The hero’s journey is a narrative arc that’s big in history and Hollywood. I got curious what’s the shortest one? How close can we get to the classic “shortest novel” “For sale: baby shoes, never worn“, misattributed to Hemingway? We’ll need more than 6 words because there are more than 6 steps, but what’s the minimum? Depending who you ask, the Hero’s Journey is 12–17 steps in three acts: styled “Departure”, “Initiation”, and “Return”. The very mundane story below follows the twelve step “Vogler” arc.
I woke up eager to start a new day, and see the group chat talking about a new sushi joint in town. I keep telling them I’m vegetarian, but my buddy tells me straight up that my vegetarian ex is long gone and I should forget about her.
Maybe he’s right. I decide on a burger for breakfast and get sick. Next I try a fish taco, but I suddenly freeze seeing that ex, for the first time in months, giving me the worst look. But hey, who is she to judge? It’s my life. My friends are gathering at the sushi joint and I meet them. I order sashimi eagerly.
Suddenly I get a text from a mutual friend saying that my vegetarian ex is on a drop after passing out from poor diet. That look hadn’t been about me. Over text I wish her well and tell her pescatarianism is great. Next week there’s a Korean BBQ opening.
That’s 160 words, without any shortening passes (trying to just pop this off). Part of the point of this first exercise is to figure out my standards and definitions, and get a feel for the challenge.
Can you do better? Can you do substantially, not just a few words, better?
