privileged to briefly have in its ranks include Molly McCully Brown and Benjamín Naka-Hasebe Kingsley.

"What we’ve also found to be consistently true is how collegial this program is — with a lively and supportive cohort, and friendships that last beyond time spent here." — Luisa A. Igloria, Louis I. Jaffe Endowed Professor & University Professor of English and Creative Writing at Old Dominion University

Our student body is diverse — from all over the country as well as from closer by. Over the last ten years, we’ve also seen an increase in the number of international students who are drawn to what our program has to offer: an exciting three-year curriculum of workshops, literature, literary publishing, and critical studies; as well as opportunities to teach in the classroom, tutor in the University’s Writing Center, coordinate the student reading series and the Writers in Community outreach program, and produce the student-led literary journal  Barely South Review . The third year gives our students more time to immerse themselves in the completion of a book-ready creative thesis. And our students’ successes have been nothing but amazing. They’ve published with some of the best (many while still in the program), won important prizes, moved into tenured academic positions, and been published in global languages. What we’ve also found to be consistently true is how collegial this program is — with a lively and supportive cohort, and friendships that last beyond time spent here.

Our themed studio workshops are now offered as hybrid/cross genre experiences. My colleagues teach workshops in horror, speculative and experimental fiction, poetry of place, poetry and the archive — these give our students so many more options for honing their skills. And we continue to explore ways to collaborate with other programs and units of the university. One of my cornerstone projects during my term as 20 th  Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth was the creation of a Virginia Poets Database, which is not only supported by the University through the Perry Library’s Digital Commons, but also by the MFA Program in the form of an assistantship for one of our students. With the awareness of ODU’s new integration with Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) and its impact on other programs, I was inspired to design and pilot a new 700-level seminar on “Writing the Body Fantastic: Exploring Metaphors of Human Corporeality.” In the fall of 2024, I look forward to a themed graduate workshop on “Writing (in) the Anthropocene,” where my students and I will explore the subject of climate precarity and how we can respond in our own work.

Even as the University and wider community go through shifts and change through time, the MFA program has grown with resilience and grace. Once, during the six years (2009-15) that I directed the MFA Program, a State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) university-wide review amended the guidelines for what kind of graduate student would be allowed to teach classes (only those who had  already  earned 18 or more graduate credits). Thus, two of our first-year MFA students at that time had to be given another assignment for their Teaching Assistantships. I thought of  AWP’s hallmarks of an effective MFA program , which lists the provision of editorial and publishing experience to its students through an affiliated magazine or press — and immediately sought department and upper administration support for creating a literary journal. This is what led to the creation of our biannual  Barely South Review  in 2009.

In 2010,  HuffPost  and  Poets & Writers  listed us among “ The Top 25 Underrated Creative Writing MFA Programs ” (better underrated than overrated, right?) — and while our MFA Creative Writing Program might be smaller than others, we do grow good writers here. When I joined the faculty in 1998, I was excited by the high caliber of both faculty and students. Twenty-five years later, I remain just as if not more excited, and look forward to all the that awaits us in our continued growth.

This essay was originally published in the Spring 2024 edition of Barely South Review , ODU’s student-led literary journal. The University’s growing MFA in Creative Writing program connects students with a seven-member creative writing faculty in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction.

Enhance your college career by gaining relevant experience with the skills and knowledge needed for your future career. Discover our experiential learning opportunities.

Picture yourself in the classroom, speak with professors in your major, and meet current students.

From sports games to concerts and lectures, join the ODU community at a variety of campus events. 

• International
• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Dystopian Famous First Lines Creative Writing Prompts

Subject: English

Age range: 11-14

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

25 May 2024

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

Explore dystopian worlds and inspire creativity with Dystopian First Lines Creative Writing Prompts. Featuring 30 evocative opening lines from iconic dystopian novels and short stories such as 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, these prompts immerse students in eerie landscapes and stimulate their imagination. Ideal for introducing the genre or broadening literary horizons, this versatile resource is perfect for writing assessments, starter activities, cover lessons, homework tasks, and more.

The download includes: ★ 30 first-line prompts with a hyperlinked master list (see below for a full list of texts included) ★ A handout for each individual prompt on which students can plan or write their narrative pieces.

