In 1949, Joseph Campbell published his book on comparative mythology, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, which includes the idea of the hero’s journey. In 1992, Christopher Vogler published his simplified version as The Writer’s Journey in a textbook initially for authors of screenplays.
The merits of both “journeys” are certain, yet we believe that a fundamental aspect is missing: The Audience.
At Beemgee, we focus on The Audience’s Journey, which we understand as a series of emotions which readers of novels or viewers of films experience during reception of the story. Very broadly speaking, there is a pattern to be discerned here which is remarkably uniform across all stories in any genre or medium. In most simple terms, the emotional journey of the audience begins with curiosity and ends with a feeling of relief.
We encourage authors to concentrate less on the formulaic process of organising the activities of the protagonist into a template of actions, but rather direct their attention to what the audience should be feeling during each phase of the narrative. This leads the author to create an emotionally gripping experience for the audience.
If you would like a pre-publication excerpt of The Audience’s Journey – How to Manipulate Emotions. The New Comprehensive Guide to Story Development for Authors of Novels and Screenplays, just fill out the form: