Archive for June, 2011
Jun
29
Filed in Animals
Writing Fairy Tales
Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, and far, far away, there lived an author. We all recognize the classic beginning of a fairy tale. As children, fairy tales are often our favorite stories. As an author, having an understanding of the elements of a fairy tale will help you craft a delightful tale full of wonder.
Fairy tales and short stories. Most fairy tales are also short stories. There are exceptions, of course. Who can forget the beginning of the Star Wars trilogy with the roll of script receding into the distant stars “Once upon a time in a galaxy far away…”? If your goal is to write a fairy tale for reading at bedtime to young children, then use the more usual short story form. A short story by definition is a short, complete account of a particular event. Usually there is a very limited set of characters, a focused plot line, and minimal descriptive material.
Fairy tales are a subset of short stories. While having all the features of a short story, fairy tales also tend to include mystical and/or magical events and characters. There is typically an antagonist of great evil and a protagonist who is often portrayed as a child or at least a sort of innocent. There are often animal sidekicks or a diminutive person who supports one or the other of the main characters. The plot line is usually about how the innocent one overcomes the evil one or how someone is transformed. Evil is vanquished and the main character lives happily ever after. It is important to remember that fairy tales are not downers.
Elements of Fairy Tales. Fairy tales often use some combination of the following structural elements:
1. a great quest or task
2. a series of tests
3. repeating word sequences to reinforce the progress of the story
4. animals that can speak, do magic, or perform human activities
5. a “good” helper(s) to assist the main character
6. a setting in time/spatial periods “long ago and far away”
7. a moral lesson (like love conquers all, good overcomes evil, etc)
Characters. A typical set of characters for a fairy tale includes a sweet princess, a noble prince, a wicked stepmother or witch, a fairy godmother, and a set of diminutive helpers (the mice in Cinderella, the dwarfs in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). Due to the brevity of the story, the characters are only minimally developed and rely on the archetype to provide the reader with a fundamental understanding of the character. Your story does not need to have this exact delineation of characters, but use the general pattern and number in order to fit the fairy tale format.
Settings. If you are trying for the classic fairy tale, then you need castles and hovels, pristine, beautiful landscapes and dark, forbidding ones. If you are writing a “modern” fairy tale, use modern buildings but remember to apply the mold of dramatic contrasts. Fairy tales are about polar opposites and this is carried through in all the story elements.
Apply these concepts while you write your fairy tale, watch the magic happen, and when the royalties start rolling in, you can live happily ever after.
About the Author
Celia Webb, co-author of Publish Today!. Check out http://www.pilinutpress.com for more free articles on writing and publishing.
Rainbow Magic The Magic Animal Fairies.
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Pinocchio (Two-Disc 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo + BD Live) [Blu-ray] $35.99 This Disney masterpiece from 1940 will hold up forever precisely because it doesn’t restrain or temper the most elementalemotions and themes germane to its story. Based on the Collodi tale about a wooden puppet who wants to become a real boy, Pinocchio is among the most magical, mythical, and frightening films to come from the studio in its long history. A number of scenes make permanent impressio… |
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Cinderella (Two-Disc Special Edition) $29.99 When Cinderella’s cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball, she gets some unexpected help from the lovable mice Gus and Jaq, and from her Fairy Godmother…. |
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Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures (Hardcover) $18.29 255 characters or less! |
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The Hidden Bestiary of Marvelous, Mysterious, and (Maybe Even) Magical Creatures (Hardcover) $13.09 Explorer Basil Bernard Barnswhitten travels around the world to track down the unusual creatures on his strange list, and readers can follow his journal to find the camouflaged animals in each lushly detailed scene that is also a habitat for other stra… |