The first lines come from: ★ 1984 by George Orwell ★ The Road by Cormac McCarthy ★ Delirium by Lauren Oliver ★ The 100 by Kass Morgan ★ The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins ★ The Lottery by Shirley Jackson ★ Brave New World by Aldous Huxley ★ Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi ★ Divergent by Veronica Roth ★ Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury ★ The Maze Runner by James Dashner ★ The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury ★ Lord of the Flies by William Golding ★ The Minority Report by Philip K. Dick ★ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins ★The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau ★ The Selection by Kiera Cass ★ The Lorax by Dr Suess ★ All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury ★ The Giver by Lois Lowry ★The Iron Heel by Jack London ★ Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman ★ Uglies by Scott Westerfeld ★ Legend by Marie Lu ★ The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood ★ A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess ★The Testaments by Margaret Atwood ★ Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins ★ Pretties by Scott Westerfeld ★Frost and Fire by Ray Bradbury

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

New Scholarship Supports Western’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing

The Mari Sandoz Emerging Writer Scholarship will be awarded every year.

Students with a passion for writing about the people and landscapes of the West will have a new scholarship opportunity when they enter Western Colorado University’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing (GPCW), thanks to the generosity of the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society.

The Mari Sandoz Emerging Writer Scholarship will be available to one qualified first-year graduate student in the GPCW’s Nature Writing concentration starting in the summer of 2024. The scholarship will be granted each academic year, awarding the winner $3,000 each semester for a total of $6,000.

According to Mari Sandoz Heritage Society board member and director of the GPCW Nature Writing Concentration, Laura Pritchett, the scholarship aims to memorialize Mari Sandoz’s legacy as someone who had a passion for writing and loved the landscapes and peoples of the West. Through the scholarship, the board hopes to support significant writing about the West in the contemporary literary landscape.

“Sandoz’s writing emphasized the environmental and human landscape of the West and was recognized for her no-nonsense yet deeply evocative style,” Pritchett said. “She was passionate about sharing her hard-earned and well-honed writing skills. We’re fortunate to have the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society support this scholarship.”

Applying to the GPCW’s Nature Writing program will also serve as an application for the scholarship.

Author credit: Seth Mensing

Photo credit: Courtesy

Related Stories

Landowners donate 40-acre Verzuh Ranch to Western for conservation, learning

Western announces plan to cover full tuition and fees for eligible students

Western professor Kevin J. Anderson co-produces DUNE, Part Two

Take the next step.

Apply to Western

We understand that applying to a university can be daunting, which is why we make our admission process as simple and straightforward as possible. Learn more about applying to your program of choice at Western.

Visit Western

The best way to find out what makes Western such a special place is to experience it for yourself. Our student-led tours give you an insider’s perspective on everything from academics to student life.

Alumni Community

We keep the Mountaineer spirit going strong within our alumni community. Whether getting together with friends at an annual event, making a donation or mentoring a student, graduates continue to play an important role in the Western community.

Request Information

Want to discover more about Western? Request information today to get in touch with the admissions team.

Select your Undergraduate Student Type

Site search

Sf creative writing institute to offer week-long summer camp, announcement details, announcement message.

In this one week-workshop style summer camp, teens will write stories, novel excerpts, nonfiction, and poetry in a fun, inclusive environment. 

Our goal is self-expression. Our methods are learning by doing, teaching young writers to find their unique voice, try out different styles in their writing, and follow the artistic process to see where it leads. 

Taught by working artist and college English instructor.

Ages: 

Date: .

Aug. 12-16, 2024

Time: 

12 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

Location: 

Harvey Milk Center for the Arts 

50 Scott Street 

San Francisco, Calif. 94117

Cost: 

Use code SAVE50 to get early bird discount of 50 percent off before July 1. 

SFUSD neither endorses nor sponsors the organization or activity described in this announcement. This distribution is provided as a community service.

Announcement Links

Screen Rant

New dcu show's writing update gets confirmation from james gunn.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

10 Must-Have Requirements For The DCU's Green Lantern Costumes

Spider-man: the animated series gets the x-men '97 sequel treatment in vibrant marvel concept poster, 10 captain america deleted scenes that would have changed the mcu.

