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Day 46

1. Watch the video about tests, allies, and enemies.
2. As they mention in the video, this stage of the story usually takes up a large part of the story. In some storytelling structures, this part would be the middle, which encompasses about 50% of the story. (The beginning typically takes about 25%, the end the other 25%.)
3. Let’s take a look at “The Hobbit.” After Bilbo crosses the threshold and enters the special world, he has many adventures.

• Encounters trolls that want to eat him and his friends, gains a sword
• Visits with friendly elves who provide information about a map
• Captured by goblins and encountered Gollum, gains a magic ring
• Escapes the goblins with the help of giant eagles
• Encounters Beorn, who provides supplies for the next stage of the journey
• Travels through Mirkwood Forest where he and his friends suffer from hunger, spells, giant spider attack, and are finally captured by unfriendly wood elves
• Escapes the wood elves by smuggling the dwarves in barrels down the river
• Encounters the people of Lake-town, who provide supplies for their journey to the mountain where the dragon is

4. Next let’s look at Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. After he rides the train to Hogwarts and enters the special world, he faces tests, allies, and enemies.

• Faces the sorting hat and is sorted into Gryffindor
• Encounters Snape as an enemy
• Learns to fly a broom
• Draco challenges him to a duel, but instead Harry is almost caught out of bed and finds a giant three-headed dog
• Faces a troll with Ron to save Hermione
• Receives an invisibility cloak and faces the mirror of Erised
• Investigates the sorcerer’s stone and gains clues about it
• Helps Hagrid smuggle out a baby dragon
• Is sent to the forbidden forest to find who or what is drinking unicorn blood

5. As you can see, this section of your story has a lot in it. We will spend the next few days developing this section of your story.

Day 47

1. We are going to begin to develop the Allies, Tests, and Enemies section of your story. You should already have an idea for a character to serve as an ally. Today, brainstorm ideas for enemies. Write your ideas in your document, “Hero’s Journey Exercise.”

Day 48

1. You know your ally, you know your enemies: today we are going to brainstorm ideas for the tests. Take a look at the lists on day 46. These are all the adventures the characters had BEFORE their final climactic confrontation. Think about the special world you imagined. What cool things did you imagine your character would see, do or encounter there? This is the time to explore that.
2. Brainstorm at least 9 tests or adventures for your protagonist to have. Write your ideas in your Hero’s Journey document.

Day 49

1. Today we are going to review your story up to this point. Open your document “Hero’s Journey Exercise” and read through your notes from the beginning. Make changes if needed so that your story plan makes sense. Choose from the test ideas you came up with yesterday. Choose at least 3, and put them in order. Your exercise should be starting to sound like a real story!

Day 50

1. Watch the video about the approach to the inmost cave.
2. The Inmost Cave is where your character will face their greatest ordeal yet. They have to cross another threshold and this time the threshold guardians are stronger. Your hero should be more prepared for this due to the tests they faced, enemies they overcame, and allies they gained in the previous stage. They may have new equipment, weapons, or special powers that will allow them to succeed. For example:

• Bilbo was able to enter Smaug’s lair because he had the Ring, which he gained from Gollum in the goblin’s mountain.
• Harry Potter was able to reach the room containing the Sorcerer’s Stone because he had been learning spells all school year, plus he had help from Ron and Hermione.
• In Star Wars Luke is able to save Leia and escape the Death Star with help from C-3P0, R2-D2, Han and Obi-Wan.

3. In your document “Hero’s Journey Exercise,” brainstorm a plan. What threshold guardians are blocking your hero from facing their ordeal? What tools, allies, or abilities that your hero gained during the previous section will help them overcome the guardians? Write down your ideas in the document.

Day 51

1. Watch the video about the Shadow archetype.
2. Open your document “The Hero’s Journey” and write the four motivations of the Shadow underneath ‘Ordeal.’
3. Brainstorm! What kind of Shadow character can you have in your story? What is their motivation? What goal of the hero are they blocking or preventing? Why? Write down your ideas in the document “Hero’s Journey Exercise.”

Day 52

1. Watch the video about the Ordeal (also called the Abyss).
2. Take a look at this article about the ordeal for more examples and insight into it.
3. The ordeal has also been called a false climax. Your hero thinks that this is the biggest challenge they will have to face – all of their trials and tests have been leading up to this point – but there is something bigger looming in the distance. For example, in “The Hobbit,” Bilbo believes that the confrontation with the dragon is the biggest challenge that he will face, but once the dragon is killed it turns out there are bigger problems. (The huge hoard of gold sparks greed in the dwarves and five armies come to battle over it.) In “Star Wars,” Luke thinks that the biggest thing he has to worry about is getting out of the Death Star alive, but Obi Wan dies and they still have to figure out how to destroy it.
4. Brainstorm ideas for your character’s ordeal. What goal have they been working towards this whole time? What do they think will achieve it? How can you plunge them into darkness and have them change into a better version of themselves that can face the bigger challenge in the distance? Write your ideas in the “Hero’s Journey Exercise.”

