The Ordinary World

Welcome back, fantasy lovers! We had a nice break, but I'm looking forward to getting back into our discussion on writing fantasy.

I've been learning about The Hero's Journey, which all stories follow to some extent, but in fantasy it's necessary to pay closer attention to it. What IS the Hero's Journey? According to the book, The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler, the Hero's Journey contains "a few common structural elements found universally in myths, fairy tales, dreams and movies." He begins the book talking about mapping the journey in Three Acts.

Act One begins with the Ordinary World. Vogler says it's necessary to show your hero in normal life so when the Call to Adventure comes and the quest begins, you can "create a vivid contrast with the strange new world he (the hero) is about to enter." It's also needed to establish who the hero is and begin the character arc.

That makes perfect sense to me. The reader needs to know who the hero is without the new situation. Writers need to establish character and personality. We need to create a sense of caring what happens to the hero. Otherwise, why would the reader want to read on?

So, let's talk a bit about the Ordinary World. How do we set it up? How long should we stay there? How can we make it interesting? How much description should we use? I look forward to your comments.