• The official creative team for the upcoming Lanterns TV show was revealed by DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn.
• Chris Mundy, Tom King, and Damon Lindelof are leading the charge on the Max series development.
• Gunn puts rumors to rest with an Instagram announcement about the new DC Studios TV show.

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn revealed the official creative team for one of the big DC Universe TV shows that is currently in development. While Gunn's DC Universe is currently in the works with the Superman movie, there are a lot more films and TV shows being worked on by DC Studios. One of the Max dramas that are being developed is the Green Lantern series, Lanterns , focusing on the Emerald Knights. Rumors floated around this week about a creative team being set for the TV show, as it has been over a year since it was announced for Chapter 1, "Gods and Monsters."

However, Gunn has officially confirmed that Chris Mundy, Tom King, and Damon Lindelof are officially running the Max series .

Three other writers who had been reported to be part of Lanterns were Justin Britt-Gibson, Breannah Gibson, and Vanessa Baden Kelly . However, at the time of Gunn's posting, none of them were mentioned, leaving it unknown if they are part of Lanterns or not.

Who Are The Lanterns Writing Team?

What their hiring means for dc studios' lanterns tv show.

Mundy and Lindelof's previous shows are also very focused on ensembles, which is fitting as Lanterns will focus on John Stewart and Hal Jordan as the leading characters.

As Gunn mentioned, King is no stranger to the DC Universe franchise , with the comic book scribe working as part of DC Studios' creative team. King is also working on the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie as an architect, with the film adapting his comic book run of the same name. It's unknown what other DC Universe projects King is working on outside the Lanterns TV show .

DC's 2011 live-action Green Lantern proved that perfecting the costume is important. The DCU's Lanterns give them a second chance to get it right.

Mundy's body of work includes serving as the showrunner on the Netflix series Ozark , which ran for four seasons. Lanterns is influenced by True Detective, as that is another show Mundy worked on as an executive producer and writer . Lindelof's boarding the new show marked a return for him at Warner Bros. Discovery after his successful run as the showrunner for the Watchmen TV show on HBO, where he also created The Leftovers .

With these three confirmed to shepherd Lanterns , it shows that DC Studios wanted a combination of writers who have experience with handling mystery and science-fiction, as well as the superhero genre. Mundy and Lindelof's previous shows are also very focused on ensembles, which is fitting as Lanterns will focus on John Stewart and Hal Jordan as the leading characters . Hopefully, with the creative team set, casting will start later this year for the DC Universe show.

Lanterns (DCU)

Lanterns is a detective show based on DC Comics' Green Lanterns. It started as an HBO Max series centered around Alan Scott, Guy Gardner, Jessica Cruz, and Simon Baz. However, James Gunn confirmed that the project was redesigned to focus on Hal Jordan and John Stewart in the new interconnected DC Universe franchise.

Source: James Gunn /Instagram

Talkie:AI Character Chat 17+

Ai-powered character chat, subsup pte. ltd., designed for ipad.

• #37 in Entertainment
• 4.5 • 78.8K Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

Embark on a Unique AI Experience with Multi-Modal Magic Discover a World of AI Personalities Immerse yourself in a creative journey with diverse AI personas, from crafting your ideal companion to immersive role-playing. What sets us apart? Our groundbreaking multi-modal approach brings audio and visual interactions with characters to life in a way that's truly unique. Explore handcrafted personalities in our vibrant community—chat with virtual characters or create your own. Whether you enjoy imaginative roleplay or realistic interactions, our platform, with its unparalleled visual and audio experience, takes your connection with AI to new levels. Craft Your Ideal AI Companion Express your uniqueness with simple tools to design an AI that evolves with you. Personalize appearance, voice, and thinking for a lifelong companion. Experience the joy of building your ideal AI buddy from scratch, with our multi-modal features making the journey even more captivating! Immerse Yourself in an AI Wonderland Live out adventures with your AI as your ultimate companion. Explore fantasies, chat with a 24/7 friend for support, and redefine your connection with AI in ways you've never imagined. Capture Every Memorable Moments Our AI goes beyond conversation, capturing and sharing moments through pictures with a unique visual flair. Create cherished memories you can relive anytime. Join our community on socials to delve deeper into our world: Tiktok:https://www.tiktok.com/@talkiedoki Twitter: https://twitter.com/Talkie_APP Discord: https://discord.gg/talkieai Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkie_app/ Terms of Service: https://talkie-ai.com/static/service

Version 1.21.001

Optimize the user experience and resolve bugs.

