Hi all!  This page is all about structure.  I think structure is EXTREMELY important, so I touch on it a lot.  Here are some URL's  - including the Star Wars/Hero's Journey info:

http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~sparks/sffilm/mmswtab.html

Here are a few other sites I also recommend.

This one has a couple of different versions:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monomyth

This one is actually not about writing - it's about the personal 'hero's journey' we all take - but it's applicable to both:

http://www.yourheroicjourney.com/

Here is the Harry Potter version:

http://www.mythichero.com/call_to_adventure.htm

This one has a lot of examples based on recent or well-known stories - may help with specifics  (remember - this is all opinion - you may see the story a different way):

http://www.heros-journey.info/

And this is one of my favorites - it has a graphic where, when you point your mouse, the different stages are highlighted and, it also shows the two 'universes' - the one where the hero(ine) is learning the lessons (the 'dark' side) and the one where the lessons need to be applied (the 'light' side), first without knowledge and then, after the lessons, with the knowledge.  Confusing?  Let me try again.  Remember how the protagonist starts with the problem he or she can't solve?  That's the left half of the 'light' side.  The application needs to be there but, because the protagonist doesn't know enough, the lessons have to be learned.  So, he or she 'descends' into the dark side - where the learning goes on.  Think The Fugitive - he jumps off into the unknown of the waterfall.  Or Wizard - it can be where the tornado takes her away or even where she chooses to take the first step on the yellow brick road.  The protagonist chooses to accept the challenge and agrees to be taught.  Anyhow, here's the site!

http://orias.berkeley.edu/hero/

We'll talk more about this throughout the class.