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The ultimate guide to writing your own legends and mythology
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Myths are traditional stories that explain a natural phenomenon by way of supernatural beings or events, and they provide a lot of insight into the culture they originated from. Whether you’re creating a serious mythology or writing a silly story to entertain people, myths fuel the imagination of both writer and listener. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know to brainstorm and write your own myth. Plus, we’ll explain different kinds of myths and answer common questions about myths and myth writing.
Writing a Myth
- Brainstorm ideas by reading established myths and legends.
- Think of a real-life fact or tradition that you want your myth to explain.
- Come up with a magical reason for why that real-world idea exists.
- Invent a fantastical setting for your myth.
- Develop a flawed hero and other magical supporting creatures.
- Write a plot with conflict, supporting events, and a climax.
- Come up with a resolution that delivers a relevant moral or lesson.
Steps
Section 1 of 6:
Brainstorming Ideas for Your Myth
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Decide what real-world event or idea your myth explains. Many myths explain why an event occurs, how something was first created, or why people should act a certain way. [1] X Research source Before you can truly begin writing your myth, figure out what you want it to explain, like the weather, why animals make certain sounds, or other natural phenomena. Here are some examples from real myths:
- Why does the moon wax and wane?
- Why do vultures have bald heads?
- Why do people prepare and eat foods in certain ways or on certain holidays?
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Come up with a fantastical explanation for your real-life event or idea. Your myth can be silly or serious, but it should involve something that doesn't happen in the real world. Think about magical or outrageous events that could explain something normal. For example, a volcano might erupt because giants underground left the barbecue on. A hero might be forced to learn to care about people after an evil serpent turns his family into trees. [2] X Research source
- If you're having trouble coming up with a mythological explanation for the topic you chose, write down a list of words that remind you of the topic. For example, if you want to explain how snowstorms happen, write down "cold, wet, white, snowman, ice cream, clouds." Maybe snowmen live in the sky and sneeze snow down to earth, or maybe the clouds try to give us ice cream that melts on the way down.
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Come up with a moral for your story to convey. Some myths explain why people should or shouldn't behave in certain ways. The explanation can come in the form of a straightforward lesson with a moral at the end. More often, however, the reader picks up on the lesson by seeing good actions rewarded and evil or foolish actions punished. Here are a few ideas that you could use as the main focus of your work if you like this approach: [3] X Research source
- The hero succeeds only when he follows the advice of elders or gods—or only when he is self-reliant.
- The hero must be clever to succeed, solving problems in creative ways.
- Some myths even teach that luck can be more important than skill. It can be fun to hear about an "ordinary" person who gets rewarded or entertaining to hear about a complete fool who somehow becomes king.
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Create a hero with special abilities and flaws. The hero of a myth is usually someone impressive and admirable with unique or supernatural abilities, although, as mentioned above, you can write about an ordinary person, as well. Consider what kind of hero would work best for your idea, then give them some flaws to create a good story. Think of personality traits that could cause certain events to occur in your myth and how the hero can overcome them. [4] X Research source
- Is the hero super-strong, super-intelligent, or incredibly talented in one area? Some heroes have “superpowers,” such as shooting a bow with perfect aim or the ability to knock people over with the wind from their breath.
- Why does your hero have these special talents, if any? Did the gods bless the hero, did the hero train hard, or was the hero just born that way? Which kind of person would you admire, or which do you think matches the real world best?
- Some flaws you could give your hero include being overconfident and ignoring advice and help, being greedy and trying to take something that doesn’t belong to them, or being arrogant and thinking they’re better than everyone else.
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Invent magical settings and supporting characters. Witches, gods, monsters, magical items, and imaginary places all make a myth entertaining and larger than life. Think of where you want your story to take place and what magical creatures live there. For example, set your myth in ancient Greece and use characters like Hades or the Chimera, or invent your own world , creatures , and magic system. [5] X Research source
- If you're out of ideas, try reading collections of actual myths or modern books that use mythological characters. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is a good example.
