The Doctor of Digital™ GMick Smith, PhD

Stage 9: The Reward And after your hero has gone through all of the Ordeal, you may want or need to reward them with something that they can use to take on the final threat they face during the climax of your story. Here are the five types of rewards that your protagonist may need to prevail at the end of their journey. Special Weapon If you're writing in the action, science fiction, thriller, or...

1. Write the Ordeal as If It Was the Climax of the Story Paul's Ordeal appears to be at an end. He has the best attorney in town, a feminist, and the psychiatrist is in his attorney's pocket. Surely Kaitrin, his daughter, will be home to stay soon. 2. Kill the Protagonist's Darlings It turns out that Dr. Kitchen, "Deborah's Boy," and her paid psych, does not react realistically to Kaitrin's love o...

What is Stage 7 of the Hero's Journey in Burning America? 1. Allows the Audience and Protagonist to Catch Their Breath Paul seems to catch his breath with a feminist attorney. Deborah, Paul's attorney, has a plan of attack and "Deborah's Boy, her paid-off psychiatrist. Paul has it made. 2. Offers Time to Reflect, Review, and Plan Ahead Paul did not do well with his first attorney, a Father's Right...

Stage 6: Tests, Allies, and Enemies And it’s within this unknown that the protagonist faces many tests and meets their allies and enemies. 1. Tests Within the Hero’s Journey structure, this stage is a vital part of your protagonist’s journey. Conflict is everything. Without conflict, there’s no story, no story arc, and no character exploration. So while this is a stage represented in every Hero’s...

Theresa Agostinelli Profit With Purpose E-mail: tagostinelli3@gmail.com Personal Website: profwithpurpose.com Why do you want to be on the our podcast channel? To help others successfully overcome obstcles Topics you want to discuss Co Parenting with a Narcissist Parental Alienation Successful CO Parenting Techniques Parental Reunification Strategies Mick, The Doctor of Digital, Smith mick.smith@w...

For a text summary: https://micksmith.substack.com/p/what-is-stage-5-of-the-heros-journey-322?sd=pf Mick, The Doctor of Digital, Smith mick.smith@wsiworld.com Burning America: In the Best Interest of the Children? https://burning-america.com Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/G-Mick-Smith/e/B0B59X5R79 Also at Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and Target Leave a message for The Doctor of Digital: https://podinb...

Stage 4: Meeting the Mentor Along the way, your protagonist — and screenplay — may need a mentor. The hero encounters a mentor that can give them advice, wisdom, information, or items that ready them for the journey ahead. Here I offer three things a mentor character can do for your protagonist and your screenplay. 1. Create an Emotional Empathetic Bond Between Characters The best stories have hea...

What is Stage 3 of the Hero's Journey? Stage 3: Refusal of the Call What stage can come next in your story? The Refusal of the Call. The hero initially refuses the adventure because of hesitation, fears, insecurity, or any other number of issues. Here I offer three reasons why your protagonist should refuse the Call to Adventure — and how your script can benefit from that refusal. 1. To Create Ins...

1. Introduces the Core Concept of the Story Paul is faced with a problem, kidnapping, and parental alienation that rocks his ordinary world, and he has to decide whether or not to answer that call. 2. Defines the Genre of Your Story Paul will be the center of the drama longline to pitch. The pitch has to give the potential buyer a quick cue that this dramatic genre tells us what kind of conflict w...

Mick, The Doctor of Digital, Smith mick.smith@wsiworld.com Burning America: In the Best Interest of the Children? https://burning-america.com Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/G-Mick-Smith/e/B0B59X5R79 Also at Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and Target Leave a message for The Doctor of Digital: https://podinbox.com/thedoctorofdigitalpodcast Instagram: burningamericacommunity Patreon burningamericacommunity:...

Stage 1: The Ordinary World The first stage — The Ordinary World — happens to be one of the most essential elements of any story, even ones that don’t follow the twelve-stage structure to a tee. Here I offer three reasons why writers need to show protagonists in their Ordinary World. 1. To Set Up How the Conflict Disrupts the Character’s Ordinary Life When you open the story within the character’s...

Welcome to the safe space of The Aftermath, a podcast that will educate and inspire you. Divorce, family trauma, custody battles, parental alienation and everything that is wrong with families today are the hard topics Dr. G. Mick Smith and Kindra Riber will talk about. Both hosts have been subjected to the harsh reality of broken families and the trauma custody battles elicit. Their stories of lo...

