Story Structure Myth Distilled

Story Structure: Myth Genre (Distilled)

PRIMARY DELIVERABLE: Creates timestamped reference documents saved to files.

Analyzes and develops Myth structure using John Truby's framework from The Anatomy of Genres chapter 4. Myth tracks the development of the self over a lifetime through a physical journey that manifests inner change.

Purpose

Myth is the essential mind in story form, the first Story Code. Key insight: Life is a journey to understand oneself. Immortality is the central theme.

Creates: detailed story worlds, Great Chain of Being character hierarchies, journey maps with symbolic elements, and tracks external journey = internal change.

When to Invoke

For stories with:

• Epic journeys where hero discovers destiny
• Elaborate world-building (fantasy, sci-fi, superhero)
• Life process from birth to death to rebirth
• Themes of destiny, immortality, self-questioning
• Gods, supernatural beings, hierarchical character types
• Ecological balance between nature and technology

Prerequisites: Basic structure (7 or 22 steps) should exist. This skill layers Myth-specific elements.

The Myth View

Mind-Action: Life is a journey to understand oneself. The hero encounters opponents on a journey that exposes their deeper self, leading to self-revelation and rebirth.

Key Principle: Every landmark in the external journey must be a physical manifestation of inner change.

Theme: Being is self-questioning and a search for destiny. Immortality (literal or through legacy) is the main theme.

Bundled Resources

References:

• references/myth-steps-distilled.md - Myth story steps and variations

Assets:

• assets/myth-analysis-template.md - Comprehensive analysis template

Task Instructions

Step 1: Establish Output Location

In Claude Code:

1. Get date: date +%Y-%m-%d
2. Ask where to save (suggest structure/)
3. Filename: YYYY-MM-DD-[story-name]-myth-structure.md

In Claude Desktop/Web:

• Note output as markdown artifact
• Remind user to save with timestamped filename

Step 2: Understand Story Context

Ask which story to analyze. Search project files if in Claude Code.

Understand if this is:

• New mythic story needing structure
• Existing draft with world-building issues
• Genre diagnosis

Genre check: Confirm Myth characteristics:

• Physical journey, circular return home
• Story world/natural world prominent
• Destiny/immortality theme
• Character hierarchy (not just humans)

Step 3: Assess Basic Structure Foundation

Check if 7 key steps or 22 steps are established (weakness/need, desire, opponent, plan, battle, self-revelation, new equilibrium).

If undefined: Strongly recommend using story-structure-7-steps or story-structure-22-step first.

Myth steps enhance, don't replace, basic structure.

Step 4: Determine Myth Variation

Male Myth (Warrior Journey):

• Linear plot (hunt/quest)
• Warrior/searcher hero
• Violent battle ending
• Values: divide and conquer
• Shame culture
• Sword talisman

Female Myth (Cyclical Growth):

• Circular plot (agricultural cycle)
• Multiple rebirths
• Non-violent problem-solving
• Values: combine and grow
• Guilt culture
• Non-violent talisman (seeds, shoes)
• Good witches, female power celebrated

Hybrid: Elements of both

Transcendent: Creation Myth/Female Myth primary focus/Ecological Myth

Ask which variation fits the story.

Step 5: Build Story World (MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT)

Key Point: Story world is the most important element in Myth. Spend the most time here.

Seven steps for creating story world:

1. Define Arena

• Unified place with boundary
• Multiple subworlds within

2. Land-People-Technology Interaction

• LAND: Natural settings (forests, rivers, mountains, deserts, oceans, etc.)
• PEOPLE: Society, culture, man-made spaces (castles, villages, cities)
• TECHNOLOGY: Tools (animal, magical, mechanical, digital)
• What unique combination?

3. Set Up Value Oppositions

• Hero's values vs Opponent's values
• What they're fighting over (deepest level)

4. Create Subworlds Based on Values

• Utopia: Land-people-technology in balance = community (freedom, growth, hero's rise)
• Dystopia: Out of balance = harsh predatory world (slavery, hero's weaknesses)

5. Define Social System

• Hierarchy of power
• Rules of operation
• How system traps individuals
• How culture justifies system

6. Define Technology and Magic System

• Primary tools
• Magic powers, who has them, limits, how acquired, can they be terminated
• Key: More magic power = less vulnerable = less useful to story

7. Determine World Development

• Begin with world of slavery (expresses hero's weakness)
• How does world change as hero changes?
• End state: utopia achieved/restored, balance, or tragic failure

Step 6: Create Character Web

Great Chain of Being: Design hierarchy of beings (gods, angels, superheroes, heroes, kings, nobles, commoners, animals, plants, minerals). Doesn't require all levels but needs detailed hierarchy placing humans within natural world.

