Beyond the Hero’s Journey: A Writing Workshop Exploring Story Structure
Instructor: Erin Dionne
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 7:00-8:30 PM EST
Online | Workshop recorded | $30 Early Bird Pricing*
Level: All levels
*Price increases to $38 after December 27, 2025
We’re all familiar with the hero’s journey, but there are many more paths our stories can take.
In this session, we’ll explore a range of different types of story structures, including fishbone, “little e,” braided narratives, the heroine’s journey, spiral structure, and others. Together, we’ll review this range of structures, identify their unique elements, and assess what types of projects they may each be best for. We’ll highlight examples of each structure and discuss the pros and cons for writers and readers.
This Workshop is For You If:
Authors wanting to better understand story structure.
Authors interested in exploring alternative story structures.
Authors in the process of imagining a new project.
Authors working on a project that just is coming together.
Authors who wish to explore and understand craft at a more academic level.
You’ll Complete This Workshop With:
A detailed understanding of various story structures.
The skills and flexibility to make editorial choices regarding which structures are best for which projects.
The confidence and ability to apply these structural elements to your own stories.
Workshop Details:
-
Erin Dionne writes middle-grade novels, picture books, chapter books, and nonfiction. Her spooky chapter book series Shiver-by-the-Sea (Pixel + Ink) features magic, movie monsters, friendship, and SEL themes. Her novel Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking was an Edgar finalist in the Juvenile Fiction category. Her collection, Bad Choices Make Good Stories: Conversations on Writing (Table for 7 Press), is available now. When not writing, she’s a professor at Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA.