To show what The Hero’s Journey monomyth looks like in healing fiction I’m going to take one of my fan fiction stories and walk you through the quest, using the monomyth. (I did a whole series on this topic: The Hero’s Journey from Trauma to Healing, and am also working on a non-fiction book which will be an extended version of the blog posts.)
I used these characters and continue to use them to work through and heal my own inner wounds. Several characters are copyrighted and not my creation, so I will always have to offer this for free, but part of me thinks the healing I gain, and the healing lessons others gain through reading them is worth it.
I wrote The Sidenstrasse Tapestry in middle school. I was in the middle of a family crisis that extended over most of my teenage years and I needed a dad who would understand and protect me. So, I did what I suggested earlier in this series and took a fictional character as a protector and created a fictional character who was like me.
(This is also going to give you a chance to see my writing before I got to the level I’m at now.)
You don’t have to read it all. I’m just going to do what are called plot points.
A plot point is the place in the story where something significant happens. Each step on the monomyth is a significant plot point which increases the stakes and tension in the story.
In your story these stakes and tension don’t have to be action adventure based, they can be character based. Think about all the Hallmark movies you’ve watched where the couple almost breaks up because of a misunderstanding. That’s a character driven plot point that increases the story’s stakes and tension because you want these characters to end up together in the end.
I didn’t go over stakes or tension, because I wanted you to focus on healing and creating a safe space for emotions to be explored in a fictional or imaginary setting.
I am working on a storytelling through trauma non-fiction book, I hope to cover some extra things there. Stay tuned for updates on that!
And the reason I’m using fan fiction, is that I have it on Wattpad, which is free and you don’t have to sign in or become a member. These are also culturally familiar characters, which is what people gravitate toward in tough times.
Also, Wattpad is full of teenagers, and I want them to at least have one good story with healthy relationships which gives them the skills, confidence and a role model to reference in tough moments.
In case you hop on Wattpad, I’ll have the pieces of the monomyth linked at the bottom of the page for each section.
Next week we’ll do the same thing with non-fiction.
With that, I’ll turn it over to the dad and daughter duo of archaeologists, Indiana and his daughter Emily Jones, that you met earlier, in Fighting The Darkness and It Wasn’t Fun - But You Won.
This is Emily’s first adventure - The Sidenstrasse Tapestry
(Sidenstrasse is German for Silk street or road. The Silk Road was an ancient trade route going from China, across Central Asia and into the Middle East.)
The Sidenstrasse Tapestry (& The Hero’s Journey)
(Using the Monomyth as an Outline for Fiction)
Call to Adventure - Mac, an intelligence officer for the United States is searching for Indiana Jones but finds Indy’s daughter, Emily instead. Desperate to get his agent Jake Manifold out of hostile territory alive, he decides to take a chance on Emily. Emily is not impressed with Mac, or the artifact opportunity he brings. The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 3: Jerusalem, 1960
Refusal of Call - Emily wants to take on the adventure, but is distracted by other things…. including a bully. She takes on the bully, and Mac is impressed enough with Emily’s fighting skills that he offers her the job he wanted Indy to take. This time Emily accepts, because she can see that Mac is no longer dismissing her. The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 4: Jerusalem, 1960 - Jones Apartment
Supernatural Aid - Mac tells Emily the story of an unfinished mission of her father’s from World War II, a mysterious artifact that disappeared called The Sidenstrasse Tapestry, and Emily is all in for the adventure. The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 4: Jerusalem, 1960 - Jones Apartment
Crossing the First Threshold - Emily goes to Kashgar, China and meets Agent Jake Manifold. She is firmly committed to the adventure. The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 5: Kashgar, Communist China, 1960
Belly of the Whale - Emily and spy Jake are captured by villians, interrogated and nearly killed. They escape. The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 20: Talamakan Desert, Chinese-Russian Border, 1960
Road of Trials - Emily is chased out of Kashgar on horseback. She ends up stranded in the desert, stuck in a rock crevace, scared and alone. (This could also be an extention of Belly of the Whale too. Story is flexible.) The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 32 - Crevasse, Talamakan Desert, Communist China, 1960
Meeting with the Goddess - Emily’s parents, Indiana Jones and his formerly estranged wife Marion Ravenwood (Emily’s mother) show up to rescue her. The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 35 - Crevasse, Talamakan Desert, Communist China, 1960
Temptation - Mac tells Emily that she can stop planning to go rescue her sister. She’s tempted to follow his advice, but then realizes how Mac’s other spy missions have gone, and decides to continue the adventure herself, regardless of consequences. The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 53 Safe House, American Sector, Berlin, 1960
