researching and writing about a mythical character quiz

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Researching Mythical Characters Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which is an example of a direct quotation.

• Zeus was the king of the gods.
• Dr.W.Wharton explains, 'Zeus was the king of the gods, ruler of sky, weather, law, and fate.' (correct)
• According to Dr.W.Wharton, Zeus had many roles.
• Dr. W. Wharton discusses Zeus extensively.

What should Dana's second research question be regarding Pandora?

What are some modern examples of Pandora's influence?

What is a credible source for Dana's research on Pandora?

Using an encyclopedia entry for research.

What events shaped Perseus's life?

<p>What events shaped Perseus's life?</p> Signup and view all the answers

Plagiarism can be avoided by ____.

<p>using MLA format to cite sources</p> Signup and view all the answers

What must Sammy do to paraphrase an article correctly?

<p>Restate the ideas of the article in his own words.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which best defines plagiarism?

<p>The illegal practice of passing the work of another as one's own work.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which website is most credible for research on Demeter?

<p>An article published by <a href="http://www.mythologymuseum.org">www.mythologymuseum.org</a>.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement should be revised for a more formal tone?

<p>Artemis wasn't great to have around because she's the one who brought death and disease everywhere.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a revised version of Spencer's informal statement?

<p>An interesting fact about Greek mythology is its connection to many modern names. One example is East Sparta, Ohio, a town that takes its name from the home of Greece's famous warriors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which would most likely be found in informal writing?

<p>Conversational language</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Poseidon, the coolest of the Greek gods, ruled the seas with his awesome tri-tip fish spear.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is an effective research question for developing an essay topic?

<p>What is the story of Hercules, and what lesson does it teach?</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the best paraphrase of the paragraph about Achilles?

<p>'Achilles' heel' is a term used to describe a weak spot. The phrase comes from the story of a Greek soldier who was thought to be unbeatable—but was actually vulnerable.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the best revision of Elise's conclusion for a formal tone?

<p>Readers should become familiar with the Greek goddess, Hera. Her strength, wisdom, and beauty set her apart from other Olympians.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What should Elizabeth's second research question be about Theseus?

<p>Which traits show Theseus's heroism?</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a credible source for Elizabeth's research on Theseus?

<p>A current article from a scholarly website.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Quotations and plagiarism.

• A direct quotation is an exact replication of someone's spoken or written words, such as Dr. W. Wharton's description of Zeus.
• Plagiarism is defined as the act of presenting someone else's work as one's own without proper attribution.

Mythological Characters

• Pandora is recognized as the first woman in Greek mythology. Her myth explores themes of curiosity, consequences, and cultural impact.
• Researching Pandora should include her influence in modern times, using encyclopedias as credible sources.
• Perseus serves as a prime example of a hero in Greek mythology. Effective research questions involve the events that shaped his life and how he overcame challenges.

Writing Techniques

• Proper citation using MLA format is necessary to avoid plagiarism.
• To paraphrase effectively, one must express the original ideas using their own words without altering the meaning.
• Informal writing often includes complex sentences which should be avoided in formal essays.

Tone and Style

• A formal tone should replace casual or subjective language, especially when discussing figures like Artemis and Poseidon.
• Statements about Greek mythology should maintain a scholarly and respectful tone while eliminating superlatives.
• Revisions to enhance formality should clarify and elevate the language, such as describing Hera’s attributes rather than expressing personal admiration.

Research Questions

• Effective research questions guide essay development, like inquiring about Hercules' story and lessons or Theseus’s heroic traits.
• Elizabeth should research how Theseus embodies heroism and utilize current scholarly articles for reliable information.

Vocabulary and Application

• Terms like "Achilles' heel" originated from myths describing vulnerabilities, stressing the importance of cultural references in modern language.
• Knowing how to properly engage with sources and express ideas is crucial for academic writing, reinforcing the need for clarity and precision in expression.

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Description

Test your knowledge on writing about mythical characters with this engaging quiz. Explore direct quotations and examine the storytelling of figures like Pandora in Greek mythology. Assess how their narratives impact modern culture through informative writing.

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How To Research Your Amazing Mythical Creatures In Fantasy Writing

Fantasy writing lets us slip into a world filled with tales of wonder and books crammed with fantastical adventures.

Within fantasy writing you will have come across a mythical creature, from the hippogriff in Harry Potter to the dragons in Lord of the Rings or even the mermaids in fairy tales .

But how do you write them yourself?

How to Create Mythical Creatures in Fantasy Writing

Step 1 - established versus invented:.

Writing about mythical creatures allows you to explore the weird, the magical, and the invented. As a writer, the first thing you need to do is decide what kind of mythical creature you want to write about, an already established creature (e.g., a dragon) or a new creature you make up yourself. Before you decide, it’s best to do a little research. Below is a quick example to demonstrate this.

Bob would like to write a story about a mythical creature. The story also involves a large amount of gold and jewels, so his first thought is ‘dragon!’ but he isn’t sure whether to make up his own creature. He decides to do some preliminary research, this is what he discovers:

-        Lizard-like creature with wings and tail.

-        Breath fire

-        Used to guard things (i.e., princesses in towers)

-        Have a hoard of gold/jewels

-        Intelligent

-        Greedy

After completing this research Bob decides dragons are not the type of creature he is looking for and makes a list of attributes he wants his creature to have:

-        Small and furry

-        Angry and possessive

-        Attracted to all shiny things

-        Not very clever and easily trapped

By completing some quick preliminary research, Bob was able to see that dragons aren’t the creature he is looking for and instead, he is going to invent his own.

Tip: The easiest way to do some preliminary research is to use your own knowledge or do a quick Google search (we’ll expand on this research later.)

 Deciding to use an established creature or a new one from the outset will save you time in the long run but don’t worry if you are unsure or if you want to just take an established creature and ‘enhance’ it to fit your narrative, there are no rules when it comes to writing. It’s important to have, fun and try new things. Play is an important part of creativity.

Step 2 - Research:

Now you know what kind of creature you’re working with it’s time to do some research. If you are working with an established creature, this step will be a little easier.

Create a list of basic information including your creature’s name, physical description, attributes, and habitat.

It is important if you are working with an established creature, to know the local lore (tradition or expectations) and history surrounding the creature in your story’s setting. For example, you may want to research dragons, then narrow your search down to Cornish dragon lore if your story takes place in Cornwall.

Step 3 – Add Your Own Touch:

You have your basic information, and now it is time to add your embellishments. Even if you are using an established creature, it is always a good idea to add your own flourishes to make the creature yours and less like a carbon copy of your research.

An easy and fun place to start is with a physical description of your creature. You could go as simple as picking a funky colour (neon yellow dragon anyone?) or sitting down and drawing a new creature from scratch. If you’re not a great drawer look online, Pinterest is a great place to see other people’s artwork and glean new ideas. You may find yourself mixing and matching images you find online to create your creature.

With your vision in mind consider the other senses: what does your creature sound like and smell like, how do they move? Consider your creature’s personality, powers, and limitations.

Tip: As a little extra, list things that would make the creature different and the effect this has on them. For example, consider a dragon without its wings. How would they compensate for this? Or a mermaid with a broken tail. Adding this kind of detail brings your creatures to life and adds a layer of realism to them. These types of ‘flaws’ can help to create characters that your reader will care about.

Step 4 - It’s All In The Name:

If you have decided to create a new creature, you will need to create a name for it. You can also take an established creature and call it something different but beware of any confusion this may cause.  How you name your creature is up to you but here are a few tips to use when naming creatures.

1.     Have a character name them. If your characters encounter your creature for the first time in your story, they may not know what your creature is and so will pick a name for themselves. This often results in simple names. For example, in our earlier example, Bob created a creature that liked shiny things, so a simple name would be ‘Shiny’ or ‘The Gold Beast’.

2.     Choose a name based on old languages. For example, you could use an old version of the current language in your story. If your story is set in Greece, you could use ancient Greek words to name your character.  

3.     Create a name from nothing. By now you should have a fairly good idea of what your creature looks like, study your image, and what words or sounds jump out at you? If your creature has spines, you might be drawn to ‘spiky sounds’ like ‘c’ or ‘k’ sounds. If it’s smooth, you might like the ‘oo’ sounds. Play around with sounds and letters until you get a name that looks and sounds like your creature. You can even make the name sound like the noises the creature makes.

Step 5 - Get Inside The Head Of Your Creature: 

Once you have your creature experiment with it. If it is as sentient as humans, it will have thoughts and feelings and goals and dreams. If it isn’t, consider this and how it will affect the creature’s thought processes. For example, a dog doesn’t understand how to make coffee, but it will smell the coffee and hear the water bubbling, is it afraid of the noise? Or does it know that after the bubbling noises, it goes outside and is excited by the sound and smell? Perhaps the smell of pennies relaxes your dragon. 

Ultimately, writing about mythical creatures in the fantasy genre is a very free process and you can’t ever ‘do it wrong’. This advice will help you get started, but it’s important you have fun and experiment. Some of the best creatures are spur-of-the-moment creations while others are carefully constructed inventions.

Have you ever wondered how to make your characters come to life and jump up from the page? What about creating memorable characters, people your reader wants to spend time with? We know how important characters are, but how are they created? Our workbook will show you how…

This post has been written by Hollie Parkin.

Hollie Parkin is a creative and professional writing student at Derby University. She is a reader and writer of all things fantasy.

I Want To Become A Writer. Where On Earth Do I Start?

What are morning pages & am i seriously missing out by not doing them.

How to Write a Myth: 5 Steps To Crafting An Epic Story

Ever dreamt of crafting a mythic tale, yet uncertain how to start? Writing a myth can be daunting and intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be.

So don’t wait any longer; start your journey today by learning how to write a myth.

What is A Myth in Storytelling?

You’ll see this a lot in creation myths , for example.

Myths pervade all forms of human expression, from literature and art to music and film; they are a means for societies to impart moral values and lessons. Storytellers use myths to teach their audiences valuable life lessons by providing examples of what happens when people make good decisions versus bad ones.

How To Write A Myth: 5 Steps

Step 1: brainstorm ideas.

Brainstorming ideas for a myth can be an exciting and creative process. Contemplate the protagonists, background, progression of events, and motifs you wish to delve into in your narrative. Consider what makes your myth unique from other stories or ancient myths that have been told before.

Plot is another key element when brainstorming ideas for a mythic tale. What events occur throughout the narrative? Are there any unexpected turns of events that might take the story in an unforeseen direction? How does each event contribute to driving forward the main conflict of your story?

Step 2: Research Myths

Researching and exploring existing myths can assist in understanding certain mythical components and construction, as well as give impetus for the formation of fresh narratives.

It may also be helpful to research some common themes found in many different mythologies such as creation stories or hero’s journeys so that you can incorporate those elements into your own work. Additionally, reading books on comparative mythology could help because it gives insight into how similar themes are expressed across multiple cultures. And this could spark ideas for your own story-telling.

Step 3: Create Characters

Formulating protagonists is a key factor of narrative-crafting. Characters are the people or creatures that inhabit your story and give it life. They should be believable, with their own motivations and flaws. It’s important to consider each character’s role in the story, as well as how they will interact with one another.

You should also think about how each character fits into the overall plot of your story. Does this person drive the action forward, or provide comic relief when things get too intense? Will there be conflict between two characters over something that happened in their pasts, or will two people become friends despite their differences? The relationships between different characters can add depth to your narrative and make it more engaging for readers.

Key Takeaway: Write unique and interesting characters with backstories that explain their motivations, create relationships between them to add depth to your story, and don’t forget antagonists who provide tension in the narrative.

Step 4: Write the Myth

Once you have crafted the story of your myth, it is time to ensure that it meets all the necessary criteria for a successful piece. With careful editing and revision, you can make sure that your myth stands out from the crowd.

Step 5: Edit & Revise

Start by reading through your work several times. This will help you identify any potential issues with plot development or character arcs. Make sure each scene transitions smoothly into the next one and that all elements of the story fit together logically. Pay attention to how dialogue is used as it should be natural-sounding yet convey the emotions of each character effectively.

FAQs On How to Write a Myth

How do you create a myth.

Myths are stories that have been passed down through generations, often to explain the unknown. To create a myth, start by deciding on a theme or topic you want to explore. Brainstorm ideas and draw inspiration from other myths and folklore. Create characters with unique personalities and abilities, then craft an exciting plot full of twists and turns. 

What does good myth writing include?

It’s a faithful adaptation of a little-known myth that is perhaps my favorite about Hercules. Check it out!

Final Notes 

Who knows what wondrous tales you’ll weave when you set your pen to paper and craft a myth

About the Author

Leave a comment cancel reply, please consider helping me out on patreon.

