Myths and Heroes in Creative Writing: Re-Reading and Remaking offers a comprehensive overview of myth throughout history. Exploring a variety of forms, Adrian May provides a framework for the practice and process of writing myths.
This accessible guide discusses a rich and diverse range of literary examples across myth, theatre, poetry and criticism to make a clear and compelling case for a reimagining of the epic and heroic. It celebrates the depth and subtlety of myth and its ability to overcome clichés, while offering essential advice on plotting, editing and retelling classical myths. It features practical advice and exercises for a complete writing experience.
Inspiring creativity and advancing comprehension, this book is for anyone interested in the creative use of myth. This includes writers, artists and all who seek to see beyond the surface of things and gain new insights into mythology.
Acknowledgements
Part One: Introductory
Preface: The Mythic Wanderer
1. The Errant Way
2. The Human Pattern
Part Two: The Narrow Hero
3. Big Heroes Reduced
4. Portability: Genre; Wilderness
5. Writers not Wrong
Part Three: Ante-heroes
6. Ante, Mock, Anti
7. The Vanishing Grail
8. How to Disappear
9. Tarot and Tao
Part Four: Mythic alternatives
10. Decline of Folly
11. Confronting the hero-monster
12. Supernatural alternatives
Part Five: Postscripts
13. Ceremonies of Innocence
14. Ritual and Initiation
Index
Adrian May is Community Fellow and former Deputy Director of Creative Writing at the University of Essex, UK. He is the author of three previous books about creativity: Myth and Creative Writing (2011), The Magic of Writing (2018), Tradition in Creative Writing (2021) and Boot Sale Harvest (non-fiction, 2023). He has also published several collections of poems and songs, including Full Fathom Folk (2022) and Grail Island (2025), the latter inspired by some of the material in this book.
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