S17:E17: What Makes a Story "Bad"? A Guide to Why Your Narrative Isn't Working

Why All Stories Are Myth (and How They Transform the Psyche) What if every story you’ve ever loved—whether it’s Spirited Away, The Lord of the Rings, or Pride & Prejudice—wasn’t just entertainment or even “realistic” fiction, but myth in disguise? In this week’s episode of the Helping Writers Become Authors podcast, we explore the mythic foundation of narrative and why all stories are myth at their core. Together, we’ll look at how archetypal story structure emerges across cultures and genres, why every character in a tale can be seen as an aspect of the psyche, and how archetypal character arcs—from the Hero’s Journey to the Maiden, Queen, King, Crone, and Mage—offer writers a timeless blueprint for building powerful, resonant fiction. When you understand story as mythic storytelling—as a dream of the unconscious, a symbolic map of initiation and transformation—you begin to see how narrative has always been about more than plot. Story is the theater of the self. It’s how writers and readers alike experience growth, healing, and the deeper truths of being human. Join me as we step into the mystery of mythic storytelling and discover how these ancient patterns can transform not just your stories, but your writing life.

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