I write a wide range of flash fiction stories, amongst other things, and a significant amount of what I do here is on the lighthearted side.  Yes, books and stories can tackle a wide range of issues (and should do too) but there should also be books and stories that are purely for entertainment/escapism.  (We all need that after all).

In your fictional world, what would your characters read to help them escape their cares for a while?  Is humorous fiction known in your fictional world or is everything meant to be serious and educational?  (Nothing wrong with the latter incidentally but it, to my mind, is a sad world when there can't be fiction which is simply fun - to read and write.  Mind, that could be the point of your creation - it is a sad world, in which case the story is how did it get to that point?)

1. A satisfactory ending.  Not necessarily a happy one (see the original of The Little Mermaid for a clear example of a fairytale that didn't end what would usually be considered in a happy way).  But the ending has to make sense and to suit the main character.
   
2. A clear hero/heroine and villain.  One of the things I love about fairytales is they do have a strong sense of right and wrong and strong characters on both sides of the "fence" are needed to achieve that.
   
3. A little magic.  But I also like characters to help themselves or prove themselves worthy of receiving magical help or, of course, both.  Cinderella is a good example here.  Clearly didn't deserve her ill-treatment but also a kindly soul despite it.  So worthy of the fairy godmother's assistance?  Definitely.
   
4. A message without being preachy.  A good fairytale will have a clear point to it and will not need to shout it out.  It will become more and more obvious as the tale unfolds.
   
5. The right character "winning".  Usually this is the obvious hero/heroine but the Shrek films subverts this brilliantly by making the ogre the right character! 
   

So who would be the right characters for your fairytales/magical stories and why?  Are they really strong enough to carry your story?

Following on from yesterday's post about possible headlines in a magical world environment, here are some more:-

1. Sister of dead witch denies climate change being responsible for farmhouse falling out of sky.  Probably an article for a non-tabloid paper.  (Can see in depth interview here).
   
2. Nothing ever fits properly, claims Thumbelina.  A fashion story for one of the women's mags.
   
3. Timekeeping overrated, says Cinderella.  One for the tabloids.  Probably a chance for Cinders to whinge at a fairy godmother whose magic has a time limit on it.
   
4. One night delivery service means one night per year, says Santa.  An article for one of the serious papers with our hero who wants to combat expectations of more than one annual visit from him and his "team".
   
5. Rudolph denies heavy drinking claims, says red nose is due to dodgy genes  One for the tabloids.  Probably an expose.
   

So what would be a typical headline in a magical world/fairytale environment newspaper or magazine?  Some ideas include:-

1. Royal security failure as peasant girl seen fleeing Palace party.  (Almost certainly from a tabloid perspective).
2. Spinning Wheel Ban:  Is it fair?  Probably in one of the craft magazines.
3. Eat Oats for Healthy Hair.  One for the advertising supplements with the three bears being the stars of the photoshoot (though grateful, given in certain parts of the world, they would simply be shot).
   
4. It's All Cobblers.  Tabloid reaction to the story of the Elves and the Shoemaker. 
   
5. Cold weather?  Bring it on!  One for a woman's magazine and the piece would be written by the Snow Queen, who would go on at length about the horrors of central heating.  (Mind you, The Snowman, would have plenty to say on that topic too).
   

Who are your characters influenced by (for good or evil)?  Do any of your characters break away from that influence?  If so, how do they do it and what is the outcome?  There's potential for several novels with that underlying theme!  But on a lighter note, here are some of my favourite fairytale and other characters and who I think they were influenced by in their younger years.

1. Humpty Dumpty.  Influenced by the Acrobatic Society who told him it was perfectly feasible for an egg to balance on a wall and stay balanced.  
   
2. Rapunzel.  Clearly must have been influenced by all the shampoo and glowing hair adverts to get her hair into that condition.  (Personally, I love the Shrek film where that glorious hair is shown up as a wig!).
   
