At this year’s Professional Writing Conference, keynote speaker Zena Dell Lowe (at The Storyteller’s Mission) delivered a powerful challenge to every storyteller. The world doesn’t need more content—it needs heroes.
Zena began with a haunting observation: today’s teens struggle to name a single real-life hero. Celebrities have replaced role models. Virtue has been traded for image. We’re not just losing our stories, we’re losing our moral compass.
Throughout three sessions, Zena walked us through the decline of the heroic archetype, the danger of glamorizing antiheroes, and the urgent need for stories that call us upward.
“When we as storytellers fail to provide heroes, we as a society lose our virtue.” — Zena Dell Lowe
Zena reminded us that heroes matter. They shape values, inspire action, and reflect who we could become. As storytellers, we become moral architects. The words we write help define what culture celebrates or condemns. True heroes aren’t perfect, but they grow, change, and sacrifice. In doing so, they invite us to rise alongside them to greatness.
Zena also offered 7 Guiding Principles for writing redemptive, powerful stories:
- Tell the truth
- Do no harm
- Portray good and evil accurately
- Present the possibility of redemption
- Foster connection, not voyeurism
- Show true repentance
- Honor mystery and complexity
“It’s not naïve to believe in heroes—it’s necessary.” — Zena Dell Lowe
In a culture drowning in cynicism, antiheroes, and moral confusion, Zena made the case that stories still have the power to redeem. But only if we, the storytellers, are bold enough to write heroes again.
Her message was clear: Your story still matters. And if we reclaim heroism in our craft, our words just might help reclaim the world.
PWR Blog 