thedevilinwriting

[thedevilinwriting]

Lately I’ve been hooked on a new idea for a book (it always happens) and since many of my ideas never escape from the “idea” phase, I’ve decided to research into story structures to help.

When it comes to plotter or pantser, I’ve always been stuck in the middle. I’m too impatient to spend weeks and months plotting a novel, yet my quality of writing plummets when I don’t have some kind of outline. Also the fact that I tend to write dialogue first, then piece it together and write the scene around it, I need to have an outline first before I can write the first draft. Hence why I’ve decided to try a story structure to help me finally finish a draft.

My problem with story structures is I need to have examples to use them. On their own, they confuse me. The description is there but I have no way to apply it to my own story idea. This is why examples are key, and there are plenty across the internet for books and movies that follow certain story structures like Save The Cat or The Fichtean curve. To make things easier for me, I’ve chosen my favourite movie ever (which may surprise you, but I was 8 when it came out and in many ways it solidified my love for novel writing. It’s also very nostalgic and is more of a “feel good” movie to me then anything else). That is The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. It’s the easiest for me to understand in terms of story structure since I know the movie off the back of my hand.

When searching up story structure examples for The Hobbit, most are about the book, and of course, they span the bigger plot of The Hobbit which the movies splits into three mini plots. So I decided to try to make my own for each story structure and post it here, just in case anyone else is like me and needs help. The first I’ll be posting is the Hero’s Journey story structure, which most closely follows the movie plot-line.

(Spoilers of course)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Ordinary world:

(We meet our hero in their mundane “status quo”)

We meet Bilbo Baggins, who lives in The Shire. He serves a peaceful life without conflict and despises the thought of adventure, despite his maternal ancestry being filled with it.

Call to adventure:

(Adventure starts as the protagonist is pulled out of their comfort zone and placed in a position to make a choice to venture into a new world)

Gandalf arrives and attempts to offer an adventure, though he doesn’t elaborate, or get to elaborate, before Bilbo immediately refuses. Bilbo is puzzled that anyone would ask him to accompany them on an adventure, as he of all people wanted no part in the sort. He enters his home quickly, escaping Gandalf and leaving behind only the smallest of formality.

Refusal to call:

(The doubts set in and the protagonist cannot afford to face the dangers within the new world, they dig their feet in, refusing to make the choice that will pull the plot forward)

That evening, 13 dwarves, accompanied by Gandalf, turn up uninvited to Bilbo’s home. Bilbo has no choice but to listen as they speak of the quest they will be undertaking, once again offering the role of fourteenth member to Bilbo. Though slightly more willing this time after hearing of their plight, he still refuses. It’s not that Bilbo doesn’t want to see the outside world, he’s scared to face the evil out there. He lacks courage.

Meeting the Mentor:

(The protagonist decides to go on the journey but they are inexperienced and have frankly been pulled in at the deep end. They surface in tact only thanks to the help of this mentor character which keeps them afloat and provides them with the means to do so)

Bilbo’s mentor is Gandalf. This plot point spans across most of the beginning of the book as Bilbo meets Gandalf in call to adventure. Bilbo wakes up to find the dwarves all departed, and believes it to be a dream, until he sees the unsigned contract on his table. He decides to follow them, to “go on an adventure!”, and after handing the signed contract over, is officially a member of the company.

Crossing the first threshold:

(The protagonist is well and truly off on their adventure, there is no turning back now. The comfort zone has been exited and the real plot can begin)

No turning back now, Bilbo and Thorin’s company are on their way to Erebor to reclaim the lonely mountain. Bilbo enters the wide wide world that’s beyond the Shire.

Tests, Allies and Enemies:

(Longest stage of the story. The protagonist comes to terms with the new world and learns to survive within it, meeting friend and foe on the journey)

Bilbo begins to get acquainted with the outside world and its dangers. He runs for his life from warg scouts, tricks trolls and gets caught between a rock giant battle. However, not all people are enemies, as he enters Rivendell and meets Lord Elrond and the elves, and also the wizard Radagast the Brown.

Approach to the inmost cave:

(Not an actual cave (though in my case it is), this is the step towards the protagonist’s goal)

The goal of the company is to reclaim Erebor, however in the first movie, the goal for Bilbo, personally, is to gain the strength and courage able to keep him alive on this adventure. Bilbo and the dwarf company attempt to sleep in a cave on the mountain pass after escaping a rock giant battle. Bilbo is on edge after a confrontation with the company’s leader, Thorin Oakenshield, who had solidified Bilbo’s doubts that he wasn’t strong enough or courageous enough to continue on with them. He shouldn’t have left the Shire. Bilbo decides to pack his bags and go back to Rivendell, until a dwarf notices him and tries to stop him from leaving. Bilbo snaps and tells him that they do not understand how he feels since the dwarves don’t have a home and so cannot feel homesick. Upon saying this, Bilbo immediately backtracks and deeply apologises for his words, but the dwarves can only agree with him.