Atonement or Abyss - Emily risks her life, sneaking under the Berlin Wall to get the final pieces of the Sidenstrasse Tapestry. The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 60: KBG Interrogation Room, Russian Sector, Berlin 1960
Apotheosis/Deitification - Emily’s life is threatened as she’s captured by villains and faces them down… using all the skills and training she has to win. (This is also heroes vs. bullies, conflict to collision step.) The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 63 - Dark Chamber, KBG Building, Berlin 1960
The Ultimate Boon/Treasure - The missing pieces of the Sidenstrasse Tapestry are found! The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 72 Museum Basement, Communist Sector, Berlin 1960
Refusal of Return - Indy tells Emily that she needs to go back and that he’ll rescue Emily’s sister Annie, but Emily doesn’t listen. She doesn’t go back, because she knows her dad is going to need help in the rescue. The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 73: Sewers of Berlin, 1960
Magic Flight - This is the entire chase through Soviet Berlin… with the entire Jones family…. Indy, Marion, Emily, Annie and Annie’s kids. The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 85 - Outside Dawson's Apartment, Communist Berlin, 1960
Rescue from Without - Indy, Emily’s dad, is on the other side of the Berlin Wall, giving her a helping hand to crossover…. provided she can get there in time! The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 111: Streets of Free Berlin, 1960 and The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 112: Streets of Communist Berlin, 1960
Crossing the Return Threshold - This is literally Emily attempting to cross the Berlin Wall… and crashing into a signals intelligence spy listening post on the way. The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 113: Overhead of the Berlin Wall, 1960
Master of Two Worlds - Emily has the artifact, and she’s not only proven herself as a capable young woman, she’s used all the skills she has to defeat the villians and rescue her sister and family. She can be exactly who she is and take on the challenges that others attempt to threaten her with… because she’s not just an archaeologist - she’s the daughter of Indiana Jones! The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 114: American Intel Signals Apartment, Free Berlin, 1960 and The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 115: Streets of Free Berlin, 1960
Freedom to Live - Emily has her family back together. She’s found the artifact. She is free of the need to please or be taken seriously by the professional archaeological establishment - because her dad has always trained her to do what she loves and is willing to back her up. The rest of the people don’t matter. She’s ready for the next adventure! The Sidenstrasse Tapestry: An Indiana Jones Fan-Fiction - Chapter 116: American Safe House, Free Berlin, 1960
PS: The next adventure is The Seven Swords of Diya.
The Seven Swords of Diya: An Indiana Jones Fan Fiction
You got a little bit of a spoiler when I shared, “It Wasn’t Fun - But You Won” and also with “Fighting the Darkness”. These pieces are in The Seven Swords of Diya, which is the sequel and has some of Michael Heiser’s research in it.
The Seven Swords of Diya will wrap up in December. I will probably have links to The Hero’s Journey monomyth series through that in the comments, just like I did with Sidenstrasse. I also have plans in 2024 to delve into character development and exploration through writing. (IE: How to change your mind through characters and fiction, and there’s quite a character journey in Diya.)
Their third adventure, with the niece/grandchild mentioned in It Wasn’t Fun - But You Won, will be released in 2024, titled The Serpent Mound of Bashan. (With more of Michael Heiser’s research, but I haven’t written it yet, so I can’t tell you what happens. Welcome to pantser writer brain, please hold while I make something up. If you like action adventure fiction, you can follow me on Wattpad. Wattpad will let you sign in through your Facebook, Google or email and you’ll receive notifications whenever I post something of my work.)
If you read Sidenstrasse and then re-read “It Wasn’t Fun - But You Won” (The Road of Trials with excerpt and the analysis of It Wasn't Fun - But You Won Part 2) section of Diya, you’ll see that Emily’s healing process is ongoing. Just because she had one adventure, got confident in her skills, brought her family back together, and solved an ancient archaeological mystery, doesn’t mean she has it all together. Healing isn’t as easy as you take one course, read one book, get some counseling, do some crying and magically you’re healed. Its ongoing - which means when adventure calls, or your emotions flare up, its a signal that you’re getting better - but you’re not there yet.
You’ll notice that not every single plot point in this process directly aligns with the healing steps that we talked about through the monomyth… but this is fiction. In fiction, not everything has to match the monomyth. That’s the beauty of storytelling…. as long as you get the emotions out of your body and mind, that’s what counts.
Next, we’ll do this with non-fiction!
Perpetual Disclaimer for this series:
I am not a counselor or a mental health professional. I am going to attempt to avoid things which will cause alarm or harm, but I can't know what will trigger each individual. If you need to speak to a mental health professional please know that there are resources available.
Your stories are amazing!
Chronic Writer