History, Wonder Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends How to Write A Good Fairy Tale | Page 10

Step4: THE SUPPORTING ROLES
You will need a number of other fairytale characters:
task-setter, e.g. a king
talking animals or other accomplices
adversaries like evil stepsisters, elder brothers
the character that the hero has to save and release from a spell
Step5: THE MAGIC
Design a magical character or object to write into the fairy tale. The magical character can be
the evil character but many fairy tales have both good and evil magical characters that work
to off-set the other's influence.
The true essence of a fairy tale comes in the pixie dust and magic wands. Clever songs
about magical words are optional, but some sort of magic should be present. The magic can
be good or bad, or maybe even both. The main character can have magical abilities or
perhaps be the victim of some sort of bad spell. It’s up to you.
Don’t forget your numbers: Use the special numbers Three or Seven: Like magic, fairy tales
wouldn’t be the same without special numbers. There were seven dwarves, three fairy
godmothers, seven mermaid sisters and three little pigs. Three wishes or tests are very
common, too. Find a way to work in three or seven of something and you’ll be set.

Step6: THE OBSTACLES OR TASKS
Identify what obstacles your good character is going to have to face. Whatever the obstacle it
should seem insurmountable and genuinely require a bit of creativity by your good character
and a little magical assistance.
The basic structure of a fairy tale:
A hero or heroine performs one or more tasks and is rewarded as a result.
Which tasks?
Adventures, the overcoming of dangers, "impossible" tasks, battle against the
baddy/against powerful creatures; rescue, release of a spellbound character
Means to overcome obstacles:
own qualities: courage, cunning, goodness
timely intervention of an accomplice with magical powers,
a magic object which helps.

Step7: THE HAPPY ENDING
Write a happy ending. A fairytale isn't a fairytale unless it has a happy ending. Your good
character must succeed and your evil character must lose and lose in a big way so you can
write your "happily ever after."
- triumph of the goody and defeat of the baddy
- typical rewards: gets married to the prince / princess
About 99.9% of fairy tales start with “Once upon a time,” and end with, “And they lived happily
ever after.” The exact origins of these phrases are unknown, but if your story wants to look
the part, it should probably include these phrases or very close approximations of them.

Step8: THE SETTING