If everyone who saw this were to donate that much, I could do this full time! And wouldn’t that be the dream??

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Flickr user Monica C. Webster, Creative Commons

• Visual Arts
• Literary Arts
• English & Literature

Mythological Characters How do Greek mythological figures inspire modern day characters?

In this 3-5 lesson, students will explore the connection between Greek mythology and modern culture. They will analyze Greek culture, mythological characters, and apply elements of mythology. Students will design and paint original mythological characters with watercolors.

Get Printable Version   Copy to Google Drive

Lesson Content

• Preparation
• Instruction

Learning Objectives  

Students will: 

• Identify elements and vocabulary terms related to Greek myths. 
• Infer the moral of a myth. 
• Describe the character traits and abilities of mythological characters. 
• Compare and contrast ancient Greek mythology with modern mythology.
• Write a short myth about a modern mythological character.
• Sketch and plan a visual representation of an original mythological character. 
• Paint a watercolor illustration of a mythological character. 
• Present artwork to an audience. 
• Analyze and discuss the artwork of peers.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts Standards National Core Arts Standards

VA:Cr1.1.3a Elaborate on an imaginative idea.

VA:Cr1.1.4a Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem. 

VA:Cr1.1.5a Combine ideas to generate an innovative idea for art-making.

VA:Cr2.1.3a Create personally satisfying artwork using a variety of artistic processes and materials.

VA:Cr2.1.4a Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches.

VA:Cr2.1.5 a Experiment and develop skills in multiple art-making techniques and approaches through practice.

Common Core State Standards Common Core State Standards

ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.

ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).

ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3 Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents : Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

• Slide: Mythological Characters
• Capture Sheet: Mythological Characters
• Mythological Character Planner
• Vocabulary: Elements and Principles of Design
• Criteria for Success: Mythological Characters

Print & Digital Books

• Books: Book of Greek Myths , Tales of the Greek Heroes , Greek Myths
• Video Read Aloud: The Wooden Horse
• Digital Stories with Audio: Greek Myths , Epic: Greek Mythology

Additional Materials

• Pencils, sketching pencils (H, HB)
• Blank paper and/or grid paper
• Watercolors
• Paintbrushes
• Paper towel
• Cups with water

Teacher Background

Teachers should be familiar with the elements of mythology and Greek myths. Teachers will need to plan space suitable for using watercolor paints and materials. 

Student Prerequisites  

Students should be familiar with myths and/or fantasy stories. 

Accessibility Notes

Provide assistive technologies during the writing and the art-making process. Allow sufficient space to create a watercolor painting.

Engage 

• Read a Greek Myth to students. Below are recommended books but age-appropriate myths from your school library are suitable for this lesson. 

- Books: Book of Greek Myths , Tales of the Greek Heroes , Greek Myths - Video Read Aloud: The Wooden Horse - Digital Stories with Audio: Greek Myths , Epic: Greek Mythology

• Discuss the myth with students. Ask students: Why do readers enjoy mythology? What elements of the story define the book as mythology and not fantasy? How are these stories passed on?
• Introduce students to mythology vocabulary words. 

- Myth: comes from the Greek word “mythos,” which originally meant “speech” or “discourse,” which later came to mean “fable” or “legend.” - Mythology: refers to a collection of myths that together form a mythological system. - Demigod: a half-god or an inferior deity; a fabulous hero, the offspring of a deity and a mortal. - Attributes: a quality that is considered as belonging to, or inherent in a person or thing; an essential or necessary property or characteristic. For example, order and harmony are attributes of Apollo. - Symbol: something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention. For example, the lyre is a symbol for Apollo. - Archetype: The original pattern of which all things of the same species are representations or copies; original idea, model, or type.

