FRACTURED FAIRY TALES
When it came to researching the background of fractured fairy tales, I learned what it means to go from Zero to Sixty in record time. In January of 2020, I was invited to join a team of three editors to compile and publish an anthology of fractured fairy tales for our writers group, Hawaii Fiction Writers, with proceeds going to the two libraries where we hold our monthly meetings and give readings twice a year. I quickly became fascinated with the process of writing fractured fairy tales.
Fracturing a tale means taking the essence of a famous fairy tale and imagining an entirely new plot using an original character from the story and/or an interesting and recognizable topic from the story.
For example, if you chose to write about Cinderella, you could tell a modern-day story about the disadvantaged child and how she never had money to take an Uber to the dance . . . or, The Three Bears could be crushing the stock market with their bullish trading practices. (These two ideas are straight off the top of my head as I type this. Ideas - as they say - are a dime a dozen. Writing the story isn’t quite as simple.)
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| Thumbelina's Blue Swallowtail Butterfly |
One of my two stories for the anthology is titled Thumbelina’s Butterflies. I viewed several YouTube videos of the animated fairy tale before choosing my tale's topic. Then, while writing the short story, I researched butterflies along the Mississippi River, and the scientific fields of Entomology and Lepidopterology, a branch of entomology concerning the scientific study of moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies.
For Sgt. Whitey Snow and the Seven Corpses, my research was less extensive. I
write mystery novels and I merely went into detective mode after coming up with
the title. Only later did I learn that my Zodiac character is Snow White! Which
Fairy Tail Character Are You Based On Your Zodiac Sign? (cbr.com) (Yes,
the article is labeled fairy tail.)
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Fractured Fairy Tales anthology KISSING FROGS and Other Quirky Fairy Tales by 20 Hawaii Fiction Writers authors Available in print at Amazon.com ***** |
Surely to imagine fairies with tails is a little fractured to begin with! =)
ReplyDeleteBlack and White: F for Faerie
So true, Anne. Today is a faerie day in a fractured time!
DeleteNow you've got me thinking about the old Rocky & Bullwinkle show and Edward Everett Horton...
ReplyDeleteAlways good to hear a topic has got someone thinking, John.
DeleteI did have to research Edward Everett Horton: best known to the Baby Boomer generation as the venerable narrator of Fractured Fairy Tales on The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show (1959–61),[8] an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964.
Fractured fairy tales sound like they would be fun to write. You could really come up with some creative stuff. Weekends In Maine
ReplyDeleteIt sure is fun trying. And with no restrictions, a writer's mind can go wild.
DeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. At the mental health center where I work, we have creative writing every other week, and one exercise we have done is retelling tales from other character's POVs, telling what might after or before. It is amazing what people have come up with for this. One person retold Harry Potter from Voldermort's (sp??) POV and another did the Wizard of Oz from the wizards' POV. Not exactly fractured but your post made me think of this.
ReplyDeleteFractured is pretty much changing any telling of the story, Jamie, especially from another character's POV. I'm sure Voldemort's POV was rather eerie. Great exercise, too. Thanks for visiting.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this will date me but I remember Fractured Fairy Tales from the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons/comics. Thanks for the fun memory.
ReplyDeleteYes, those cartoons date us, Dena, but at this age - no worries.
ReplyDeleteI'd not heard of this before. Now you've got me thinking about tales I could fracture!
ReplyDeleteCareful, Keith, it becomes addictive very quickly. But oh so much fun.
DeleteFun new tales to re-write, or fracture ;)
ReplyDeleteA never-ending supply of tales to fracture - or refracture as so many have already been rewritten multiple times. No end to the ways one can fracture them, also.
DeleteI have done this before though at that time I had no idea it was called a Fractured fairy tale. Had written a story inspired from Beauty and the Beast.
ReplyDeleteSnow White and Seven Corpses? Had me laughing out loud!
My AtoZ entry
https://pagesfromjayashree.blogspot.com/2021/04/giants-grawp-and-ghatothkacha.html
My fractured Fairy tale :
http://indifictionworkshop.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-wind-chimes-and-beast.html
Thanks for visiting today, Jayashree. Fracturing a fairy tale can take many directions. The "seven corpses" definitely took me out of the normal realm of children's tales.
DeleteWhat a great idea this is, a great way to bring classic tales up to date and keep them relevant to a new audience.
ReplyDeletehttps://iainkellywriting.com/2021/04/08/the-state-trilogy-a-z-guide-g/
I agree, Iain. We plan to do readings at our local libraries - once released from lockdown.
DeleteDoes it work for Greek myths, I wonder?
ReplyDeleteIf it is a story, written or oral, someone will find a way to fracture it, Olga. One of the stories in our anthology is a take on the origins of Ireland.
DeleteI love fairy tales and I love fractured fairy stories. In fact, a couple of my 1920s stories are fractured fairy tales. One is Snow White, so I now need to read your story! Whre may I find it? :-)
ReplyDelete@JazzFeathers
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