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The Princess and the Snowbird (Paperback) $7.36 She is the headstrong daughter of the hound and the bear, heir to all her royal parents` magic and able to transform at will into any animal she wishes. He is an outcast, a boy without magic, determined to make his way in the forest behold… |
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Erin the Phoenix Fairy (Paperback) $4.93 Rachel and Kirsty are off on another exciting adventure – with the Magical Animal Fairies!Rachel and Kirsty are heading to outdoor adventure camp — and another fairy adventure is just around the corner! The Magical Animal Fairies` seven ani… |
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Rihanna the Seahorse Fairy (Paperback) $4.93 Rachel and Kirsty are off on another exciting adventure – with the Magical Animal Fairies!Rachel and Kirsty are heading to outdoor adventure camp — and another fairy adventure is just around the corner! The Magical Animal Fairies` seven ani… |
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Fairy Tales from Hans Christian Andersen/Classic Illustrated Edition (Hardcover) $15.22 The entrancing world of toys, animals, magical kingdoms, and mystical beings is magnificently brought to life by master storyteller Andersen in this fourth title in Chronicle Books` extremely successful Classic Illustrated Edition series. Contains “The… |
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Fairies to Paint or Color (Paperback) $4.9 Fairies never fail to engage the imagination, and this new coloring book promises to please everyone! These 23 scenes depict fanciful sprites amid the magic of nature, surrounded by flowers, butterflies, and woodland creatures…. |
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Fourth Grade Fairy (Paperback) $6.92 When fairy-godmother-in-training Willow`s wish to attend a human school comes true, she finds getting along with humans to be harder than she expected, but her newly-acquired magical talent makes it easy to collaborate with animals. |
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Leona the Unicorn Fairy (Paperback) $7.64 Rachel and Kirsty are off on another exciting adventure – with the Magical Animal Fairies!Rachel and Kirsty are heading to outdoor adventure camp — and another fairy adventure is just around the corner! The Magical Animal Fairies` seven ani… |
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Draw 50 Princesses $8.86 Provides step-by-step instructions for drawing objects, animals, and characters from fairy tales, including a dragon, magic wand, fairy, princess, and wizard. |
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Lara the Black Cat Fairy (Paperback) $4.93 Rachel and Kirsty are off on another exciting adventure – with the Magical Animal Fairies!Rachel and Kirsty are heading to outdoor adventure camp — and another fairy adventure is just around the corner! The Magical Animal Fairies` seven ani… |
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Caitlin the Ice Bear Fairy (Paperback) $4.93 Rachel and Kirsty are off on another exciting adventure – with the Magical Animal Fairies!Rachel and Kirsty are heading to outdoor adventure camp — and another fairy adventure is just around the corner! The Magical Animal Fairies` seven ani… |
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Sophia the Snow Swan Fairy (Paperback) $4.93 Rachel and Kirsty are off on another exciting adventure – with the Magical Animal Fairies!Rachel and Kirsty are heading to outdoor adventure camp — and another fairy adventure is just around the corner! The Magical Animal Fairies` seven ani… |
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Ashley the Dragon Fairy (Paperback) $4.93 Rachel and Kirsty are off on another exciting adventure — with the Magical Animal Fairies!Rachel and Kirsty are heading to outdoor adventure camp — and another fairy adventure is just around the corner! The Magical Animal Fairies` seven an… |
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Fablehaven Book 1 by Brandon Mull (Hardcover) $13.43 When Kendra and Seth go to stay at their grandparents’ estate, they discover that it is a sanctuary for magical creatures and that a battle between good and evil is looming. |
