Heroes and Heroines aren't that different... are they?

Part 1: A comparison & lessons from WorldCon 2025

To learn more about the FORGED series, visit the Table of Contents.

Heroes and Heroines aren't that different... are they?

To get to the purpose of this newsletter, jump down to the “Takeaways” section.

First, a personal story…

My hubby and I snuck up to Seattle for a couple of nights. The drive (ride, for me) was disorienting. With the heavy clouds overhead, darkness encroached early, and the clouds opened up to a steady pitter-patter more reminiscent of mid-November than mid-August. We figured leaving after 5:30 pm would make for less traffic and thus a quicker trip. Nope. Five hours to travel the 200+ miles.

We stayed on an air mattress in the living room of our son’s cramped Seattle apartment (under the approach flight pattern for Sea-Tac—did you know that a large passenger jet lands every 35-40 seconds at Sea-Tac, nearly 24 hours a day? Yeah, I timed it). Sleeping on a fancy bed-high air mattress is not recommended for those over 50 years old, but it was “free” (if “free” means paying for all the meals, drinks, and grocery shopping for our oldest adult child).

Friday promised more rain, but I was okay with that. I’d planned to be safely ensconced in the Seattle Summit Convention Center. I arrived shortly after the doors opened to get my credentials for the Seattle 2025 WorldCon; I had a full morning of breakouts to attend. After clearing the mist off my lenses, I impatiently waited half an hour for the registration line to open. I made a new friend—a fellow author, Carrie (I forgot her last name as soon as she said it because names are hard; just be impressed that I remembered her first name, okay?). We swapped stories to pass the time until we could make the mad dash to the counter. As I looped the lanyard over my neck, I heard my given name called from across the cavernous lobby.

I didn't need to worry about finding my cousin because he and his wife quickly found me! They traveled via rail (and bus) 1,700 miles to attend the Con from their home in the Midwest, checking off multiple bucket list items on their way. When David told me their plan to attend the WorldCon, I knew I had to make the relatively short jaunt north to see them. We exchanged greetings and made our way to the 9am breakouts—we’d each selected different topics, so our catching up was limited to the escalator ride to the fourth floor. We reconnected later, attending one breakout together. My hubby was kind enough to commute to the Con with lunches in tow for all of us.

After bantering over deli sandwiches from our son’s local neighborhood grocery store, David hustled out for another breakout, leaving Jeff, Becky, and me to wander the booths. I gathered bookmarks, scoped out display ideas, spoke to a couple of authors, and added to my TBR pile.

Notes to self (and other authors doing book events):

1. Have free candy.

2. Bookmarks should have QR codes (with discounts, a link for a quick find-and-purchase experience, or a way to follow on social media or subscribe to newsletters).

3. I was more apt to talk to an author who was standing and engaging with people as they walked by (“Can I tell you about my book?” was less successful than “Trade you a little book for something.” I traded one of my bookmarks for the author’s “little book” (a.k.a. folded business card with book synopsis inside).

4. Bring books in crates/boxes that double as stackable display shelves.

5. Stand (and have a friend with you).

6. Don’t have a sign-up sheet to gather emails (or if you do, “seed” the list with names so it’s not blank to start!).

My WorldCon 2025 experience

I attended a total of four breakout sessions: Breaking Boundaries: Feminist Revolutions in YA, Big Brother is Watching: Science Fiction and Surveillance (this one was PACKED!), Biotech… and By That, You Mean What?, and Magic, Machines, and Mental Health. I also dropped into the YA/Middle Grade author meet-up, hoping to mingle and exchange contacts with other authors in the same genre… It ended up being a roundtable of questions that I was neither interested in nor could contribute to the conversation. I made ONE contact.

That’s not to say that the Con was unfruitful for me. I did get a load of bookmarks. And I have several pages of notes that I will likely forget to refer to in the future.

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Takeaways from the Feminist Revolutions in YA

The panelists in this breakout were quick with suggested readings relevant to the topic, but the most interesting was the discussion about the difference in an FMC’s Heroine’s Journey vs. the traditional MMC’s Hero’s Journey. They warned against portraying a female protagonist as a “strong woman” in the traditional Hero’s Journey sense, but rather to give her agency that speaks to feminist ideologies and how her Heroine’s Journey impacts the narrative for the reader’s perceptions of gender, power, and agency.

Both narrative formats follow a protagonist’s journey—their transformational character arc—but differ in terms of focus, motivation, and resolution. First, let’s define each structure.

The traditional Hero’s Journey.

The focus is the protagonist’s journey of adventure and trimuph of an external objective, such as battling villians, gaining glory, and achieving honor. Often depicted in an epic quest (cue, LOTR and Frodo’s quest to destory the Ring).

The structure is a linear progression, with defined stages:
1) Ordinary World
2) Call to Adventure
3) Refusal of the Call
4) Meeting the Mentor
5) Crossing the Threshold
6) Tests, Allies, and Enemies
7) Approach the Inmost Cave
8) The Ordeal
9) Reward / Seizing the Sword
10) The Road Back
11) Resurrection
12) Return with the Elixir

Framework as outlined by Joseph Campbell and further developed by Christopher Volger

Versus

The Heroine’s Journey

The focus is not on the protagonist’s interactions with external forces but on her internal journey for self-realization. Here, goals may include not only transforming her life but the life of those around her.