Ordeal:

(The protagonist faces the biggest fear so far and if they come out alive, it will have transformed them. It’s not the climax of the story, but the main conflict of the second act)

The cave floor suddenly opens up, throwing the company down into the Goblin tunnels. As the dwarves are lead away to be presented to the Goblin king, Bilbo manages to slip further down into the caves, knocking himself out. Upon waking, Bilbo watches as Gollum takes a goblin to feast on, dropping The Ring from its pocket as it does so. Bilbo takes the ring and tries to find a way out of the lair, but gets cornered quickly by the Gollum, who calls itself Sméagol. Bilbo has to outwit Sméagol by playing riddles with it for the prize of being shown the way out. Despite going back on its word and attempting to kill Bilbo after Bilbo wins, the Hobbit manages to escape the tunnels using the new power of The Ring. Upon confronted with the option to kill Sméagol, Bilbo thinks back to Gandalf’s words when he was given his sword and chooses to spare it. “True courage is not in knowing when to take a life, but when to spare one.” (I remembered that off the top of my head, so proud)

Reward:

(The protagonist gets their reward, the thing they have been searching for, and believe they are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel for their journey)

Bilbo has escaped the Goblin mines and now possesses The Ring of power which is vital in helping him in his role in the company. He joins back up with the company, bringing a newfound hope, and decides to stay with them for the goal of helping them gain back their home. Now returned back with the group he feels he belongs to, Bilbo believes he sees a light at the end of the tunnel.

The Road Back:

(As The Hobbit kindly puts it “out of the frying pan and into the fire”, the protagonist’s light at the end of the tunnel was nothing more than a ruse. The climax is building and the protagonist must use every strength and power they have learnt throughout the adventure to help them succeed. They must contend with the consequences of their reward)

The light at the end of the tunnel is much further than Bilbo thought, as he and the company are suddenly set upon by a pack of orcs led by the main antagonist, Azog, who has been working from the shadows this whole time. The consequence of Bilbo finding the ring is that the Goblin King was able to lead Azog The Defiler to Thorin’s position. The dwarves flee from the enemy as they are severely outnumbered, but are cornered at the edge of a cliff and resort to climbing the trees to escape the wargs. Thorin decides to selflessly face his long-time enemy one last time, but it ends badly for him and his life is thrown into mortal danger.

Resurrection:

(The true climax of the story. The protagonist must face the last test to prove that they really have transformed. Hence undergoing a “resurrection”)

Bilbo’s last test is finding the courage to step in and save Thorin from Azog and the orcs who are all incredibly more powerful than Bilbo. Bilbo has no way to face them off, he knows this, but he finds the courage to try. Upon saving Thorin and proving to all that he had that courage within him, the courage that Gandalf had hinted at in the call to adventure point, the rest of the company leave the safety of the trees to help defend Thorin and Bilbo and take a stand against Azog. They manage to fight long enough for Gandalf’s summoned eagles to appear and rescue them.

Return with the elixir:

(The protagonist finally gets to return home, coming back a different person to who they left as and carrying with them the fruits of their labour)

Although Bilbo doesn’t return home just yet, he is pushed forward in the overall story. The eagles carry the company to safety upon the Carrock and it is here that Thorin finally renounces his previous disdain for Bilbo, solidifying the fact that Bilbo belonged with them and was not a burden. They hug, their friendship now fully blossomed ready for the continuing fights ahead. Bilbo feels ready to take them on, equipped with his found courage, feeling of belonging and The Ring to aid him. The company notice Erebor in the distance and observe a thrush fly past on its way to the mountain, reminding the members of the prophecy and their end goal. Bilbo’s elixir isn’t a material possession (in the overall story it’s his fourteenth share of the treasure), it’s the prize of friendship and belonging. Bilbo walks away from the battle with thirteen new allies who he knew trusted in him and the strength to change someone else’s life - by helping the dwarves reclaim their home.

[thedevilinwriting]

Have you completed the MBTI personality test for yourself and your main OC? Or all your OCs if you have the time.

https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test

People say that you project your own personality onto your characters when you make them, so how similar is your OC to you?

For me, I’m an INFJ-T and my OC, he’s an INTJ-T. Differing only by a letter, but still a stark contrast between them both. Let me know how close yours are!

Happy scribbling!