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Quentin Blake`s Amazing Animal Stories (Hardcover) $13.85 A pompous hippo, magical monkeys, a fearless tortoise, and a world of other amazing animals are waiting in this timeless collection of folktalesFull of stories that will entertain and get children thinking, … |
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Pia the Penguin Fairy (Paperback) $4.94 The Ocean Fairies keep all the sea creatures safe and happy — until their magic goes missing! This is our eleventh group of Rainbow Magic fairies. The Ocean Fairies keep all the sea creatures safe and happy! But when the goblins shatter thei… |
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The Monster Book of Manga $16.8 Description not available. |
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Tess the Sea Turtle Fairy (Paperback) $4.94 The Ocean Fairies keep all the sea creatures safe and happy — until their magic goes missing! This is our eleventh group of Rainbow Magic fairies. The Ocean Fairies keep all the sea creatures safe and happy! But when the goblins shatter thei… |
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Where Giants Hide (Hardcover) $11.84 Award-winning author and illustrator create a vibrant story that celebrates magic and dreams In this gorgeously illustrated picture book, explore the hidden world of giants, mermaids, goblins, and all manner of magical creatures. A you… |
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Whitney the Whale Fairy (Paperback) $4.94 The Ocean Fairies keep all the sea creatures safe and happy — until their magic goes missing! This is our eleventh group of Rainbow Magic fairies. The Ocean Fairies keep all the sea creatures safe and happy! But when the goblins shatter thei… |
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Stephanie the Starfish Fairy (Paperback) $4.94 The Ocean Fairies keep all the sea creatures safe and happy — until their magic goes missing! This is our eleventh group of Rainbow Magic fairies. The Ocean Fairies keep all the sea creatures safe and happy! But when the goblins shat… |
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Ally the Dolphin Fairy (Paperback) $4.94 The Ocean Fairies keep all the sea creatures safe and happy — until their magic goes missing! This is our eleventh group of Rainbow Magic fairies. The Ocean Fairies keep all the sea creatures safe and happy! But when the goblins shatter thei… |
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Swan Kingdom (Paperback) $8.9 When her mother, the queen, is killed in the forest by a terrifying beast, Alexandra, suspecting that the new woman in her father`s life is not what she seems, is exiled, betrayed and must face magic, murder and the loss of all she holds dear in a desp… |
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5 Steps to Drawing Magical Creatures (Hardcover) $22.46 Provides step-by-step instructions for drawing magical and mythical creatures, including elves, wizards, mermaids, and fairies. |
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Barbie Presents Thumbelina (DVD) $8.41 In this cute and colorful rendition of a classic fairy tale, Barbie tells the story of Thumbelina, an itsy bitsy girl who lives amongst the Twillerbees (tiny, magical creatures) in a field of wildflowers. When a spoiled city dweller picks Thumbelina?s … |
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Ferngully: The Last Rainforest – Family Feature Edition; Widescreen (DVD) $8.9 When Chrysta the magical tree fairy comes across the terrible monster machines that are eating the forest, she accidentally shrinks a construction worker to fairy size. Once small, and with the help of Chrysta and the other fairies and creatures of the… |
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Surprise for a Princess (Paperback) $3.95 The good fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather make a mess trying to surprise Princess Aurora on her birthday, but their magic fixes things in the end. Simultaneous. |
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Primrose and the Magic Snowglobe $6.92 Inside you in the power to do anythingEven for magical creatures, a wish is an incredibly powerful thing!None of the fairies at Madam Toad`s Fairy Circle have ever heard of a gargoyle who couldn`t sit still or a gremlin who liked fixing… |
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Reckless (Paperback) $8.9 Beyond the mirror, the darkest fairy tales come alive.For years, Jacob Reckless has enjoyed the Mirrorworld`s secrets and treasures. Not anymore. His younger brother has followed him. Now dark magic will turn the boy to beast, bre… |
