Myth & Legend | Profile Guidebook

CHAPTER FIVE | How to Write Mythic Fantasy

Welcome, Myth & Legend Lovers!

This chapter aims to teach those of you interested in writing Mythic Fantasy. Please note that this is a short guide as we hope you will use your own writing style to tell the story!

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What is Mythic Fantasy?

Mythic Fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that incorporates mythology, legends, and folktales around the world.

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What are some common mythologies people use in their stories?

The following mythologies are used, but are not limited to:

★ Greek/Roman Mythology

★ Norse Mythology

★ Egyptian Mythology

★ Asian Mythology (from Chinese and Indian to Vietnamese and Krgyz)

★ Polynesian Mythology

★ Native American Mythology

and many more!

You may find some use these mythologies to create their own mythopoeia!

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Steps for Writing Mythic Fantasy

STEP 1: PICK YOUR GENRE

What kind of story do you want to tell? Are you interested in writing an adventurous epic fantasy with a variety of mythical creatures the MC may encounter along the way, or a romantic fantasy with reincarnated deities? Like any other genre, Mythic Fantasy can mix with other genres and/or subgenres. The genre you select will affect how your story will play out and who your characters are. It will also determine what your setting will be.

STEP 2: PICK YOUR CHARACTER AND SETTING

Mythic Fantasy stories may speak from the perspective of a shapeshifting mythical creature, a deity, or even a demon from folkloric legends. Take a moment to think about who your character is, what their goals are, and where the story will take place. How you mold your character will impact their development as your story progresses. You don't have to create a full character chart if that's not your comfort zone, but just think about three things: (1) personality; (2) goals; and (3) obstacles keeping them from achieving their goals.

Your character should have some meaning to you. You want their journey in the story to represent a larger message to the reader. A question you should ask yourselves is whether you will have enough research to write a character and if you have reliable sensitivity readers or beta readers to assist you in preparing the narrative. It's also important to acknowledge that if you're writing about a character with a background different than yours, you may not be the right person to tell the story. However, if you demonstrate your willingness to learn and to take constructive criticism, anything is possible! It shows you respect that culture and you're taking all the steps necessary to ensure you are portraying the culture and its people in an accurate way.