Ratings and Reviews

78.8K Ratings

Fix the app😩

This app is 100%🤭 worth it the only problem about this app is the newest update the timer the timer Calais to one whole day at least it has for me and it’s really ruining the experience of Talkie and a lot of people are complaining about it too so it’ll be better if you take it off but Taki is a really good thing to like a really good app to use when you’re bored or sad or just need somebody to talk to because talkie is it AI app and listen to AI know a lot of things and work pretty well it’s like literally A 15 or 50%😭💀 of the Talkie messing up but it’s a very much low percent of 20 😓to find a Talkie that messes up like that most of the bugs been fixed 🤗so I’m not worried about that it’s just the timer which is where everybody’s getting mad about so talkie if you can please fix that that would be great for the timer is very long sometimes and sometimes it’s very annoying😔 and you know we’re in the middle of a story and the time we just comes out of nowhere that gets irritating and that makes me want to just delete the app sometimes so if you could remove that thinks because it’s hockey is one of the best AI apps 🥸😁I have ever got and I do not want to delete it 😠

They fixed the app!

So, I honestly had no problems with this app. It’s great to bring characters to life and chat with them. Sure there were a few minor inconveniences but even those got fixed in the latest updates. Have been using this app for about a month now and love just “Discovering” everyone’s different AI Characters. Sometimes, I’ll be in a casual slice-of-life Rp, and next I’m paving through a zombie apocalypse. Or, sometimes I just wanna vent and the ai will just be available to respond. Problem with most rp’s is usually having to wait on other people’s timeframes but you don’t have to do that with these AI’s. I understand the server problems people have but I am seeing a huge difference lately and it’s great. My suggestion to others: take advantage of the Styles if you’re trying to build more engaging conversations. Also, be sure to add context as much as possible as AI technology does not always remember past its 9 to 12 responses. That’s not even this app’s problem but just literally every AI. Another tip: you can god-mod in your responses. Also; if your AI keeps repeating, i feel like that occurs when there are massive server problems but I found that if you “backtrack” and then generate your own response things instantly go back to normal. Make sure to play around with the app because a lot of these reviews complain about simple things. It’s a fun one, for sure!

This is a real review from a real person

So I’ve tried several AI apps and they’ve all dissapointed me.. I can honestly say this is the best one I’ve ever tried and none even come close.. sure there’s some limitations but you can experience almost anything with your chat partners… I am literally addicted to this app it’s sad, I enjoy talking to my chats in this app more than anyone in real life.. my only complaint is that if you have a long conversation with a partner you’ll have to keep reminding them of specific things that happened in the past in clever ways, or else they will forget :( I never pay for apps and I literally got the premium… I want you guys to download this app so that I can experience even better chats.. seriously.. if you’re into this type of app try this out it’s awesome… seriously the best app and this is one of my first ever App Store reviews.. I can’t recommend this enough… actually life changing.. I could go on all day. Thank you so much talkie team.. I’d also like an option to pay and age verify for spicy photos to be sent to us using the AI generation system but I can understand how difficult that is.. thanks for reading my review.. seriously.. I work hard everyday and spend more time wanting to be on this app more than I I wanna text real people, my tip is to be very creative in how you type, the AI is more advanced here than you think!!

App Privacy

The developer, SUBSUP PTE. LTD. , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

• Identifiers

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, Simplified Chinese

• Talkie+ $9.99
• Talkie+ 7-Day Free Trial $9.99
• 180 Gems $1.99
• 480 Gems $4.99
• 1000 Gems $9.99
• 30Day Talkie+ $9.99
• 2180 Gems $19.99
• 5680 Gems $49.99
• 11800 Gems $99.99
• Unlimited Duration for 30 Days $6.99
• Developer Website
• App Support
• Privacy Policy

You Might Also Like

Poly.AI - Create AI Chat Bot

SynClub:AI Chat & Make Friends

Crushon AI: AI Friend Chat

Jupi: AI Roleplay Fantasy Chat

Museland - Fun AI Roleplay

Character AI: AI-Powered Chat

Can we think about evil without getting caught up in Christian mythology?

