April 07, 2014

Fairy Tales (How to Write)


F is for Fairy Tales (How to Write)

1.    Snatch a Burning Spark

Of course you’ll need an idea. That much is a given. Maybe you want to write about a princess of dirt or a princess from New Zealand. Well, guess what? You can!

2.    Create the hero/heroines.

This could be a princess or a little boy/girl who gets into mischief. Describe their personality, clothes, appearance (eye/hair color, etc.).
Tip: Although this is a fairy tale, they still need to be relatable. 
 See: Characters Make a Book
3.    Create the villain.

This could be a wicked witch, an evil king/queen, a mean relative, or a bully.
TIP: Give the villain nasty traits and let them do bad things. They aren’t supposed to be liked. 
See: Protagonist VS. Antagonist 
4.    Choose a setting.

The setting can be anywhere in the world. Or even in your mind (Alice in Wonderland).

These countries currently have kings, queens, princes and princesses:

Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, Grenada, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Vatican City.

Could you create a princess from one of these countries? Sure you could!

5.    Pick a lesson for your hero/heroine to learn.

In fairy tales, the hero/heroine always learns a lesson. This can be as simple as never going inside a stranger’s house (Hansel and Gretel) to girls can do anything boys can, even be a warrior in battle (Mulan). 

6.    Add a magical element.

This can be done with magical creatures (fairies, talking animals, etc.), powers (good and bad), objects (a genie lamp: Aladdin), spells/curses, or myths (If you kiss a frog, it’ll turn into a prince: The Princess and the Frog). 

7.    Plot

Answer these questions:

·         How does your fairy tale begin?
·         What obstacles does your hero/heroine have to overcome?
·         Who/what gets in his/her way? 
(This will heighten the action leading to the climax.)
·         How does your hero/heroine win?

8.    Write!

Use your imagination and creativity now more than ever. Think outside the box; think the impossible because the impossible becomes possible in fairy tales.

Don’t neglect romance! For fairy tales, you’ll have to dial down the romance (this is for children after all), but please let your heroine fall in love. Fairy tales are known not just for their magical elements and princesses but for their love stories. We may know things like this don’t happen in real-life, but that doesn’t mean we can’t indulge in these fantasies. 

9.    Happily-Ever-After

A happily-ever-after is a MUST for a fairy tale, even if you don’t believe in them. The hero and heroine have to prevail over the villain and succeed in their conquest (whether it’s saving the world or gaining freedom from an evil stepmother). On top of all that, your hero and heroine should be in love, so your story could possibly end with a first kiss (true love’s first kiss, of course) or a wedding.
See: Writing About: A Happily Ever After
10.    Edit

Always!
See: How to Edit a Book


 THE END


QUESTION: What is your favorite fairy tale?

Mine has, and always will be, Sleeping Beauty. But I do love Mulan, Pocahontas, and The Little Mermaid, too. :)


A to Z Blogging Challenge:


50 comments:

  1. I did sort of a fairytale (or Disney with a twist as I referred to it) for NaNo one year. Haven't finished the book yet, but I fully intend to. It's not too far off. :)

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    1. I have an idea for a "Disney-type" fairy tale. I just have to find the time to write it. :)

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  2. Great tips as always, Chrys!

    Wow! You met Sleeping Beauty? That's wonderful! I hope I'll meet her soon.

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    1. Thank you, Sittie!

      I sure did! She's my favorite princess, so when I went to Disney several years ago I HAD to meet her. :D

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  3. I'm so pleased I found you will visiting around during the #challenge. I am already rewarded by this first post since 'following.' If I can't move on in the 2nd novel I'm writing, maybe I should write a fairytale for the little ones in my life based on these instructions. Thanks!

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    1. I am pleased you find this post rewarding, Stepheny! :) I think you should! But I wish you the best of luck with your second novel. :)

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  4. Good advice for any story not just fairy tales, LOL

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  5. I'm very much into fairy tale stories and like to think I write original ones that have no ties to established ones. Well, we'll see how the debut fairs next year. :)

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    1. Fairy tales inspire me in my writing all the time, even when I'm not even aware of it. I can't wait for your debut, David! :)

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  6. I'm quite partial to Grimms' Fairytales, seeing as that was the very first book I ever read, at the tender age of three. It subconsciously primed me for the realities of life, and I understood even then that real life is often more like a Grimms' fairytale than a Disney fairytale. I think it's the reason why so much of my writing, even at a young age, has tended to have a dark edge to it instead of being happy and sunshiny, with easily-earned happy endings.

    I also love foreign fairytales, like from Russia, China, Armenia, Native American cultures, and India.

