What are the signs of a fairytale world? How can you know quite quickly you ARE in one (via fiction I'm presuming for the purposes of this post! If you do find a portal to another world, however, be sure to report back with plenty of details, pictures if at all possible. We will all want to know!!).
1. Magic. The biggest giveaway of course is the use of magic. The interesting thing to work out when planning your stories though is whether everyone can use magic or just a select few. If everyone can use it, what are the rules so anarchy doesn't break out? Boundaries increase the drama in your story. If everyone can zap everyone else, that doesn't make for much of a story. If only a few can do that but the price they pay is their own lives are forfeit, now there's a potential story.
2. Inanimate Objects - The Use Of. We all know from Disney (see Beauty and the Beast) a teapot, to name one example, is rarely just a teapot! Sometimes they're an enchanted victim. Sometimes these things are portals (also see Harry Potter). So what uses are the inanimate objects put to in your setting? Does a particular object convey a particular meaning or power and, if so, what and why? What are the limits to the use of objects?
3. Creatures. Ranging from domestic animals that can talk (hello, Puss in Boots! Loved Puss in Shrek. Thought they had the portrayal spot on) to odd creatures that are the stuff of legends to monsters of course. Basically what you wouldn't see here! And there's nothing to stop you inventing your own. This is where some knowledge of natural history is invaluable. Knowing what animals need to survive and how their bodies are designed to handle that should inspire some ideas for how the creatures in your stories will do this kind of thing.
Happy writing!
1. Magic. The biggest giveaway of course is the use of magic. The interesting thing to work out when planning your stories though is whether everyone can use magic or just a select few. If everyone can use it, what are the rules so anarchy doesn't break out? Boundaries increase the drama in your story. If everyone can zap everyone else, that doesn't make for much of a story. If only a few can do that but the price they pay is their own lives are forfeit, now there's a potential story.
2. Inanimate Objects - The Use Of. We all know from Disney (see Beauty and the Beast) a teapot, to name one example, is rarely just a teapot! Sometimes they're an enchanted victim. Sometimes these things are portals (also see Harry Potter). So what uses are the inanimate objects put to in your setting? Does a particular object convey a particular meaning or power and, if so, what and why? What are the limits to the use of objects?
3. Creatures. Ranging from domestic animals that can talk (hello, Puss in Boots! Loved Puss in Shrek. Thought they had the portrayal spot on) to odd creatures that are the stuff of legends to monsters of course. Basically what you wouldn't see here! And there's nothing to stop you inventing your own. This is where some knowledge of natural history is invaluable. Knowing what animals need to survive and how their bodies are designed to handle that should inspire some ideas for how the creatures in your stories will do this kind of thing.
Happy writing!
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