3. Sleeping Beauty.  Influenced by the Spinning Wheels are Harmless Brigade.  Couldn't have been more wrong.
   
4. The Snow Queen.  Clearly convinced by the "treat them mean, keep them keen" school of thought.
   
5. The Ugly Duckling.  Was not convinced by the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder argument but more a case of "well you've got to make the best of it, haven't you?" school.  Was pleasantly surprised to discover his true identity.  Someone has yet to tell him what damage a swan can do when annoyed.  When he does find out, he'll go after all those who mocked him for being ugly when he was younger!  Well, you just would, wouldn't you?
   

Sometimes the simplest questions can be those most difficult to answer.  Who makes the rules?  Well in your fictional world, it would have to be the government (monarchy or otherwise), surely? 

Well, yes, but what if convention and tradition forces them to not bring in things they would otherwise like to do?  There the rules would be made by the expectation of the people being governed that the conventions and traditions will not be tampered with or scrapped.  (It would be a foolish government to just ignore the expectations - yes, they could impose their will by force but there is always the risk there they would be overthrown by force when the people have had enough).

Then there are the rules not governed by law.  What religious (if any) rules are there?  What are the generally accepted codes of conduct and what happens to those who flout these?  Who put these rules together in the first place and has anyone ever challenged them?

So who does  make the rules in your stories then?  The great thing is lots of stories can come out of how you answer that one.

One of my favourite stories is Robin Hood.  I went to see a local theatre production of this tonight. It was excellent and I will be writing more about this in my Chandler's Ford Today post next week.  But I suppose what I love most about Sherwood Forest's most famous resident is that it is a classic tale of wrongs being righted and I  think that is probably my favourite theme in fiction.

So in your fictional world, what would be their favourite stories?  Who would be their heroes and heroines?  Are they based on fact or are the stories completely invented?  (Part of my fascination with the Robin Hood tale is that it is possible this is based on fact - though there are arguments just as to where Robin came from and who exactly  he was based on.  My own  view is that it is highly likely he was nobly born, given the training in fighting someone of that background would have had.  I think a Robin from a humbler background would not have been such a capable fighter but the lovely thing with this story is whatever side of the fence you sit on here, there is still a wonderful story to enjoy!).

How do your character's favourite stories affect their lives?  Do they try to be like their heroes and heroines?  (From a villain's viewpoint, their hero would be what most of us would consider the legendary villain.  They'd definitely be cheering for the Sheriff of Nottingham if Robin Hood was a tale on their world!).

Usually in the fairytale world where there’s a “fantastic flash”, some supernatural being has turned up to either wreak havoc if they’re evil or bring about blessings/guidance/help to our hero/heroine if they’re good.  

For this post, I’m going to assume the supernatural being is a “good guy”.  Said supernatural being is usually accompanied with massive amounts of thunder and lightning and vast quantities of bright white light.  Our hero/heroine or whoever usually can’t look at them directly without blinding themselves (or being struck down by the supernatural being concerned for their impertinence).

But the appearance shouldn’t be totally unexpected if you want to avoid the convenient coincidental event that turns the tide for your hero/heroine.  And you generally do want to avoid that to keep a sense of realism going in even the most fantastic of stories.  You also want to avoid the convenient coincidence to avoid annoying your readers. (You can get away with that stunt once.  You do want them to read more of your work than that so on those grounds alone this option really is out).  And the “deus ex machina” as the Greeks called it was mocked at centuries ago as a lazy way for an author to get themselves and their characters out of trouble.  You certainly won’t get away with it now. You do want to do better than that and you must do so if you want your stories to be taken seriously and appreciated/published.

To get around the coincidental event nightmare (and it is from the author’s viewpoint for the reasons given above), there should be at least one hint that appearances like this do happen in your fictional world, even if they haven’t happened for centuries.  Personally, I prefer more than one hint spread out over the course of the story that this kind of thing has been known to happen.  When you then write the scene where the supernatural being does turn up, I, as reader, am ready for this and will be prepared to “run with you” over it.  For it to happen suddenly with no hints this can happen in your setting, my reaction is going to be “oh yes, really?” and I am then switched off by that story.  It suddenly loses any sense of credibility.  I stop reading and that’s the last thing you want your reader to do.