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Section 2 of 6:
Creating a Story Outline for Your Myth
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Start by introducing the setting and main character. People usually know they're reading or listening to a myth even before the first couple sentences are finished, as most myths take place long ago and far away, especially if they’re creation myths. Try to let your readers or listeners know when and where your story takes place and who it’s about within a few opening sentences. Here are some ways you can accomplish this: [6] X Research source
- Set the myth in the distant past or in a distant land. Think of all the stories you know that begin with "Once upon a time," "Far, far away," or even "A long, long time ago." These openings quickly let people know what kind of story they’re about to read.
- Describe the kind of hero people expect in myths. For instance, a youngest brother, a king, or a woodcutter are all common heroes in folktales. For more epic myths, start with a famous hero or a goddess instead. Remember to include the epithets you came up with earlier to let your readers know who your hero is.
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Introduce a reason for your main character to take action. You could start out by describing the point of your story, explaining, for instance, that Coyote decided to steal fire to give to people. However, it's a more interesting story if the character has a reason for behaving the way they do, like a complication or quest. Here are a few examples: [7] X Research source
- Coyote notices people shivering in winter, and the people plead for a way to warm themselves.
- A queen ignores her suffering subjects. The gods send a plague to her daughter, and the queen must learn to help people in exchange for their assistance to cure her daughter.
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Develop your plot with a rising action and climax. The plot for the middle of your myth is up to you, and there are no rules you have to follow! As you continue writing your story, keep in mind the phenomenon or moral lesson you're trying to explain—make sure the plot is relevant and that the story has an interesting climax. [8] X Research source If you get stuck, move the story along with one of the following ways:
- Introduce a new character to support your plot and move along the rising action. This character can be a god, a spirit, a talking animal, an elder, or any other character you’d like. The character might describe the next challenge and how to overcome it or give the hero a magical item that they can use later.
- Create a new challenge to spur your character on. Just when everything is looking good again, have the hero make a mistake or send a monster to undo the hero's good work. This approach is useful if you want the story to go on longer.
- Write your myth in an episodic structure , in which different stories follow the adventures of the same hero. For example, “The Labors of Hercules” follows Hercules through different adventures that are all connected by his journey of redemption.
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Finish the myth with your moral or explanation. Recall what real-world event or idea you wanted your myth to explain. Continue writing until you’ve finished your explanation or until the hero has defeated all the challenges and learned their lesson. Often, a myth ends with a sentence explaining why the story is related to the present day. Here are some invented examples: [9] X Research source
- "And that's why the sun gets hotter and brighter every summer."
- "And ever since then, people brush their teeth to a shine every night, so the tooth-stealing goblins are scared by their own hideous reflection."
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Section 3 of 6:
Writing & Editing Your Myth
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Write in simple, straightforward language. Myths tell a story directly, as if the events that take place are fact rather than fiction. Generally, myths are relatively short, as they’re often passed down orally. [10] X Research source Avoid long, wandering sentences, detailed descriptions, or personal bias.
- This tends to make the plot move pretty quickly. For example, in one version of the Herakles myth, the hydra is introduced, tracked down, and killed in just eight sentences. [11] X Research source
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Add mythological descriptions and imagery to your writing. It may be helpful to read some real myths and see what kind of details they include about characters, places, and events. Then, try to imitate this style in your own writing. If you need some help, use the following writing tricks to make your myth sound traditional: [12] X Research source
- Use iconic symbols. Symbols vary between cultures but often include numbers like 3 and 7, animals like the raven or the seal, or characters like the prince or the trapped faerie.
- Use the same structure for several sentences in a row. For example: "Three days he went up into the heavens, and three days he went down to the Underworld; three days he was transformed into a wolf, and three days he was transformed into a snake."
- Give people a short, descriptive epithet. Epithets are especially popular in Greek epics, which often use epithets that refer to other stories, such as "Dionysus the wolf-repeller" or "Apollo, carrier of the bay branches."
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Read your myth aloud while editing. Once you think your myth is almost finished, read it aloud to yourself or a friend. Some phrases might sound better on paper than they do out loud, and myths are usually written to be shared as a spoken story. Go through it and correct spelling and grammar mistakes, as well, then have a friend take a second look in case you missed something. [13] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
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Fill-in-the-Blank Template for a Myth
Community Q&A
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QuestionCan you give me some ideas to start writing a myth?Community AnswerCome up with a natural mystery, like how the planets were created, why snakes don't have legs, or why the grass is green and start there.
