Starting in medias res isn't about explosions or car chases—it's about emotional impact. True mastery means dropping readers into a moment that already matters, whether that's an emotional crisis, a conversation that changes everything, or a discovery that reshapes the story. It's meaningful disruption, not mindless spectacle.
The traditional Hero's Journey doesn't quite fit modern speculative fiction. When your hero navigates fractured realities instead of ordinary worlds, faces cosmic mentors who mislead rather than guide, and returns with complex truths rather than simple wisdom, you need a fresh approach. Here's how to adapt Campbell's monomyth for other worlds.
Kenneth W. Myers 