And even when the supernatural bit is written sensibly, you still want your hero/heroine to use whatever advice/help they’re given wisely and to use their own skills to make the most of this.  The help given should be that - help, not a “get out of jail free” type of thing.  But when doneC well (see the reappearance of Gandalf in Lord of the Rings for the classic example of this being written excellently), it will make all the difference to your characters and to your story.

I love stories of redemption, of characters who suddenly realise they’ve got things all wrong and need to change.  I do believe in the Damascus Road moment (I am a Christian after all) but from a fiction viewpoint, the best redemption stories are where characters slowly wake up to reality.  

One thing happens that makes them realise they could be wrong about something or someone, another thing occurs to confirm that feeling and so on.  I love it even more when the character tries to resist the change that is inevitably coming.  Will they hold out?  What will make them break?  Assuming they do break and do change, do they regret holding out for so long?

So what would your characters need to repent of?  This doesn’t necessarily need to be crime based though that is one logical way to go.  What brings it home to them they have been wrong?  How do other characters react when they change?  Are they convinced by the new behaviour or not?  Do they feel threatened by the change in the character and, if so, what do they do about it?

Change has consequences, so this must be reflected in your characters too.  Staying still and/or not facing up to the need to change also has consequences.  Which way will your character jump?  You can have lots of fun writing out these possibilities and working out which is best for your story and character.

In a fictional world, what would count as a miracle? 

It could be something as simple as two rival species putting their differences behind them and wars etc coming to an end as a result of that. 

It could be something more complicated such as a complete change of regime going from dictatorship to democracy.  (Now there's a miracle I'd like to see more often in certain places here!).

Whatever your miracle, there will be those who oppose it, denegrate it and those who welcome it, who've been working for it for years and so on.  What you can guarantee with miracles is things cannot be the same again after they have taken place and your story should reflect that.  Miracles =- big changes and big reactions to those changes.

What every fairy godmother (or at least those who hope to get anywhere in their chosen profession) would want/need to see in their armoury would include:-

1. Courage.  There are plenty who wouldn't face a witch, fairy godmothers do so regularly.  This means courage is vital to deal with the witch (whether it is just to ignore her insults or put a suitable spell on her to ensure she can't cause trouble again).
   
2. An appreciation of gardening and wildlife.  Comes in handy for pumpkin fans and those fairy godmothers wondering just what inanimate object they could use next to provide transportation for their ill-treated goddaughter.
   
3. The ability to move fast.  Whether it is running, or to take particular action, the fairy godmother will not suffer from hesitation.  She will just get on and do what she considers to be her ultimte task.
   
4. The ability to keep calm.  Useful in relation to point 1 above but, in general terms, this is crucial, especially when magic is likely to be about.
   
5. Decent training and equipment.  Is there a job anywhere in the world that doesn't have this requirement as one of their very basics?
   

The point of change refers to that moment when the character realises their life is about to be turned around and the quest/adventure/story begins for them.  We, the reader, of course will have seen this coming (the story is all about the change after all so we will be expecting something to happen), but the character will not have done so or will have tried resisting getting to this point so they can keep their life the same.  (Just as well they fail here actually - no story otherwise!).

The point of change has to be something significant for the character.  Frodo's point of change in The Lord of the Rings is that moment he is going to be the Ringbearer (starting back in Middle Earth with Bilbo's legacy to him rather than at the Council of Elrond, though his life takes another massive turn at that Council).  In Cinderella, the point of change is when the stepmother and her daughters come into Cinderella's life and all she knew before goes.

So what is your point of change for your character?  Is it powerful enough to be the story?  How does your character handle this?  What help do they get or are they alone?  Do they resist the change or fight back against it?  (Cinderella should have sought help years previously, I've always thought the fairy godmother turned up far too late in that tale!).  What are the ramifications of the change on other characters because Character A's life will change and that is bound to affect them too?

