In Structure Plot & Stories Easily I explained how fantasy author J.R. Tolkien didn’t focus on the hero as he plotted The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Instead of focusing on his heroes and main characters Tolkien made a skeleton plot. In short a skeleton plot has four elements: the goal, requirements, costs and dividends, and the pre-requisites. Tolkien interlaced these elements with archetypical and mythological events, which in turn plotted the trilogy’s outline and mapped out the Fellowship’s expeditions during their quest.
But if those elements make the journey, how do authors create a hero? Why do heroes partake in journeys at all? Watch and find out.
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