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QuestionCan I write a myth in third person view?Community AnswerYes, you can. The majority of myths are usually written in third person.
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QuestionHow can I tell if I'm a good myth writer?Community AnswerWhen you've finished your myth, ask people to read it and give you their honest opinions.
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Tips
- There are many great sources of inspiration online where you can read about Chinese legends, Slavic folk tales , Aztec mythology, the Norse Poetic Edda , and myths from many other traditions.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Playing video games can actually help with writing! I was playing Pokémon Legends: Arceus and was wondering why people in the Pokémon universe worshipped Arceus. That gave me the idea to write a myth/origin story for Arceus. So, video games can give you ideas as well as broaden your creative sense.
- When you're first starting out, try writing a myth about a natural mystery, like how planets were made or why leaves change color. It can also help to draft the myth from a third-person perspective (he/she/they).
- If you need some inspiration, I would recommend reading books that are inspired by classic myths, like Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan.
- Have a pair of heroes rather than just one. That way, they can rely on one another throughout the myth.
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References
- ↑ https://www.pbs.org/mythsandheroes/myths_what.html
- ↑ https://stoswaldsschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Myths-Text-Type-Features-1.pdf
- ↑ https://www.imagineforest.com/blog/how-to-write-a-myth/
- ↑ https://www.imagineforest.com/blog/how-to-write-a-myth/
- ↑ https://www.imagineforest.com/blog/how-to-write-a-myth/
- ↑ https://www.kirton-boston.lincs.sch.uk/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Primary/Year-6/Writing-a-myth---Lesson-3---Planning-your-myth.pdf
- ↑ https://www.kirton-boston.lincs.sch.uk/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Primary/Year-6/Writing-a-myth---Lesson-3---Planning-your-myth.pdf
- ↑ https://sorcereroftea.com/how-to-write-myths/
- ↑ https://www.tekura.school.nz/assets/te-kura-resources/literacy/ENW314-its-a-myth.pdf
- ↑ https://publish.iupress.indiana.edu/read/myth-and-language/section/988cad47-ca06-4b47-83c0-b29a2e5de731
- ↑ https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+2.5.2&fromdoc=Perseus%253Atext%253A1999.01.0022
- ↑ https://stoswaldsschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Myths-Text-Type-Features-1.pdf
- ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/reading-aloud/
- ↑ https://www.imagineforest.com/blog/how-to-write-a-myth/
- ↑ https://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mff/myths_brainstorming.htm
- ↑ https://www.pbs.org/mythsandheroes/myths_arch_hero.html#content
- ↑ https://www.pbs.org/mythsandheroes/myths_what.html
- ↑ https://courses.missouristate.edu/MarkTrevorSmith/eng200Spring03/ProppStructure.htm
- ↑ https://sites.psu.edu/intothewoods2023/what-is-the-difference-between-folklore-fairy-tales-myths-and-legends/
- ↑ https://stoswaldsschool.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Myths-Text-Type-Features-1.pdf
- ↑ https://www.pbs.org/mythsandheroes/myths_what.html
- ↑ https://www.arc.unsw.edu.au/blitz/read/the-top-5-myths-from-ancient-greece
- ↑ https://human.libretexts.org/Courses/Arapahoe_Community_College/World_Mythology_(Stafinbil)_-_Under_Construction/03%3A_Classical_Greece_and_Rome/3.02%3A_The_Three_Types_of_Myth
About This Article
Article Summary
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Since myths tell how or why something in the real world happens, the first step is to decide what your myth will explain, and decide what kind of moral the story will have. Then, make sure you include some things that could never happen, like a tree that grows spaghetti. As you write your myth, make it sound more mythical by re-using the same type of sentence structures or giving characters short titles, like “Fido, fetcher of sticks.” Finally, remember to set up a problem for your hero to solve by the end of the story! For more advice, like how to give your hero specific attributes, keep reading!
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