One reason I love fairytales (and fantasy in general) is that they have a wide range of themes, all of which appeal to me a lot.  I see the themes as:-

1. Justice will happen eventually. See the fate of Cinderella's stepmother and ugly sisters.  See the fate of the big bad wolf.  And that's just two examples.
   
2. Loyalty is important.  I think this is best shown in The Snow Queen and also Hansel and Gretel given, in both cases, the main characters are fantastically loyal to each other.  They will do all they can to help the other.
   
3. Self sacrifice isn't an issue.  If it needs to be done, it is.  This ties in with 2 above.  Frodo and Sam from Lord of the Rings are the best examples here.  Frodo's sacrifice is obvious but Sam gives up so much to stay with his friend.
   
4. Common sense is valued.  The Three Little Pigs is a good example of this.  In the classic version it is only the sensible pig who built with bricks that survived.  In kinder versions, he takes in his more foolish brothers.  The wolf still gets his comeuppance though.
   
5. Monsters will be defeated.  In a world where so many monsters are not defeated (certainly not quickly anyway), to come across this in fiction can be a comfort.
   

As well as standard spell and charm books and the classic fairytales, what books could you expect to find on the shelves of your average magical being?  Some of my suggestions would be:-

1. Everything You Need to Know about Pumpkins and Their Use in Magic.  Some fairy godmothers (namely Cinderella's) would find this the most useful book in their possession.  Others would use pumpkins in recipes.  
   
2. Wand Size - Does it Matter?   Some wizards (the more insecure I'd argue) might be interested in this one.
   
3. How to Fly Comfortably on a Broomstick.  The simple answer is nobody can, you are sitting on a stick when all is said and done, but that doesn't stop the manufacturers trying to claim their model is better in this department than that of another.  Nor does it stop opportunistic authors trying to earn a living by giving general tips here.  It's a little like the magical world equivalent of a how-to-write book.  They know there's always a market for books like this.
   
4. Voice Coaching - How to Perfect that Cackle.  Ideal for the beginner witch who wants to get her "sound" right.  There's no good bewitching someone if you haven't got the right cackle to go with it.  Every fairytale witch knows you've got to sound convincing.
   
5. House Building and Confectionery - A Dream Concoction or a Soggy Mess in the Wet Weather?  Says it all really.  Hansel and Gretel's "host" would have done well to have taken heed of the warning in this title.  Mind, she would also have done well to get her eyes tested.  That way she wouldn't have been shoved into an oven.
   

On my Facebook page tonight, I talk about the wide variety of books I have on my Kindle.  And the lovely thing about books is there is at least one out there to suit your every mood, interest in life and so on.  I have everything from C.S. Lewis to Doctor Who to short stories and crime novels on my device.  The joy of books should be celebrated I think.

So what would your characters read?  I am assuming your fictional world is a literate one.  I mentioned legends and myths in a recent post but what would be the popular books in your fictional world?  What books would the government/ruling authorities seek to control or ban?  What would the libraries (or equivalent) stock, presumably on said government's orders?

Do your characters read for pleasure or prefer to take in their stories via film or other media?  What would be the most popular type of book in your world and why?  (And are the authors better paid than here?!).

My Chandler's Ford Today post tonight, Introducing Guy Stauber - Marvel at Sir Bevis Comic - is about a graphic novel/comic book, Blood and Valour, which will be out in the spring and shares the adventures of Sir Bevis of Hampton, Southampton's legendary mascot figure. 

Guy Stauber, who has worked with Marvel, Disney and DC Comics, has produced some stunning artwork for this and the post talks about this and shares some of the images.  But going on to fiction, where do legends and myths come in to that?

One aspect of world building is to create what your society believes/honours and what its literature would be about.  All worlds should have some form of literature it consists important.  A fictional world has to have background and substance and inventing legends and myths your characters would read/know about adds depth to your creation.  They will help make your world seem more real.  Why?

