Re: reverse chronology, that's interesting, because it tends to be the exact opposite for me! I like the act of traveling backwards and really twisting that SAD knife over and over, realizing that the longer the story is the sadder and sadder it gets, because we already know how it ends. (Gee, I'm morbid.) In regards to relationship stuff - the disintegration of a relationship has always been a favorite/fascinating subject for me, while the aftermath of that disintegration feels less so. (My bf says this is a weird interest for someone in a healthy relationship to have.)

As for the Quest/Hero, etc., I think I was working off of Joseph Campbell's Hero Cycle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_cycle) (otherwise known as the Monomyth). At the time of ASfSE, it was indeed from an English class. It does make for interesting reading, and I'm sorry I'm only now getting back to you months after this comment :(