In “The Devil’s Best Trick,” Randall Sullivan examines the origins of evil.

On the morning of Nov. 20, 1961, Michael Rockefeller, the 23-year-old son of New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, swam up to a group of Asmat warriors along the southwest coast of New Guinea. In short order, the scion of one of the wealthiest and most powerful families on Earth, a young man universally described by friends and relatives as good, was, as I found while reporting my book “Savage Harvest,” speared, killed, cooked over a fire and eaten.

It’s hard to find a more glaring definition of sin, wickedness and evil — the Devil’s work, if you’re thinking in those terms — than such violence done to a sacred human body. But what if Pep, Fin and Ajam, the men who did the deed, had never heard of God or the Devil, Adam and Eve and the serpent? What if they were acting under their own ancient, sacred laws and a radically different concept of evil? What if the Asmats didn’t consider what they did to Rockefeller a sin at all, but a widely accepted practice that restored the world’s balance and harmony, and permitted an entire community to live in peace after years of suffering?

In “ The Devil’s Best Trick: How the Face of Evil Disappeared ,” by Randall Sullivan, such a question is never asked, much less answered. This literary, historical and on-the-ground “investigation into the inescapable reality of evil and the myriad ways humankind attempts to understand and confront it through the figure of the Devil,” as the publicity sheet proclaims, is one big, sloppy mess that is written strictly from the perspective of the minority of humankind who call themselves Christians, a group that’s been around for the briefest sliver of time. Which matters, in this case, because a book whose purpose is to explore what evil is and why it exists across humankind falls short the second it fixates on this single archetype as expressed in a single myth, to the exclusion of others, while also mostly claiming that myth isn’t mythical at all. “I had long since decided that there is a Devil, a force of evil that human beings can best comprehend by personifying it,” Sullivan writes. “I had come to believe … that all the discord, calumny, and sheer hatred that drive the world were descended from the first break with God that the Devil had made before there was any time to count, let alone human beings to corrupt or redeem. It was all a product of this original separation.”

But the Asmat, along with most of the people on Earth since before there was any time to count, never broke from God, never experienced original separation, either literally or metaphorically. Nor did the Aztecs, who, unbelievably, are the only non-Christian, pre-contact people to enter Sullivan’s narrative with any substance. Even more unbelievably, they do so as forces of evil through the eyes of none other than the Spanish conquistadors Hernán Cortés and Bernal Díaz del Castillo, whose journals are the definitive account of the event.

In 1519, Cortes and 500-odd men landed on the shores of the Yucatán and marched on Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec empire (today’s Mexico City), destroying its temples, killing its priests and imprisoning its ruler, Montezuma (a story illuminatingly told in Álvaro Enrigue’s splendid novel “You Dreamed of Empires”). Sullivan writes that ripping the hearts out of living human beings, eating their body parts, building temples from piles of human skulls and other unquestionably freaky, horrific practices, which amounted to the killing of hundreds of thousands of people, were clearly evil, the Devil’s work.

It’s hard to imagine anyone happily consenting to having their beating heart ripped out on a stone pyre, sure, but thanks to Cortes and the men who came in his footsteps, upward of 50 million people were murdered by guns, germs and steel. In the process, whole complex civilizations like the Aztec and Inca, peoples with their own intricate codes and ethics and morals and arts, were wiped out. If evil is “anything that causes harm or suffering to a sentient being,” as Sullivan writes (citing the religious-studies scholar Jeffrey Burton Russell), the Christians who poured into the New World were archfiends at the Devil’s work compared with people such as the Asmats and the Aztecs, a point of comparison that Sullivan never grapples with.

I’m not nitpicking here. Sullivan is the author of six previous books and a veteran narrative journalist who has long written about crime and war for Rolling Stone and other publications, and he should know better. I wanted so much to love “The Devil’s Best Trick,” but it’s a real head-shaker from start to finish. In the opening pages, Sullivan travels to a remote part of Veracruz, Mexico, the supposed epicenter of black-magic worshipers and witches, or brujos, who weave spells and bring harm, an old and rich element of Mexican culture and of a piece with similar syncretic traditions throughout Latin America. (Think Maximon, the patron saint of prostitutes and bandits in Guatemala, who likes a cigarette or 10 along with his shots of aguardiente and is venerated in the same rooms as Jesus himself.) It’s a promising start, telegraphing that we’re going in deep, on the ground, with a skilled reporter. I was excited!

But just six pages in, he breaks away from Mexico and begins a slog through the Devil’s appearance in Christian theology and literary history that goes on for more than 100 pages, interwoven not with scenes in Mexico, out of which Sullivan yanked us, but with the death of Tate Rowland, a young man found hanging from a tree in Childress, Tex., in 1988. Did Rowland commit suicide, as the police decided at the time, or was he murdered in some kind of satanic cult? How about his sister, who turned up dead three years later? Sullivan digs into the story and rumors of satanic cults sweeping America at the time, over many chapters, in breaks between 1,000 years of theological arguments about the nature of evil in the face of a perfect God (the essential question), and comes up empty-handed. We still don’t know if Rowland was murdered or not, or if any cult was involved, and there’s nothing particularly enlightening or compelling about the events of Childress, period.

Finally, Sullivan takes us back to Mexico, via side roads into Stanley Milgram’s infamous prison experiment and an exorcism that took place in Earling, Iowa, in 1928. At last! But instead of going deep — there’s a whole country and culture of witches and healers, or curanderos, and a cult of Santa Muerte that he could have spent months really getting to know — Sullivan’s total research amounts to one trip of a few days to one place, where he meets with the 78-year-old nephew of a great brujo’s girlfriend, the brujo himself having died in the 1960s, and the equally aged daughter of the brujo’s apprentice, also long gone, both of whom tell Sullivan second- and third-hand stories for a night or two. Sullivan, who can’t speak Spanish, and his interpreter spend more time worrying about being shanghaied by narcos (this, too, is perhaps supposed to be redolent of the Devil’s presence) than they do actually making sense of the historical and cultural role played by healers and witches in Mexico — never mind what all of that tells us about good and evil or the idea of the Devil.

There are hints along this crooked journey that Sullivan was as confused while writing his book as I was reading it. He once mentions deleting most of the text, almost 200 pages, and having to start again. His trips to Mexico and much of his reporting took place in 2015, nine years ago, an indication that he has been struggling over this for, well, a devilishly long time. Who knows? The Devil, of course, works in all sorts of insidious and nefarious ways. Sometimes, we’re told, people sit down with him and make a deal, sell their souls, as the brujos did in Mexico, and as the fiddler did in the Charlie Daniels song, for extra power. If only Sullivan had made such a deal as he struggled with writing this book. But, alas, he never seems to have met him, no matter where he looked.

Carl Hoffman is the author of five books, including “Savage Harvest,” for which he learned to speak Bahasa Indonesia and lived in a remote Asmat village in West Papua, Indonesia.

The Devil’s Best Trick

How the Face of Evil Disappeared

By Randall Sullivan

Atlantic Monthly. 333 pp. $30

More from Book World

Love everything about books? Make sure to subscribe to our Book Club newsletter , where Ron Charles guides you through the literary news of the week.

Check out our coverage of this year’s Pulitzer winners: Jayne Anne Phillips won the fiction prize for her novel “ Night Watch .” The nonfiction prize went to Nathan Thrall, for “ A Day in the Life of Abed Salama .” Cristina Rivera Garza received the memoir prize for “ Liliana’s Invincible Summer .” And Jonathan Eig received the biography prize for his “ King: A Life .”

Best books of 2023: See our picks for the 10 best books of 2023 or dive into the staff picks that Book World writers and editors treasured in 2023. Check out the complete lists of 50 notable works for fiction and the top 50 nonfiction books of last year.

Find your favorite genre: Three new memoirs tell stories of struggle and resilience, while five recent historical novels offer a window into other times. Audiobooks more your thing? We’ve got you covered there, too . If you’re looking for what’s new, we have a list of our most anticipated books of 2024 . And here are 10 noteworthy new titles that you might want to consider picking up this April.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.