Just published in The Good Men Project is my interview with the very talented Alice Meichi Li. While attending Comic Con in NYC this Fall, I heard Alice speak on the intricacies of The Heroine's Journey vs. The Hero's Journey which is the go-to story structure for the majority of film school and literary graduates. According to Alice, being the female star of books and films leaves our so-called heroines in a grave deficit at every single turn on her adventure. And this opens up the door for real-life demons and dragons to enter our lives. Ultimately the proposed setup does not just bring the possibility of grave danger, but instead inevitable failure. Maybe a new solution--as brought up by the panel--is to just replace the same three act story structure, character development and dialogue of our heroes with a female in the role. What a different world. Life and art often intersect. Come study this writing analysis with me by reading our article here. And please leave us a comment--especially if this changes your mind on the last bedtime story you read aloud. (smile)
Illustration by Alice Meichi Li