How to Write a Fairy Tale Retelling

Hello, my lovelies!

Has all this talk about fairy tale retellings lately been inspiring you to write your own? Have you been wondering how exactly one even goes about writing a fairy tale retelling? Because if so, buckle up, because that’s exactly what I hope to show you today!

Read the Fairy Tale:

This seems rather obvious but seriously it needs mentioned, especially because we live in a world where Disney exists. I really hate to break it to you, but retelling Disney movies is actually illegal. Unless you work for Disney writing retellings of their movies (because that job does exist), you can’t write books based off their movies. Yes, their stories are based on fairy tales but they changed things and added to them and if you use those elements it’s stealing (I know, it can all be sort of tricky sometimes…).

So make sure you read the story. Find a version in the public domain and read it to make sure it’s a tale you really want to retell.

And then reread it and reread it again. Know that story inside out. If the tale wasn’t originally written in English see if you can find different translations in public domain and read those. Keep reading until you feel like you really understand it, understand the characters, and know what you want to draw out from the story. After all, you can’t really call it a retelling if you barely know the story you’re claiming your story is based off of, can you?

Decide What Direction You Want to Take:

Do you want to write a strict retelling of the story, staying as close to the original as possible while expanding on it? Do you want to take the basic story and set it in a different setting, like a historical period or a dystopian future or space? Or do you want to tell a story more inspired by the original tale that pays homage to it but isn’t a strict retelling?

Are you writing a classic retelling where the main character is the main character or are you going to make a side character the hero? Are you drawing on the darker themes of the tale or highlighting the comedic side of it? What do you want your readers to take away from this- deep, thought-provoking questions or a sense of fun and adventure?

Pick Out Important Elements:

Is a Cinderella retelling without footwear of some sort really a Cinderella retelling? Don’t you need someone to sleep for a long time in order to retell Sleeping Beauty? Can you retelling the Twelve Dancing Princesses without having a group of siblings (or sibling-like characters) who dance a lot?

There are certain things that make a fairy tale that fairy tale and you can’t just claim that a story is a retelling of that fairy tale while ignoring those things. Sure, a Cinderella story doesn’t have to feature a stepmother, but if your character has a stellar home life it’s going to make people wonder if she’s really Cinderella.

So look for the important things in the story you’re retelling and figure out how to work them into your story. And remember, depending on the direction you’re taking, you can keep these elements as close to the original as you want. In the Cinderella retelling I’m working on right now her shoes are a pair of standard issue military books and there isn’t a single glass slipper to be seen. So you don’t have to stick with exactly what is laid out in the fairy tale if you don’t want to, as long as it reminds readers of the original.

Don’t shy away from trying to incorporate the elements in clever and creative ways. It’s your story, you are free to make it as different as you want. But also don’t feel bad if you want to keep it close to the original. If you want glass slippers, make your Cinderella wear glass slippers and have her rock them. Because again, it’s your story.

Something to consider also is how those elements translate into the setting you’re telling your story in. If you’re writing a science fiction retelling maybe figure out how the magic from the original tale can translate into science. If you’re writing a Rapunzel retelling set in the modern world how does the tower work? Is it a literal tower or something different? I once read a retelling where the tower was a very tall apartment building. So just keep in mind that your setting will help develop the story.

Look at the Story a Little Deeper:

Once you’ve looked into the basic things that people expect from something based off the story you’re retelling, look a little deeper. Find those things that maybe people don’t know all that well and see if you can include them in your story somehow.

For instance the Little Mermaid can get very heavy in its exploration of what it means to live believing you don’t have a soul and if you’re retelling that story it wouldn’t hurt to try and see if you could include that. It’s not necessary, obviously, but why stick with the very bare bones of the story when the finer points are such a treasure trove?

And as an added bonus you’ll make people who love the original tale incredibly happy because you’re digging deeper into the story than people usually do. And making people happy is always nice.

Look for a New Way to Tell This Story:

Or, in other words, how can you bring fresh eyes to this story?

I’m certainly not saying that you can’t write a retelling that is close to the original. My heart has a very special place for those sorts of stories, especially as the world tries more and more to tell us that every retelling needs to be DIFFERENT! and NEW! and CLEVER! But your story doesn’t have to blow our minds. If you want to write a story that tells the story we all know, do it.

But this is your story and make it yours. You aren’t telling a fairy tale, you’re retelling it. So show us what the story means to you. Show us what is important to you. Show us why your perspective matters. If you have something to say don’t shy away from saying it. Especially if you’re sticking closely with the original tale, make sure you show is why this is your tale and not Charles Perrault’s or the Brothers Grimm’s.

Figure Out How You Want it All to Look:

When I first started working one the series I’m working on now I went through and wrote down all the plot points from the original tales on index cards. On the other side of the card I wrote down how that plot point translated into my own story.

For example, the side of the card with the original plot points might say: “Cinderella’s mother dies and her father remarries and the girl gains and evil stepmother and two stepsisters.” The other side with my story’s original ideas might say: “Cinderella’s mother dies and her father reenlists and enrolls her in military school. No matter how hard she works she ends up being constantly overshadowed by two fellow cadets- Maren and Karina.”

See how they’re similar but different? You don’t have to do it the same way I did- you should do whatever works for you- but it does help to have it worked out somehow, even if just in your head. How does it all look?

Similar to how the setting affects the story elements, so too will the setting have an effect on the plot. If you are writing a modern retelling of Sleeping Beauty then how does she fall asleep? How does she wake up? In the original those were tied to magic so you have to figure out how to pay homage to the original without breaking the rules you’ve established for your story world.

And how do you want the characters to look? Do you want them to be close to the original or do you want to put a unique or creative spin on them? How does the setting affect them? How does it change their design? Red Riding Hood will different in a futuristic dystopian America than she will in the 1920’s.

Have Fun:

I feel like this is the key to any writing project. There is no point in writing anything, including a fairy tale retelling, unless you’re having fun. So make sure whatever project you decide to jump into, whatever story you decide to retell, however you decide to retelling it, enjoy it! Writing’s hard, yes, but if the idea of the project doesn’t make you happy, if you can’t find the pleasure in it, consider taking a step back and trying to find that again.

Or if you start working on it and realize you hate it then just stop. Again, no point in forcing yourself to continue if you’re dreading it before you even start.

Do you have any retellings you’re working on right now? What are some stories you’d like to see retold? Be sure to let me know in the comments!

I hope to see you on Friday for my next book review. Until the next time we meet don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess