Weaving Myths and Legends into Your Writing
Hidden in the nooks and creases of societies lies a vast well of inspiration: the myths and legends of the world. The magical stories of the past have been a part of fiction since the beginning of time. Writers like Rick Riordan, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Roshani Chokshi, Julie Kagawa and Tomi Adeyemi, among many others, have been inspired by the myths and legends of diverse cultures. Due to their careful weaving of myths into their fiction, along with their incredible imagination, these writers create vivid tales. As a Latinx fantasy writer, I have written three manuscripts based on Latinx mythology. Throughout this process, I’ve learned methods to successfully incorporate myths and legends into stories. Today, I hope to offer guidance on how to weave myths and legends into your writing.
Be Respectful
When being inspired by myths and legends, it is essential to do it from a place of respect and consideration. As you decide where to draw inspiration from, be aware of your heritage and history. For example, I am from Mexico, thus I choose to be inspired by Latinx myths and legends. This is because I experience Mexican culture and customs personally. This allows me to accurately represent this ethnic group from a place of respect.
Research Thoroughly
Research is one of the most crucial aspects of correctly incorporating myths and legends into your writing. Regardless of being Mexican, I dive deep into research. Every time I travel to Mérida, México, I stop by the local bookstore and buy as many Maya and Aztec mythology books as I can. I schedule a time to accommodate reading these promptly. I have travelled to Maya towns in the Mexican península to learn and accurately represent the Indigenous communities of Mexico and Latin America. Internet sources have been extremely helpful, too. However, it is vital to verify where information comes from and check each source’s reference list, which can lead to other interesting myths and legends.
Keep Your Notes and Sources Organized
When performing research, it is essential to keep the information you find organized. This can also let you compare and contrast information from various sources and see if the facts and tales match. Write down page numbers and the names of authors along with the titles of their books. Save screenshots of the information you find online and include all the links in your document. Make sure it is a neatly organized document. Believe me, you’ll thank me later.
Free Your Imagination
Once you have respectfully chosen your sources of inspiration, done your research and organized all of the information, it is time to gather your favourite myths and legends and let your imagination fly. If you are writing fantasy, here is where you insert mythological creatures into a scene or base a magic system on the Gods your character worships. Since you are writing fiction, you are free to thread and sprinkle myths and legends into your story. Most of my inspiration comes from visual and auditory prompts, which I usually gather through Pinterest boards and movie/videogame soundtracks. I recommend you listen to your favourite soundtrack and pick an image that inspires you. Let your imagination do the rest.
Embed Your Chosen Mythology Within the Logic of Your World
The myths and legends you chose must appear in your story organically. To do this, you must embed them in your world logically. For example, in fantasy stories mythology manifests in various magic systems, which are based on a structure constructed by rules. The magic system also affects the cultures and history of your world. Whatever element of myths and legends you incorporate, ask yourself these questions:
How does this element of this myth interact with other aspects of my world?
Is this specific mythological creature native to a certain culture?
In which ways do these myths affect the beliefs of my characters?
Have these myths affected customs, culture, transportation or education in my fictional world?
What about legal systems? What rules have emerged?
These questions will help you get started on embedding your chosen mythology into your world. The journey of weaving mythology and legends into your story is fun and exciting. For me, it is one of my favourite parts of creating a fantasy world. I hope these tips guide you on your writing journey.
