In this craft-focused Prologue Day session, historical fiction author N.J. (Nancy) Mastro explores the heroine’s journey as a powerful framework for shaping character arcs.

Drawing on psychology, myth, and story structure, Mastro examines how the heroine’s journey differs from the traditional hero’s journey—highlighting the contrast between outward, quest-driven narratives and more inward, relationship-centered transformations. Through examples from familiar stories such as The Wizard of Oz, Jane Eyre, The Hunger Games, and Harry Potter, she shows how both models can create meaningful narrative tension and deepen your fiction.

You’ll learn how to:

• Understand the origins of the heroine’s journey in Maureen Murdock’s work

• Distinguish between external and internal arc structures

• Identify how each model shapes tension, growth, and transformation

• Blend hero and heroine journeys within a single novel or across multiple characters

• Apply these frameworks while brainstorming, plotting, revising, or troubleshooting a flat arc

• Layer in archetypes and mythic patterns to add depth to your historical narratives

Whether you’re developing a new story or revising a work-in-progress, this session offers a clear and practical approach to building more resonant emotional arcs.