The structure is less of a linear progression. Since it contains more nuance of weaving the elements, it may feel more circular in nature. The heroine repeats stages, growing in knowledge and understanding each time until she strikes a balance. The specific stages are less recognizable (to me) and require a bit more interpretation to understand:

1) Separation from the Feminine
2) Identification with the Masculine
3) The Road of Trials
4) Awakening to Feelings of Spiritual Aridity (or the Illusion of Success)
5) Initiation and Descent to the Goddess (or Meeting the Goddess)
6) Yearning for Connection with the Feminine
7) Healing the Mother-Daughter Split
8) Finding the Inner Man (or Reconciling with the Masculine)
9) The Union (or Integration of Masculine and Feminine)
10) Return

As outlined by Maureen Murdock

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Similarities & Differences

Both narrative formats share several elements. First, both establish what “ordinary life” the protagonist is living to set the stage or baseline of existence for the reader before the inciting incident disrupts their routine.

Second is the trigger, the catalyst that forces the protagonist to step away from their comfortable, mundane life. A hero receives an external call to adventure; a heroine often experiences a loss or betrayal that causes her to realize her perfect world is an illusion.

Each journey requires the protagonist to leave their familiar world and venture into the unknown. For both the hero and heroine, this departure could be either a physical or metaphorical departure (or a mixture of both).

The fourth commonality is that the protagonists face tests and trials. Where the hero often must learn to stand alone to make it to his goal, a heroine is likely to find that she is stronger when she collaborates with others. She tends to find a way to bring people together to achieve more than they could individually. The old "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts" adage. Either way, facing the trials prepares the protagonist to reach their goal.

The fifth similarity is that at the conclusion of each journey type, the protagonist has experienced a profound transformation. When they return to their world (their mundane life), they are forever changed. They bring newfound wisdom, perspective, and understanding. The hero may receive an external prize or have his triumph publicly honored. The heroine tends to find an inner wholeness, and her community enjoys a reconciliation that she finds internally rewarding.

The Hero’s Journey was the framework I used to establish a story arc when I plotted Shattered, Merged, and Forged, the three books of the Forged series. However, did I really end up with more of a Heroine’s Journey? Next week, I’ll explore Tessa’s journey through the series and let you decide!

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Now available in paperback and eBook. Order from your local independent bookstore, find in most major retailers, or purchase a signed copy from Provender Press. Check here for where to buy.

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What I’m reading

Here are some other dystopian and SciFi fiction pieces available on Substack you might also enjoy.

1. Weather Reports - First off, when I saw the call to this event, I really wanted to participate. Being a part of the Substack Zone last fall turned out to be an amazing experience of collaboration and exponential growth for me as a writer. When I looked at who was signing on board for this new event, I knew it would be a great opportunity. Alas, it was not in the forecast for me. But reading the results? Most definitely worth every moment! If you haven’t explored the strange and bizarre weather reports, check out this post that contains the links to all 40+ stories from amazing authors like

   Jon T
   ,
   Sean Thomas McDonnell
   ,
   Scoot
   ,
   Shane Bzdok
   . The list of writers does seem a little thin when it comes to the representation of women writers, so maybe I should have powered through to bolster the numbers… Be sure to check out these authors, too!
   EJ Trask
   ,
   Caitriana NicNeacail
   ,
   Olivia McNeilis
   ,
   Garen Marie
   , and
   Jessica Maison
   .

2. Mars Fire -

   James Kenwood
   says he has never lived on Mars, but his sci-fi serial is so rich with details and world-building that I’m not sure I believe him! I’m linking Chapter 1, but there is more to explore in this world, so check it out!

3. Tethered by Shadows -

   Jenna B. Neece
   is back, people, and her new serial is AMAZING! Storytelling that explores grief and love at a visceral level. Hurry and jump on because she’s dropping a new chapter daily!

4. Gain Time - This serial is from a new-to-me author,

   Copper Frog
   . This quote embodies the bleak dystopian future: “That was this prison’s genius. A temporal Alcatraz. Even if you escaped, you were stuck on an earth uninhabitable for another three centuries.“ But be ready for a stormy ride in this future!

5. Exiled - Off the ‘Stacks, I’m reading this debut novel from

   Jordan Lowery
   , whom I had the pleasure of meeting recently at the Mac MiniCon. This story is a mash-up of Lord of the Flies (the good, non-boring parts), Lost, and Escape from New York (do you remember that cult classic movie with Kurt Russell?). Available at major online retailers, through your local indie bookstore, and on his website.

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Before you go

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Upcoming Events & Happenings

1. MAC PEEPS! Thursday, September 4, 2025, 5-7pm - I’ll be at “Mac Inspired” (Glo Spa, 1300 NW Adams St Suite A, McMinnville) with copies of Shattered and The Midnight Vault to sell and some bookish swag. Already have a copy? Bring it, and I’ll sign it! Ask me questions about the series. Talk about books we’ve read. Lament about the “end of summer…” — I’ll be there for it all!

2. BOISE PEEPS! Thursday, October 9th, 7-9pm - I’ll be at Rediscovered Books (1576 W Grove St, Boise). This will be a perfect time to pick up a copy and have it signed!!! More details to come.

3. EVERYONE! Subscribe and receive FREE Bonus Materials! Remember… Subscribers will receive companion novellas as soon as they become available. Jump inside the head of Isaiah Iverson. Find out what really happens during the Remote Thought Intervention sessions at Dr. Weaver’s office. And learn more about Julia Ryker’s rise to power and the foundations that created the Underground. If you don’t have a checkmark below⤵️, then subscribe now!