Archetypes (with essential strength and shadow):

• Warrior: Enforcer of right / Kill or be killed
• Searcher: Questioning, self-improvement / Purposeless
• Teacher: Spreads knowledge / Forces thinking
• Rebel: Acts against enslaving system / Provides no alternative
• Trickster: Defeats unjust power / Lies, cheats, steals

For each major character:

• Archetype and unique twist
• Strength and shadow
• Level in Great Chain

Hero = Searcher on dangerous physical journey

For Female Myth:

• Female-dominated world
• Good witches (celebrating female power)
• Non-traditional allies
• Male ally as fake but useful

Step 7: Work Through Myth Story Steps

Layer these Myth-specific steps onto basic structure:

1. Ghost—Difficult Birth/Rebirth

• Begin with birth or rebirth of hero
• Loss of father/mother

2. Weakness-Need—Becoming a Hero

• Hero needs to become heroic (not conscious desire)

3. Inciting Event—Talisman

• Object with unknown power
• Expresses hero's identity/destiny

4. Desire—Journey and Destiny

• Goal embedded within hero (what born to do)
• Journey has specific end point
• Circular form (returns home)
• Meander plot shape: Winding path, many successive opponents

5. Allies—Wise Old Man/Woman

• Companions, including Teacher archetype
• What they lack that journey reveals they have

6. Opponent—Successive Strangers

• Strangers met in succession (creates episodic challenge)
• Each challenges different aspect of weakness
• Techniques to overcome episodic structure:
• Each defeat = mini self-revelation
• Family Trip (family comes along)
• Ongoing main opponent
• Iceberg opponent (hidden hierarchy)

7. Drive—Symbolic Objects

• External symbols mean something within hero
• Symbolic characters (animals, machines, devil)
• Symbolic paths (journey, labyrinth, ladder)
• Symbolic objects (tree, cross, shadow, talismans)
• Symbolic places (underworld, garden)

8. Revelation—Opponents Attack

• Hero learns about each opponent's attack method
• Creates unique plans
• Mini self-revelations

9. Gate, Gauntlet, Visit to Underworld

• Conflict intensifies, options narrow
• Hero faces mortality, sees ancestors/future
• Spurs to action

10. Battle

• Male Myth: Big violent battle
• Female Myth: Non-violent problem-solving
• Values fighting, not just strength

11. Self-Revelation—Public/Cosmic

• Public: Learns identity as king/chosen leader
• Cosmic: Moral vision of how society should exist
• Must be detailed and specific

12. New Equilibrium—Outgrow the Code

• Returns home changed
• Spiritually reborn
• In tune with destiny and natural forces
• Often marries/remarries

Step 8: Map the Journey

Track journey as specific map:

• Starting point (home)
• Major stops with subworlds visited
• Revelations at each stop (target: 7-10 for average Myth)
• Goal destination
• Return home (if circular)

Verify revelations:

• Build in logical order
• Increase in intensity
• Increase in pace toward end
• Most about opponent

Step 9: Assess Transcendent Possibilities (Optional)

Creation Myth / Origin Story:

• Tracks culture/character development
• Individual growth mirrors cultural growth
• Establishes moral code for society

Female Myth (Primary Focus):

• Multiple rebirths throughout
• Female-dominated world
• Combine and grow emphasized
• Examples: Wizard of Oz, Avatar, Arrival

Ecological Myth:

• Nature vs technology
• Hero transforms technological to natural
• Final rebirth combines both
• Balance or defeat (Machine in the Garden)

Step 10: Assess Organic Connections

Verify connections:

• Story World ↔ Weakness
• Talisman ↔ Identity
• Journey ↔ Internal Change
• Opponents ↔ Weakness
• Symbols ↔ Theme
• Self-Revelation ↔ Community
• New Equilibrium ↔ Rebirth

Step 11: Provide Analysis and Recommendations

For new stories: Which elements need development? Is story world detailed enough? Is character hierarchy established?

For existing drafts: Which steps present/missing? Is journey episodic or building? Are symbolic elements consistent?

For diagnosis: Is this truly Myth? Which variation? What would strengthen mythic elements?

Step 12: Save Documentation (REQUIRED)

MANDATORY: Task incomplete until file saved.

In Claude Code:

1. Create directory: mkdir -p structure
2. Write file: YYYY-MM-DD-[story-name]-myth-structure.md
3. Use assets/myth-analysis-template.md format
4. Offer supplementary docs if needed
5. Confirm file path to user

Validation Checklist:

• [ ] Date obtained
• [ ] Save location confirmed
• [ ] Analysis completed
• [ ] File written
• [ ] File path confirmed

In Claude Desktop/Web:

• Create as markdown artifact
• Remind user to save with timestamped filename
• Offer to explore specific elements

Important Reminders

• Story World is paramount - Most important element, spend most time here
• Layer on basic structure - Myth steps enhance 7/22 steps, don't replace them
• Male vs Female matters - Affects almost every step
• Great Chain of Being - Create hierarchy, not just human characters
• Physical = Internal - External journey manifests internal journey
• Circular journey - Hero returns home to discover what was always within
• Symbolic language - Everything has meaning connected to hero's internal state
• Immortality theme - Destiny, legacy runs through all Myth
• Opponents challenge weaknesses - Each targets different aspect
• Public and cosmic - Self-revelation larger than personal
• Avoid episodic structure - Use techniques to prevent "same step" repetition

Integration with Other Skills

• story-structure-7-steps - Establishes foundation; Myth builds on it
• story-structure-22-step - For complex Myths, use 22 steps first
• symbol-web - Deepens symbolic elements inherent in Myth
• narrative-inventory - Shows if genre elements present
• narrative-keywords - Identifies themes of destiny, immortality

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Based on John Truby's "Myth: The Life Process" from The Anatomy of Genres. Token-optimized distilled version that leverages semantic knowledge of Truby's framework.

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: scott2b
• Source: scott2b/claude-skills
• License: Apache-2.0

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.