• Display images of mythological characters on pages 2 and 3 from the Slide: Mythological Characters . Ask students: What are the attributes of these characters? How do they differ from you? How do they relate to characters we see in books, movies, and TV today?
• Divide students up into groups to research mythological characters. Distribute the Capture Sheet: Mythological Characters . Have students read myths about the characters and gather information about their attributes, a symbol, a myth, and the meaning of the myth. Review the definitions from earlier in the lesson if necessary. Have a sample character filled in on the chart already and walk through this example step by step noting the origin of the data.
• Have students share their findings with the class . Students will gain a deeper understanding of the character and can revise sections as they learn and clarify new information from their peers. Ask students: Who created the mythological gods? When were they created? Where were they created? Why were they created? What is the value and meaning of myths?
• Display slide 4 of the presentation to compare modern mythological characters and Ancient Greek figures. Have students analyze the relationship between ancient myths and modern stories. Ask students: How are the superheroes from comic books, movies, television, literature, video games the same or different from mythological characters of the past? What do these modern stories have in common with the ancient myths?
• Tell students they are going to create their own mythological character. Using what they have learned from their research about mythological characters, students will now create their own unique characters. Distribute and review the Mythological Character Planner with students. 
• Students will create a name, one or more attributes, a symbol, a myth, and meaningful significance for their invented character(s). Students may use their research mythological character charts as a reference for creating their characters. Students will fill in a new mythological character chart to create a structure for their new character. Allow time for students to plan and sketch their mythological characters. 
• Have students write a short myth with a beginning, middle, and end. Students should reference their Mythological Character Planner to support the writing process. Each myth must have a conflict to resolve and a moral to the story. 
• Encourage creativity by reminding students that the components of their writing are important because they enable the reader to understand the story. This is each student’s opportunity to create a new culture or to tell a story important to them. All great new stories in our culture start somewhere; this is as good a place as any for students to affect our culture.
• Have students participate in a peer editing session. Pull small groups to support varying writing skills. 
• Tell students they are going to sketch a visual representation of their mythological character to later paint with watercolors. Show students examples of simple cartoons, line drawings with color, more complex images with shading and perspective, images with a high degree of perspective composition and detail. Review the Vocabulary: Elements and Principles of Design with students. Point out different ways the elements of composition such as line, texture, and shape are used in each picture. Observe the composition of the illustrations. Ask students: What do you notice about the fore, middle, and background? Does the image convey a particular scene from the myth? Does the image show action or contemplation of the characters?
• Review the Criteria for Success: Mythological Characters handout. Tell students their sketch must include one character, one symbol, one attribute, and meaningful significance. 
• Distribute #2 or “HB” pencils and plain bond or tracing paper to students. Students may refer to existing images, without directly copying them, for ideas on postures and actions for their characters. Some students may prefer grid paper for their freehand drawings. Allow time for students to create several “thumbnail” sketches (small quick pencil sketches) of their characters in a variety of poses and situations to determine which illustration will be most interesting for them to paint.
• Confer with students as they sketch their characters. Ask students: What does your drawing symbolize? Why does your character have that expression? What details from the drawing will be important to highlight in the painting? 
• Have students create a watercolor painting of their mythological character.
• Distribute “H” pencils, watercolor paper, and paint supplies to each student. Have students do a light pencil drawing of their illustration on their watercolor paper. An “H” hard lead pencil (2-4) works best. If not available, standard #2 or HB pencils will work. Encourage students to start with a “light” touch and sharp pencils so changes can be easily erased. Students can add details to the illustration as it relates to their story. 
• Have students reference the Criteria for Success: Mythological Characters again to review the expectations for colors that reflect the attribute, symbol, mood, tone, or emotion that their character represents. Give students scrap paper so they can experiment with techniques.
• Model watercolor techniques for students. Students should keep their colors pure by mixing their colors on their palettes and not directly on the paints. They must clean their brushes when going from one color to another to avoid getting muddy colors. 

Show the students how to organize their materials on their desks. For instance, water should be near the paints, and the palette should be near their paper. They then paint from the palette to the paper to avoid dripping on their papers when reaching for the water or creating new colors.

• Allow time for students to paint their mythological characters. Provide feedback to students through the process. Ask students: Why did you use those colors? Do they relate to your character in any specific way? Could they?
• Display the mythological characters around the room or hallway. Divide the class into two groups to participate in a gallery walk. The first group will be the “artists” and the second group will be the “spectators,” then they will switch roles. Encourage the “spectators” to identify character elements, and analyze the attributes, symbolism, and meaning of the painting.
• Evaluate students' mythological character paintings with the Criteria for Success: Mythological Characters . Provide feedback to students specifically related to the criteria. 