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    1. I love what the Brothers Grimm created. Fairy tales inspire me and they are great teachers of morals. I don't have kids right now, but when I do, I'll read fairy tales to them. :)

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  7. This is really fun, Chrys! It makes me want to write kids fairytales now, so far from what I actually write. One of my favorites was "The Princess Bride". Great tips and we can apply them to any work of fiction if we want to strip down our writing to the basic storytelling.

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    1. Thank you, Lisa! I'm glad that these tips could be used for more than just fairy tales. :)

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  8. My favorite fairy tale is, of course, the one I wrote (humble me, right?): THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS/ Celtic myth, magic, Indian lore, all based on the tales my Lakota mother told me. J R R Tolkien wrote a wonderful essay on fairy tales.

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    1. The Bear with Two Shadows sounds amazing! I'm going to have to read it! Thank you for telling me about your fairy tale, Roland. :)

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  9. One of my FAVORITE types of stories, to be sure. This is a great list/outline to get someone started. *high five* Going to have to archive it and refer newbies here.

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  10. Awesome list of tips for creating great fairytales. Thank you for this! ♥

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  11. Interesting post! I've always loved fairy tales, and you make writing one seem like so much fun.

    The happy ending part made me smile, though. I think that is mostly a Disney invention. Hans Christian Andersen and the Grimm brothers certainly wrote fairy tales with some disturbing endings. The original "Little Mermaid" is actually pretty sad.

    I think my favourite fairy tale would have to be The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.

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    1. Oh, and Bluebeard! Talk about a creepy story!

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    2. Happy endings are a Disney thing, but Brothers Grimm also rewrote their fairy tales to make them more family friendly. My tips are definitely for happy fairy tales versus dark ones.

      "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" is a great pick! I haven't read Bluebeard, but if it truly is creepy I'll have to! ;)

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    3. I love the Little Mermaid so it's surprising that I haven't read the original story yet (though I have heard the tale). That's been bumped up on my TBR list. :)

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  12. I love your little outline. It's perfect. I'm watching Once Upon a Time on demand while I'm reading your blog. That shows makes me love Captain Hook best!

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    1. Once Upon a Time is one of my favorite shows! I love Hook, too. ;)

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  13. I enjoyed reading all your points. Glad I stopped by. My favorite fairy tale is Beauty And The Beast. I like Sleeping Beauty too.

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  14. What a useful outline and inspiration! I'm a Beauty and the Beast fan, in all of its forms (I used the basic concept in my own romance novel). And I love grown up versions of it, like Phantom of the Opera. And thank you for stopping by Sia McKye's Over Coffee as part of the A-Z challenge. It's great to meet new bloggers!

    Kat Sheridan with Sia McKye Over Coffee

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    1. Hi, Kat! It was nice to meet you over at Sia's blog, too. The Beauty and the Beast is a classic that can be spun and re-imagined in many different ways. The concept is very intriguing. I'll have to check out your romance novel. ;) Thank you for stopping by!

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  15. Excellent checklist. Guess that's why I'd never write a fairy tale - I'm not good with villains.

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    1. Thank you, Alex. Oh, villains are so much fun! I guess I have a dark side. ;)

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  16. Haha that's so cool. I think about writing my own fairy tales all the time. Thus my theme this year. Happy A to Z!

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  17. Hehe, I like writing the twisted kind...and, er, they're most definitely not for children.

    This was a fun list -- thanks for the links!

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    1. The twisted adult kind would require a different post. ;)

      Thank you for commenting, Nicki!

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  18. Nice tips! Alice has always been a favorite of mine, though Sleeping Beauty is very nice, also. Thanks for visiting today. Hope to read more!
    Donna Smith
    The A-to-Z Challenge
    http://mainelywrite.blogspot.com/
    Mainely Write

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    1. Alice is a wonderful classic. ;) Thank you for visiting, Donna!

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  19. I am partial to "The Ugly Duckling." I love a late bloomer story.

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    1. There's no other way to start a fairy tale. ;)

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  21. Great tips! I'd say my favorite is Mulan because I love kick butt heroines. But I think the most fascinating thing about fairy tales is how different the original scary tales are from the current happier versions. While I love a good happy ending, I enjoy the karmic justice in some of the old school ones.

    Hope you’re having fun with the A to Z challenge,
    Jocelyn

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    1. I too love butt-kicking heroines. That's why in all of my stories my heroines are butt-kickers. :P Yes, the Brothers Grimm rewrote their stories to make them family friendly. But of course, the tales now are even happier.

      I am having fun with the challenge. I hope you are too! :)

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  22. this is awesome!!! thanks for the idea! happy blogging

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  23. I love this simple list of necessities. It's almost like an outline that can be filled in with anything in your imagination.

    Random Musings from the KristenHead — F is for 'Fringe' and 'Firefly': First-class Sci-fi Shows

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