Controversial Opinion: I don't use Hero's Journey.
I did in my first book but quickly decided it was far too restrictive and not actually that useful.
The fact it has infected almost all storytelling is quite troubling, IMO.
Turns out Campbell's monomyth idea is not even close to be being correct.
From the linked article:
"academic folklorists and scholars of ancient literature almost universally reject Campbell’s theories as nonsense"
https://talesoftimesforgotten.com/2020/12/31/the-heros-journey-is-nonsense/
@adaddinsane @eniko I feel like it's fine if a trope is common every writer has to learn somehow and it's a known trope readers like, and writers are free to ignore the trope if they want to. I hear Chinese fantasy has different tropes.
I honestly care more about the world building and characters than if the story uses a common archetype or even has 'good' writing.
@adaddinsane @eniko Septimus heap is widely regarded as being more popular for its story telling than its adherence to common editor suggestions.
And the hunger games honestly who cares how it ends or if you disagree broadly with how the story should have gone or characters developed. It just has very rich world building and that was so powerful the author could have made a variety of changes and people would have still loved it