Original Writer

Charles Nickerson

JoDee Scissors

December 3, 2021

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In this 3-5 lesson, students will dramatize the ways a mountain can be formed. Students will analyze poems about mountain creation from the perspective of the Tohono O’odham People. Students will compare the poems to science-based descriptions of mountain formation.

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Researching and Writing about a Mythical Character – Flashcards

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• supporting sentences to explain and develop the point you’re making
• evidence from your reading or an example from the subject area that supports your point
• analysis of the implication/significance/impact of the evidence finished off with a critical conclusion you have drawn from the evidence.

a world on the web

Writing tips 1: How to Work with Myths and Legends

Published on Wednesday 7th May 2014 by Lucy Coats

Since I am this mad mythology-obsessed writer, I thought I’d kick off my series of occasional writing tips and tricks with brief ‘useful guide’ for those of you who might be interested in this area of fiction too, but weren’t quite sure how or where to begin. So, first I’ll ask the obvious question!

What use are myths and legends to a fiction writer? Why should I use them as a starting point for my stories?

Myths and legends—and fairytales and folklore too—are a fantastic resource for the writer, a huge treasure chest of goodies to spark the creative imagination.  Just look at what’s out there for you to plunder!  There’s the Greeks (all those fallible and rather human gods and goddesses, as well as a whole clutch of butch heroes and scary monsters); there’s the Celts (more muscle-bound heroes, plus the original elves or fairies in their many manifestations):  there’s the Norse lot (warrior gods and ice giants and brave maidens with breastplates); there’s the Eastern Europeans (witches, vampires, werewolves); there’s the Far East (here be wise and intelligent dragons); there’s the Aboriginal Australians (bunyips, songlines, animal Ancestors); there’s the Americas North and South (thunderbirds, tricksters, hidden cities of gold) – and then there’s my newest discovery, the Egyptians (shape-shifting animal gods and goddesses, a scary underworld, the magic of sun and moon).

Are you excited yet?  Because I am, just writing down a fraction of what’s out there for you. Go forth and raid your local library at once! Devour the mythology section bit by bit, and read it all. If you don’t get some kind of idea for your book after that, I’ll be willing to consider eating my hat. With ketchup and possibly a side-order of Worcestershire Sauce.

What if I want to do retellings? How much should I remain faithful to existing texts?

I’m not going to lie.  Retellings can be tricky, especially if you’re going to be doing them for children. I should know—I’ve done over 150 of them, both Greek and Celtic, as well as retellings of Oscar Wilde and other more modern writers. It’s important a) to know your original source material and b) to know what to skate over/ignore/discard.  As you can imagine, the Greek myths have lots of incest, murder, rape and all that.  People always ask me how I ‘get round it’.  My answer is that since kids don’t know it was there in the first place, they won’t know it’s missing—and if they get hooked on myths through my stories, they can always go and look at the originals for themselves later on.  The most important thing is to make the story exciting and accessible in language terms. I’ve never had a kid ask a tricky question about why Zeus has children with his sisters, by the way, nor about his dodgy habit of turning into animals or birds to seduce young and pretty maidens.

How much research should I do?

I have a whole bookshelf devoted to myths and legends—both the original tales themselves, and research relating to them, which I refer to all the time. Even though most of them are in my head already, there are always details I need to check up on.  And if there’s a relevant book that I need and I haven’t got, or that is out of print, I hunt it down, either in my local library or via secondhand bookshops on the internet (Abe Books www.abebooks.co.uk is always a good place to start).  Research is never wasted—but my Top Tip is to be sure and keep notes on page numbers of where you find useful stuff.  It can be maddening and time-consuming to comb your books for that vital fact you remember seeing somewhere and need right now! I’ve made that mistake FAR too often!

How do I tackle the job of incorporating existing myths into my work of original fiction? How much creative licence am I allowed?

I have huge fun with the retellings, but they can seem a little constricting.  I found writing my own first novel incredibly liberating in that respect, because I wasn’t hemmed in by having to stick to a script, and it was the same with my forthcoming Beasts of Olympus series, in which I take characters and creatures from Greek myth and weave them into my own story, taking a few liberties along the way, but trying to remain true to the essentials of the originals.