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Draw Magical Fantasies $8.9 Provides step-by-step instructions in drawing elves, fairies, wizards, court jesters, mermaids, and other magical creatures. |
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Encyclopedia Mythologica: Gods and Heroes (Hardcover) $19.59 A pop-up sequel to Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures profiles the supernatural deities revered by long-ago civilizations, from Egypt`s Ra-Atum and Greece`s Zeus to the Norse god Odin and Oceania`s Pele. |
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Fairies & Fantasy (Paperback) $9.85 Fairies, mermaids, and angels have captivated imaginations throughout the centuries. Embodying all that is feminine, sparkly, and magical, these fantastic creatures have found their ways into c… |
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Magic Mess! (Paperback) $3.91 Everybody knows that fairies are charming little creatures, dainty, pretty, and tidy. Airy Fairy is different. Young readers who make her acquaintance soon realize that she does have charmbut dainty? Tidy? Not Airy Fairy! Kids will laugh as they read t… |
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The Earl and the Fairy 3 (Paperback) $9.89 Reads R to L (Japanese Style), for audiences rated teen. Lydia Carlton is a fairy doctor,one of the few people with the ability to see the magical creatures who share our world. During one of her rare trips to London to visit her father, Lydia`s qui… |
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The Earl and the Fairy 2 (Paperback) $9.89 Reads R to L (Japanese Style), for audiences rated teen. Lydia Carlton is a fairy doctor,one of the few people with the ability to see the magical creatures who share our world. During one of her rare trips to London to visit her father, Lydia`s qui… |
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Magic Mix-Up! (Paperback) $3.91 Everybody knows that fairies are charming little creatures, dainty, pretty, and tidy. Airy Fairy is different. Young readers who make her acquaintance soon realize that she does have charmB?but dainty? Tidy? Not Airy Fairy! Kids will laugh as they read… |
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Magic Mischief! (Paperback) $3.91 Everybody knows that fairies are charming little creatures, dainty, pretty, and tidy. Airy Fairy is different. Young readers who make her acquaintance soon realize that she does have charmbut dainty? Tidy? Not Airy Fairy! Kids will laugh as they read t… |
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Books By L. Frank Baum $55.31 Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Commentary (books not included). Pages: 488. Not illustrated. Chapters: Oz Books, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Patchwork Girl of Oz, List of Oz Books, Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, Son of a Witch, List of Published Oz Apocrypha, the Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, the Magical Monarch of Mo, the Last Egyptian, the Marvelous Land of Oz, Aunt Jane’s Nieces, John Dough and the Cherub, Queen Zixi of Ix, Policeman Bluejay, a Lion Among Men, Sir Harold and the Gnome King, the Magical Mimics in Oz, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, Aunt Jane’s Nieces and Uncle John, the Tin Woodman of Oz, Tik-Tok of Oz, Ozoplaning With the Wizard of Oz, the Hidden Valley of Oz, the Emerald City of Oz, Aunt Jane’s Nieces in the Red Cross, Aunt Jane’s Nieces Abroad, Ozma of Oz, the Scarecrow of Oz, the Shaggy Man of Oz, the Enchanted Island of Yew, Father Goose: His Book, the Flying Girl, the Enchanted Apples of Oz, Rinkitink in Oz, the Forbidden Fountain of Oz, Handy Mandy in Oz, Aunt Jane’s Nieces at Millville, the Ozmapolitan of Oz, Paradox in Oz, the Lost Princess of Oz, Daughters of Destiny, the Runaway in Oz, the Magic Dishpan of Oz, the Woggle-Bug Book, the Magic of Oz, Aunt Jane’s Nieces in Society, the Wizard of the Emerald City, the Giant Garden of Oz, Sky Island, Sam Steele’s Adventures on Land and Sea, Queen Ann in Oz, the Scalawagons of Oz, the Road to Oz, the Sea Fairies, Yankee in Oz, Annabel, Little Wizard Stories of Oz, the Wonder City of Oz, Aunt Jane’s Nieces at Work, the Fate of a Crown, American Fairy Tales, Was, the Giant Horse of Oz, by the Candelabra’s Glare, the Master Key, L. Frank Baum’s Juvenile Speaker, Animal Fairy Tales, the Unknown Witches of Oz, Bloodstained Oz, the Lost King of Oz, the Twinkle Tales, Aunt Jane’s Nieces Out West, Glinda of Oz, the Bluebird Books, the Gnome King of Oz, |
