How Folklore Inspires Writing and Stories

Introduction

When you’re hooked on a story, you might wonder what inspired the creators. Sometimes, the answer is not simple. But if you research and study folklore, as well as our historical events, then you’ll discover that most stories being told now are retellings or based on our past. 

Folklore has been our inspiration ever since the first stories were created. A clear example is the first book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, as Sarah J. Maas states her source of inspiration was three different fairytales: “Beauty and the Beast,” “East of the Sun and West of the Moon,” and “Tam Lin.” 

But if you haven’t read this book series, you might also discover some movies are retellings of your favorite folklore. Just look at Ella Enchanted, or read Cinder for “Cinderella” adaptations. If you like the “Little Red Riding Hood,” watch the horror film Red Riding Hood or read Scarlet. Or for a more general adaptation, watch the TV series Once Upon a Time.

“I think mythology is something that kids can relate to.” — Rick Riordan

Prerequisites – But What is Folklore?

https://electricliterature.com/8-retellings-of-fairytales-myths-and-folklore/

Besides being an inspiration for our stories, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines folklore as “traditional customs, tales, sayings, dances, or art form preserved among a people.” Based on this definition, you might conclude that every culture has their own folklore. 

These cultures even have some similarities, such as “The Hero’s Journey,” which has been covered in a previous blog. But what wasn’t mentioned is that this plot structure is inspired by African and Caribbean storytelling traditions of folklore. After all, folklore isn’t only entertainment. It is wisdom, guidance, and truth. And it can be applied to our personal lives. We can also use folklore to inspire our own writing. 

Cherie Dimaline also defines folklore as: “the collection of stories captured in different forms that expresses the cultural identity and practices of a particular group of people.” And it’s not only narrated stories, but also material such as sculpture and weaving. 

Also understand that if you research folklore and mythology, you might find different versions of the same story. For instance, every culture has their own version of the creation myth—the story about the creation of the world and humanity. Choose one version, or combine them, for your inspiration. 

“Storytellers, in African culture known as the Grio or the Griot, have held our secrets, our knowledge, our truth for a very long time.” — Kesha Christie 

Warm-up

Before diving into folkloric inspirations for writing, take some time to check Mythology & Fiction Explained or Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby! or The Histocrat, choose a myth, and write down how it inspires you for your story. 

But if you don’t want to watch a video, you can also research on different web sites; consider some of the more trustworthy ones: Occult World for any mythology; Theoi for Greek mythology. 

“Folklore is a living, breathing entity.” — Alllison Gunn

How to Write with Folklore 

There are many different ways to use folklore for your own writing and inspiration. However, not every story will match your intended tone. Here are a few tips for using folklore to inspire your writing: 

Choose Genre and Tone

There are countless stories out there, even some hidden gems. But first of all, consider your genre before choosing which story to use as inspiration. After all, you might want to write a romance, in which case a horror folktale won’t be the most apt muse. Or you can give them your own twist, such as using “Cinderella” for a sci-fi story, which is the case with Cinder. 

Research

Read the original fairy tale to spark your own interpretation or see what parts speak to you. You can search for the perspectives of other people as well. Also, consider that the Disney versions of the fairy tales are oversaturated; there are different versions of the original stories. 

No Plagiarism

Don’t plagiarize a story that’s not public domain. But it’s okay if you want to jump on to a trend, such as romantasy, as long as you stay true to yourself. After all, you’re a writer; you are creative enough to generate your own stories. 

Respect the Culture

Some stories are integral to certain cultures, in which case, you can use sensitivity readers to ensure you’re not perpetuating misinformation. Also, recognize why you’re interested in certain folklore; after all, you don’t want to appropriate stories that you don’t have a connection to specifically. Some folklore has been set up as propaganda to spread stereotypes. For example, once upon a time, the goblins were used to spread antisemitic beliefs.

Folklore Without Being Boring

Write your story knowing that there are different possibilities for how it will be received. For instance, some readers will have extensive knowledge about your inspiration; others will research them. Also consider that you don’t want your interest to overwhelm what the plot is trying to say. Try putting a limit on yourself so you write a straightforward story. Don’t inundate the reader, or your own writing, with references interrupting your story. 

“There are nods to all those legends woven into the book.” — Sarah J. Maas

Conclusion

Folklore has been relevant to writing since the beginning of time, believe it or not, and now you know a few ways to use folklore as an inspiration for your own stories. My advice? Research as much as you can, but don’t fall down the rabbit hole; just learn what you need for your world, or you’ll never begin writing. 

Most importantly, stay true to yourself and to your story. After all, your writing is the folklore you leave to the world. So, go ahead and write something you’re passionate about, of course, and use folklore if you need. And if you have any questions, feel free to email us. 

Resources:

Rick Riordan talks about his Percy Jackson series — Rick Riordan talks about what inspired him to write Percy Jackson such as Greek mythology, why kids find mythology interesting, and why the characters are dyslexic and have ADHD. 

Learning through the wisdom of folktales | Kesha Christie | TEDxTorontoMetU  — Kesha Christie talks about how folklore gives wisdom and how the Hero’s Journey applies to our lives. 

How to Write with Fairy Tales, Folklore, and Mythology — Jenna Moreci and Iona Wayland discuss how to use folklore for writing and give some tips about it. 

“From Folklore to Dystopia We’re Always Writing the Future” – Cherie Dimaline’s keynote — Cherie talks about the etymology behind the word ‘folklore’ and discusses how writing is always about a possible future. 

H. D. Ramirez recently earned his BFA in Creative Writing at Full Sail University. Now, he is an intern at A.E. Williams Editorial, hoping to get the experience he needs to become an editorial assistant.