Intisar Khanani, author of the Dauntless Path series and the Sunbolt Chronicles, will be leading a writers’ workshop at the Cheviot Branch of the Cincinnati Public Library.

Writer-in-Residence Workshop: Writing Mighty Girls & The Heroine’s Journey

What does it mean to write strong characters—and girls, specifically? In this workshop, we’ll begin by unpacking different forms of historically feminine strength, from compassion and mercy to persistence and determination. Then we’ll launch into a discussion of the heroine’s journey, as described by Gail Carriger in her book, The Heroine’s Journey For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Culture. This journey, in comparison to the traditional Hero’s Journey, is about building community and networks of allies, and of finding strength together at the climactic moment.

Participants will leave with a better understanding of the Heroine’s Journey—and be able to spot it in stories both contemporary and ancient—as well as a treasure trove of ideas to play with as they reimagine what it means to be a hero.