Day 53

1. Watch the video about seizing the sword.
2. Scroll down to 1. Special Weapon and read through the five types of rewards your hero might need.
3. What form does the reward take in the story you are creating? How is this reward going to help your protagonist reach their ultimate goal or overcome their ultimate enemy at the end? Write your thoughts in the “Hero’s Journey Exercise.”

Day 54

1. Watch the video about the road back.
2. For more information, visit this page and scroll down to more “More Conflict, Higher Stakes.”
3. Open your document “Hero’s Journey Exercise” and brainstorm ideas for this stage of your story.

Day 55

1. Watch the video about the resurrection.
2. For more information you may look at this article. (Scroll down to, “It Begins with the Highest of Stakes.”)
3. Open your document, “The Hero’s Journey,” and write the components of the resurrection segment as shown in the video.

Day 56

1. Open your “Hero’s Journey Exercise” document and brainstorm ideas for the Resurrection segment. Take a moment to go back and make sure your ideas make sense with the Ordeal and the Road Back.

Day 57

1. Watch the video about the “Return with the Elixir.”
2. If you would like more information, you may read about the return to the ordinary world. Scroll down to “to have the story come full circle.”
3. Brainstorm ideas: what type of elixir is your hero returning with? What lesson have they learned? What is their transformation that gives them a different perspective when they go back to their ordinary world? Write your ideas in your “Hero’s Journey Exercise” document.

Day 58

1. Today we will begin restructuring your exercise into a story. Create a new document and come up with a title for your story. Make that the title of your document.
2. Begin writing down your story. We are only writing a summary, not a full-fledged story, but give enough detail that each story beat makes sense and a reader would understand what is happening. This is called a story outline.

Day 59

1. Continue writing and organizing your story outline. Tomorrow will be the last day to work on it.

Day 60

1. Finish writing your story outline.
2. Have a parent or family member read your story.

Day 61

1. Listen to episode 16.35 of Writing Excuses, “What is the M.I.C.E. Quotient?”
2. Here is a diagram of the 4 elements of the M.I.C.E. Quotient. Create a new document called “M.I.C.E. Quotient” and write down the names of the four elements and what they mean.

Day 62

1. Listen to episode 16.36 of Writing Excuses, “Deep Dive into Milieu.”
2. Open your M.I.C.E. Quotient document. Think of three fairy tales that include a milieu element. Write the name of the fairy tales and what the milieu element is. Be sure to label them “Milieu.”

Day 63

1. Listen to episode 16.37 of Writing Excuses, “Deep Dive into Inquiry.”
2. Open your M.I.C.E. Quotient document. Choose three fairy tales. (They can be the same ones, or not.) Identify the inquiry elements in the story and write them in your document. Be sure to label them “Inquiry.”

Day 64

1. Listen to episode 16.38 of Writing Excuses, “Deep Dive into Character.”
2. Open your M.I.C.E. Quotient document. Choose three fairy tales. (They can be the same ones, or not.) Identify the character elements in the story and write them in your document. Be sure to label them “Character.”

Day 65

1. Listen to episode 16.39 of Writing Excuses, “Deep Dive into Event.”
2. Open your M.I.C.E. Quotient document. Choose three fairy tales. (They can be the same ones, or not.) Identify the character elements in the story and write them in your document. Be sure to label them “Events.”

Day 66

1. Listen to episode 16.40 of Writing Excuses, “Nesting Threads in the M.I.C.E. Quotient.”
2. Copy and paste the plot summary of “Jack and the Beanstalk” into your M.I.C.E. Quotient document. Identify each plot point as either (m) milieu, (i) inquiry, (c) character, or (e) event. See if you can identify when each element is closed and mark them (/m), (/i), (/c), or (/e). Cans you see how the elements are nested? Do they close in the same order that they open?

Day 67

1. Listen to episode 16.41 of Writing Excuses, “Middles and Conflicts in the M.I.C.E. Quotient.”
2. Read this post about try/fail cycles, examining the difference between yes, no, yes BUT, and no AND.

Day 68

1. Listen to episode 16.42 of Writing Excuses, “M.I.C.E. Quotient After the Fact.”
2. Open the outline for the Hero’s Journey story that you created. Go through and identify where M.I.C.E. elements opened (mark with (m),(i), (c), and (e)) and closed (mark with (/m), (/i), (/c), (/e)). How many different threads did you use? Did you nest them correctly?

Day 69

1. Now that we’ve finished learning about the M.I.C.E. Quotient, we are moving on to flash fiction! Today, read the intro to flash fiction.

Day 70

1. Today you are going to try author Mary Robinette Kowal’s flash fiction writing exercise and write a story in 250 words or less. For this exercise she chose a genre, an occupation, and a noun. (She chose Sci-fi, jockey, and coaster. You can use hers, or choose your own.) Use these three prompts to imagine a character trying to accomplish something. This is the basis for your story.
2. Follow along and write your story as you watch the video. Pause when it’s time to write.
3. Save your story and have someone read it.

Day 71

1. For your final class project, you are going to outline another story. Remember the video about creating a story smoothie? Use this technique to brainstorm a new story idea. (Steps are listed below.)

• Make a list of 4 stories that matter to you/you love.
• Identify whether you most love the characters, theme, plot, or genre of each story.
• Try to make a “story smoothie” by combining characters, theme, plot, and genre from DIFFERENT stories you love.

2. Write down your ideas in a new document. We will be working on this story for the rest of this class.

Day 72

1. Take a look at the simplified character creation worksheet. Use the questions to develop the protagonist from your story smoothie. Write your notes in a new document. Can you identify your character’s internal motivation and conflict?

Day 73

1. Today you’re going to create the hook for your story. Here is the video we watched before, if you need a review!
2. Write your hook and any notes or ideas you have for it in your new story document.

Day 74

1. Here is the video about the inciting incident that we watched last time, if you need a refresher.
2. Decide on an inciting incident for your story and write about it in your new story document.

Day 75

1. Here is the video about the first plot point.
2. Write the first plot point for your story in your story document.

Day 76

1. Here is the link to the video about the first pinch point.
2. Do you know what antagonistic force your protagonist will have to face at the end? How can you foreshadow that? Which is better for your story, vicarious or shared suspense? Write the first pinch point for your story in your story document.

Day 77

1. Watch the video about writing the second act of a story.
2. What is your protagonist’s GOAL and PLAN? How is this plan the ‘stupid plan?’ Is it based on their misbelief? Write ideas down in your story document.

Day 78

1. Today do more story planning. Here is the video about writing plot twists! Brainstorm ideas for plot twists in your story and take notes in your story document.

Day 79

1. Here is the video about writing the second half of your story.
2. Write down your protagonist’s new plan to deal with the twist in the previous section. How is this plan based in their fear and misbelief? (If you haven’t chosen a plot twist yet, do so now!)

Day 80

1. Take today to go back and look at your notes so far. Spend some time revising or tweaking any of the parts you have written ideas for so far to help them make sense. Be sure you have decided on a pinch point, first plan, plot twist, and new post-midpoint plan.

Day 81

1. Write down ideas for the second pinch point today. How can you make things worse for your protagonist? Do you think it should be something that happens or is seen by the protagonist, or are you going to use vicarious suspense and show us something from the villain’s point of view?

Day 82

1. Here is the video about writing a disaster and dark moment. You may choose to have a moment of temptation instead (here is that video).
2. Choose a disaster and dark moment for your protagonist. Write your notes in your document.

Day 83

1. Here is the video for the moment of realization.
2. Brainstorm ideas for how your protagonist could come to a realization that lets them move past their fear and misbelief so that they can win the day at the end!

Day 84

1. Here is the video about the climax of a story.
2. What could serve as the climax of your story? How does your protagonist prove their transformation by facing their fear with courage?
3. What is their moment of victory?
4. Are there any loose threads that need to be tied up in the resolution? Take notes on your ideas.

Day 85

1. Today read over all of the story notes you have taken. How is it? Does it make sense? Make any changes to your story that would make sense now that you’ve made it through to the end.

Day 86

1. Here is the video about including subplots in your story.
2. A subplot can but does not have to be the story of another character (whether the antagonist or another side character) that is present in your story. It can be a second storyline for your protagonist (for example, if your protagonist is trying to qualify for a big championship in their main plot, maybe they are also caring for a sick family member and they have to deal with that as well.) A subplot can also be external or world-based (maybe there are fires, earthquakes, the annual elephant migration, who knows).
3. Consider the story you have been working on. Try and come up with at least one idea for a subplot from each category. Any idea you come up with should have at least some impact on your protagonist’s main plot somehow. Write down your ideas.

Day 87

1. Today go through your story and add detail to your plot points. Add more detail and information about the subplot you chose. Make sure that your notes read like a story summary and that the beginning still makes sense now that you know the end. Let someone read your story outline.

Day 88

1. We’re going to write more flash fiction today! Here is the video with author Mary Robinette Kowal’s flash fiction writing exercise that we used before. We’re going to switch out the genre, occupation, and noun. (Let’s use fantasy, sailor, and dagger.) Use these three prompts to imagine a character trying to accomplish something. This is the basis for your story.
2. Follow along and write your story as you watch the video. Pause when it’s time to write. Don’t forget that you’re only shooting for about 250 words.
3. Save your story and have someone read it.

Day 89

1. We’re going to write another piece of flash fiction today! Here is the video with author Mary Robinette Kowal’s flash fiction writing exercise that we used before. We’re going to switch out the genre, occupation, and noun. (Let’s use mystery, farmer, and pie.) Use these three prompts to imagine a character trying to accomplish something. This is the basis for your story.
2. Follow along and write your story as you watch the video. Pause when it’s time to write. Don’t forget that you’re only shooting for about 250 words.
3. Save your story and have someone read it.

Day 90

1. Today is your last day of storytelling. We’re going to write one last piece of flash fiction today! Here is the video with author Mary Robinette Kowal’s flash fiction writing exercise that we used before. We’re going to switch out the genre, occupation, and noun. (Let’s use action, banker, and chair.) Use these three prompts to imagine a character trying to accomplish something. This is the basis for your story.
2. Follow along and write your story as you watch the video. Pause when it’s time to write. Don’t forget that you’re only shooting for about 250 words.
3. Save your story and have someone read it.