Welcome to the safe space of The Aftermath, a podcast that will educate and inspire you. Divorce, family trauma, custody battles, parental alienation and everything that is wrong with families today are the hard topics Dr. G. Mick Smith and Kindra Riber will talk about. Both hosts have been subjected to the harsh reality of broken families and the trauma custody battles elicit. Their stories of lo...

Stage 12: The Return The climax of your hero’s journey encompasses The Resurrection stage. And once they accomplish that, you can have your protagonist Return to their Ordinary World. Here are three reasons why your hero should make that return. 1. To Have the Story Come Full Circle 2. To Complete the Character Arc 3. To Allow the Reader and Audience to Live Vicariously Do you want to see the bonu...

Welcome to the safe space of The Aftermath, a podcast that will educate and inspire you. Divorce, family trauma, custody battles, parental alienation and everything that is wrong with families today are the hard topics Dr. G. Mick Smith and Kindra Riber will talk about. Both hosts have been subjected to the harsh reality of broken families and the trauma custody battles elicit. Their stories of lo...

Stage 11: The Resurrection The climax of your hero’s journey encompasses The Resurrection stage. But what does that stage entail, and what does it have to do with your hero’s resurrection? It Begins with the Highest of Stakes Hero Resurrected Catharsis Is Key Do you want to see the bonus clips discussed in the episode? Contact me and I will send them. Did you get a copy of the Hero's Journey Works...

Stage 10: The Road Back Once they've attained the Reward, it's time for the hero to get on The Road Back to their Ordinary World. But what is The Road Back and how can this stage develop your third act? More Conflict, Higher Stakes Showing the Light at the End of the Tunnel Setting Up the Third Act Do you want to see the bonus clips discussed in the episode? Contact me and I will send them. Did yo...

Stage 9: The Reward And after your hero has gone through an ordeal, you may want or need to reward them with something that they can use to take on the final threat they face during the climax of your story. Here are the five types of rewards that your protagonist may need to prevail at the end of their journey. 1. Special Weapon 2. An Elixir 3. Knowledge 4. Experience 5. Reconciliation Do you wan...

Leanne Kanzler Psychologist, Coach, TEDx Speaker, #1 Best Selling Author Life has not always been as clear as it is now. In fact at the time my marriage of 17 years fell apart I really didn’t know what was in store for me. Today, 10 years since those days of anxiety, depression and fighting, my ex and I are both in a much better place. Now, I regularly work with others who have been in the same si...

Stage 8: The Ordeal Everything within the first act — and beginning of the second — builds up to The Ordeal, which is the first real conflict that the protagonist must face. What Is The Ordeal? It's the midpoint of your story where your protagonist faces their greatest conflict yet. 1. Write The Ordeal as If It Was the Climax of the Story 2. Kill the Protagonist's Darlings 3. Give Opportunities Wi...

Dr. Michele Finneran, is a licensed professional counselor located in Florida. She owns and operates her own private counseling practice, Vecc & Associates, LLC. https://www.drmichelefinneran.com/ How divorce affects children and their parents? What are some things parents need to look for in regards to their children and their changes after a divorce? How do we make the process of divorce as smoo...

Stage 7: The Approach Once you’ve put your protagonist through those tests and once they’ve met their allies and enemies, they’re going to need to Approach the Inmost Cave of the story — preparing to face their greatest fears and conflicts. Here I feature three ways how the Approach the Inmost Cave stage can better any story, even those that don’t follow each and every stage of the Hero’s Journey....

FROM MESSED UP TO BLESSED UP Dr. JC Doornick “Dragon” comes from a fascinating life and family history full of pioneers in the entertainment industry and professional athletes. Childhood can be marred by divorce as JC's was; so what can be done? 1. An interesting quote was revealed: "messed up but now blessed up." 2. JC advises an integrated life, even if you have a good career, prioritize your fa...

What Is a Summary of the 12 Stages of the Hero's Journey? 1. The Ordinary World: We see the hero’s normal life at the start of the story before the adventure begins. 2. Call to Adventure: The hero is faced with an event, conflict, problem, or challenge that makes them begin their adventure. 3. Refusal of the Call: The hero initially refuses the adventure because of hesitation, fears, insecurity, o...

Stage 6: Tests, Allies, and Enemies And it’s within this unknown that the protagonist faces many tests and meets their allies and enemies. 1. Tests In Jaws, when the protagonist is on the boat, ready to hunt down the shark, he’s put through multiple tests to achieve his ultimate goal and face the core conflict of the story. BONUS! Contact me to watch the scene! 2. Allies Imagine Jaws without Hoope...