So, in your case, let’s say something mythological takes your fancy.  You want to write a novel about, for example, a modern-day American boy who finds out he’s the son of Poseidon…oh wait—Rick Riordan already did that with Percy Jackson!  There’s a long and honourable line of authors who have taken elements of myth and done whatever the heck they wanted with them.  There’s the greatest myth-plunderer of all, JRR Tolkien, there’s Neil Gaiman (American Gods etc), Joanne Harris (Runemarks), Kevin Crossley-Holland (The Arthur trilogy)—and then there’s me.

My first teen novel, Hootcat Hill , has elements of Celtic and Norse myth, plus a smidgin of Arthurian legend thrown into the mix.  I took a lot of liberties and I found it made me want to go ‘wheeeee!’ with a slightly naughty sense of excitement every time I did so.  This was my story, and who had the right to inform me it ‘didn’t happen that way because Ovid (or whoever) tells it differently’?  No one, that’s who!  I think as long as you have a passion for and know your original sources well, it’s ok to treat them with a little ‘loving disrespect’.  In my case, I made the Norse Völundr (Weland) into a modern blacksmith in red leathers, who rides a fast motorbike and has a bad line in jokes.

The two YA novels I’m working on at the moment stray into a slightly different territory – the one where actual history meets mythology. No one knows anything concrete about Cleopatra’s life before she entered the history books, but she’s a real person. That meant I could let my imagination go free, and, as she was later described as ‘the new Isis’, it seemed right to make Isis her patron goddess and a very real presence in Cleo’s life.

Myths are not just for dry, dusty old anthropology professors to muse over in their ivory towers—they’re living stories which we continually reinvent for the times we live in. And it’s up to us as writers and tellers of tales to make sure they never die or are forgotten.  So have fun exploring loads of different myths and thinking ‘What If’?  Because you never know what might happen!

10 comments so far

A good post. With thousands of years of literature at our disposal, there can be no excuse for writer’s / illustrators’ block. Loved the “myth-plunderer” line. Got me to wondering if there’s such a thing as a modern myth?

Regardless, a very good read!

This is wonderful! It’s so great to see another author’s take on retelling the myths of old.

I am trying that out too. I am writing a Romeo & Juliet/Little Red Riding Hood retelling with a greek mythology setting.

I am planning a Bajirao Mastani/Rumpelstiltskin retelling with hindu mythology setting.

it seems really fun to do all the research and yet twist it to what my characters require. Even more because I have to find a common ground between both.

thank you for this it was definitely a confidence boost for me (I’m only 12 but hopefully I’ll become the next big thing)

I love this article as I am fascinated by the amazing tales in myth and folklore. At the moment I’m writing a book where the main character is half Hulder (from Scandinavian folklore). However I was wondering, is it ok to take creatures from other places’ myths and folklore if it’s relevant to the story? I’d like for this universe to have all sorts of creatures from near every myth (each originally living in where they were spoken of but in modern day they mainly roam the earth wherever). I was wondering if that was ok. I’m definitely doing research and not just throwing them in, so I hope I’m not disrespecting them.

So glad you liked the piece and found it useful. Also, good question. Many fantasies have in the past used mythical creatures in a mix from all the mythologies. However, there has been a lot of anger over cultural appropriation in recent times, even when research has been thorough. Right now, using creatures/beings from a culture clearly not the author’s own (and entirely set in that culture) is often seen as problematic by editors. It’s a difficult one, but I think being respectful and not using/perpetuating stereotypes is where to start. I guess if your world has a cornucopia of nations who interact together, you’ll probably be fine. Personally, I like the idea of all the mythos working together. It’s why I wrote a book with Greek and Norse gods in it! Good luck with the writing! PS I love the Hulderfolk.

So sorry for the late reply. This blog isn’t active any more, so I don’t visit often. Glad it boosted your confidence and good luck with any writing you’re doing. I shall look out for a Human Bean bestseller on the bookshelves in due course.

Thank you. And yes I understand the issue of perpetuating stereotypes, I’ll be sure to be careful about that in my writing. I wouldn’t want to offend, only write a good story and show people cool myths they never knew of before. :)

Hello Lucy, Im in the process of prepping a greek mythology fictional retelling. I know the story, know how I want to write it but im worried I won’t be able to write the world around the story, setting, detail etc. do you have any advice on that subject? I have many greek mythology books, fact and fiction as well as the Oxford classical dictionary ready to go, im just nervous to begin as it’s not like writing set in todays world, which would easier. Regards Claire

sorry, meant to add im writing for adults/ya not children.

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