Once Upon a Time we Pondered; Why do we use Fairy Tales in our Work?

Once Upon a Time we pondered; Why do we use Fairy Tales in our Work?

This is the third install met of our Fairy Tale blogs, inspired by recently discussions about, what fairy tale are, over at the SCWBI (Society of Children’s book Writers and Illustrators) British Isles Facebook page. This made us think a bit more about what fairy tales mean to us, so we posed three questions which we have answer in the series of blog posts; 

1)What do we think fairy tales are?

2) What is our favourite fairy tale and why?

3)Why do we use fairy tales in our own work?

 The first blog; Once upon a time, we wondered, what is a fairy tale?  can be found over on Emma Graham's Blog; press here. 

The second post; Once Upon A Time we Thought, What is our Favourite Fairy Tale? Was posted on this blog last week press here.

Why I use Fairy Tales in my Writing by Donna Vann writing as D.V. Hawkes  http://www.dvhawkes.com

I’ve written historical adventures, picture books set in the real world and a contemporary teen novel. But from now on, I’d like to write what I would classify very loosely as fairy tales – stories in which the magical appears, not for its own sake but in order to take the heroine out of her ordinary world and give her a new stage on which to learn courage and compassion and come home changed.

In the book I’m currently writing, characters live in reality but the numinous can break through at any moment. Hovering just out of sight is a world of wonder and marvels. Why does the mountain near the castle hum day and night? Why does Meg see stories when she hums along with it, or when she touches someone? Gifts from that unseen world are bestowed on my heroine, who will have to make brave choices in order to use them well in this one.

Donna's SCBWI Profile 

Why I use Fairy Tales in my Writing by Sally Poyton 

www.sallypoyton.com/

In the year 2012, after thousands of years of stories been told and written, it is a hard task for any of us to come up with something completely original. So unless you have lived your entire life living under a rock, anything you write will be influenced by something you have watched, read or heard. To tackle this I try to use lots of influences to come up with different ways of looking at things, trying to bring a fresh perspective, but referring and/or commenting on what has been before.

 The best books I’ve ever read are layered, their stories constructed on foundations of what has been laid before; fairy tales, mythology, history, science… the list goes on.  They make for a rich manuscripts, their worlds seem real, and tangible.. J K Rowling and Terry Pratchett are good examples - so much so, there are now books on the Science and Folklore that’s found in discworld.

I use fairy tales in my work; firstly I love them, and secondly because they have a perennial appeal, adapting to culture as it changes. Ultimately I use them because they are about the things that matter. Love, life, death, survival. They don’t shy away from the dark matters; seclusion from society, cannibalism, incest, murder, and yet they have a universal appeal to people of all cultures and ages.

Through Mortal Eyes
is my YA Fairy Tale Themed Fantasy 

 Sally's SCBWI Profile

Why I use Fairy Tales in my Illustration by Emma Graham www.egrahamillustrations.co.uk

As an illustrator I have always been fascinated how different illustrators interpret the fairy tales. I was brought up in a very art filled environment. Books, music, painting. Both my Nana and my Mother were artists and my Father a photographer. My parents collected old books, mainly children’s books, which I still have and treasure. Illustrators such as Edmund Dulac, Kay Nielsen, W Heath Robinson, Harry Clarke, and of course Arthur Rackham filled my bookshelves and bedroom walls. These fantastic illustrators works somehow infused into my passion for books and were the foundation of my passion to illustrate.

I love to read and draw, my great inspiration is from the old stories, whether you class them as fairy tales, fantasies or fables. They are full of colour, crazy mystical beings and enchanted worlds, perfect for an illustrator to create from and stories I will always go back to over and over again and always get new ideas.

Little Mermaid by Emma

But I do wonder what ‘modern’ stories will one day become the fairy tales of the future? But that is another question!

Emma's SCBWI Profile

Hi there!

Thanks for checking out the blog. We really hope that you enjoyed the Fairy Tale series.  Please do leave a comment and tell us whether Fairy Tale influence you and if so how they inspire you work.