Because those legends and myths would resonate with readers as each of our societies has its own variants here.  Overall we can all identify with a world where a legendary hero fights battles and wins (think Beowulf to Doctor Who!).  A fictional world without such background would seem as it if had something missing. 

And legends and myths can inspire your characters and give them a sound reason (at least from their viewpoint) for taking the actions they do, again adding depth to your story. So invent away!  Most of the details don't have to actually go in the story, just enough so your reader can work out what the legend/myth would be and can see why they would be important to your characters.  Of course, if lucky, you could produce those legends/myths as separate stories/books to your main ones.  I'm thinking of things like J.K. Rowling's Fantasic Beasts and Where to Find Them here.

Everyone needs helpful hints and tips when travelling.  If you're visiting another world (as you do), then these might tips might make the difference to whether you get back home in one piece or not.  So for visiting any magical realm, it would pay to:-

1. Don't upset the harmless looking old man/lady.  They're likely to be a wizard, witch or fairy godmother and don't take to insults kindly.
   
2. The animals are likely to talk.  It pays not to upset them either.  They've still got their animal tendencies.  So bear this in mind if you come across three bears.  Bears are excellent killers.
   
3. Never eat or drink anything that might have been tampered with - magically or otherwise. Best to assume everything you come across has been tampered with and take plenty of supplies.  Also pays not to have too long a visit so you don't have to carry too much with you.
   
4. It is not uncommon for creatures, especially birds, to act as spies.  So act honourably and be discreet so they have nothing to report on as far as you are concerned.
   
5. Insects, spiders etc are likely to be giant versions of what you would find on Earth.  They also tend to be meat eaters and love fresh supplies so stay well clear.
   

What would you ask your characters if you could?  Some of my suggestions would be:-

1. Why do you not always act the way I think you're going to?  (Answer:  because I have come to life on the page and you should be pleased about that, you authors are an ungrateful bunch).  Sometimes it is a case of not thinking your character through enough, though I've found when I've done that, the character hasn't really gripped me and I find them difficult to write for/about.  I treat that now as a warning sign the character either needs more work or cutting out if my story is to proceed.
   
2. What makes you love/hate the way you do?  Sometimes I've found my Character A loathes Character B and there is a strong enough reason for it, but I have the nagging feeling there is more depth to be mined here and it's too easy not to dig deep enough.
   
3. In the case of stubborn characters, do you have to be stubborn ALL the time?  My Eileen, the rebellious fairy godmother, would say yes to that, it makes her what she is (and to be fair, it does).  Though there is a case for adapting this question to whatever is the dominant trait your character has and asking them why they are like this all the time.  You do have to know how your characters "tick" to be able to write about them successfully.
   

What do I look for in a character?  My criteria are:-

1. Hidden Depths.  I like characters to surprise me (not by literally acting wildly out of character) by coming out with actions that are in keeping with their personality but still show there is more to them than at first meets the eye.
   
2. Courage.  Even villains can be brave...  now there's an interesting thought.  (Incidentally who would you admire most - a brave villain or a devious hero?  I'm torn here because I suspect the hero would be in a situation where some deviousness might be needed to survive).
   
3. Ability to get on with others.  Okay, as in life, no character is going to get along with everyone but it is a bad sign if a character can't get on with anyone.
   
4. Reliability.  I want a character to keep to their word (unless there is a phenomenally good reason for them not to but then I would expect that reason to be so clear there's no arguing with it.  Would make a good plot twist I suspect).  Ironically I'm not against unreliable narrators and so on (though I find them difficult to write.  I actually prefer a villain who is blatant about said villainy,  There is a kind of reliability about that).
   
5. Empathy.  Even villains can do this, sometimes.  It's who they'd have empathy for and why that would fascinate me (and should, in my view, make a great story).  Heroes/heroines of course should have huge capacity for empathy.  The one exception to this rule for me is Sherlock Holmes and even there he needs John Watson to "water him down" a bit.  Would Sherlock be so popular without Watson I wonder.