Once Upon A Time we Thought, What is our Favourite Fairy Tale?

Once Upon A Time we Thought, What is our Favourite Fairy Tale?

Recently over on the SCWBI (Society of Children’s book Writersand Illustrators) British Isles Facebook page, there was a discussion on what Fairy Tales are. The discussion was interesting and varied displaying one astonishing thing, that what a fairy tale is subjective, and that different people have very different perceptions on what a fairy tale is. This has prompted three SCBWI members to think at little more about how we see fairy tale and what they mean to us.  

We have made a series of blog posts discussing fairy tales, the first of which  Once upon a time, we wondered, what is a fairy tale?  can be found over on Emma Graham's Blog; press here

My Favourite Fairy Tale by Emma Graham www.egrahamillustrations.co.uk

Lewis Carroll describes Alice in Wonderland as a fairytale, but this is hardly a short story.

This has to be one of my own favourites. A talking Caterpillar, the White Rabbit, magic potions and food and mystical lands. Carroll takes everyday creatures and objects and animates them in a lively and crazy manner to weave this fantastic tale.

I guess my love for this tale was nurtured by my mother, who just after I was born painted a large picture of Alice’s world for my bedroom wall. I was always intrigued by what was down the dark rabbit hole and I still am.

Alice and Caterpillar By Emma Graham

http://britishscbwi.ning.com/profile/emmagraham

My Favourite Fairy Tale by Donna Vann writing as D.V. Hawkes  http://www.dvhawkes.com/

As a child, I devoured folk tales and fairy tales, particularly those by Hans Andersen. While escaping from the real world I also learned so much that formed my character and that I still draw on today. For example, it was clear that a scruffy, unimportant person might be a powerful mentor or a prince in disguise. I learned that courage and kindness were much more valuable than wealth or celebrity.

My favourite books growing up were by George Macdonald – he was a contemporary of Dickens but is pretty much unknown today. In ‘The Princess and Curdie’ a miner’s son is given the ability to understand a person’s character by taking their hand, which inspired something the novel I’m working on at the moment. Macdonald’s books are dotted with preachy asides, but that didn’t trouble me at all back then.

My favourite modern-day fairy tale is Roald Dahl’s ‘The Witches’. An ordinary hotel, where a boy and his grandma are staying, becomes extraordinary when it transpires that the hotel is hosting a major convention of European witches, recognised by their blue spit, lack of toes and disgust at the smell of children.

http://britishscbwi.ning.com/profile/DonnaVann 

My Favourite Fairy Tale by Sally Poyton 

www.sallypoyton.com/

The Three Snake Leaves by Grimm

I don’t know exactly why I love this tale, but I think it’s got the balance just right, it’s about love and survival, plus it has the perfect balance of dark and magic. It not one of the tales you’ll find in a children’s anthology so if you want to read it then my favourite version can be found in Grimm’s Grimmest (1997 - Maria Tatar - Chronicle Books)

It’s a story about a poor man who agrees to marry a princess despite having to agree that in the event that he should outlive her he will accompany her to the grave. They live happily together, and when the princess dies her husband keeps his word and is incarcerated in the crypt with her. Here, in the crypt, three snakes appear. The man so overcome by hunger kills one of the snakes. To his astonishment, he watches the remaining snakes use three golden leaves to bring the dead snake back to life. Seeing this magic, the man uses the leaves to bring the princess back from the dead. The couple make such a racket on the door that the king comes and is overjoyed to find them alive. However the Princess has changed, and no longer loves her husband, so has him killed. Fortunately the husband has entrusted the leaves to a loyal servant who uses them to bring him man back to life. Alive once more the husband uses his wit to his construct his wife’s demise.

Ayame and gold leaves 

http://britishscbwi.ning.com/profile/SallyJaynePoyton

Thanks for reading, and please leave a comment to tell us what your favourite fairy tale is...