Retelling & Borrowing From Fairy Tales & Myths

featured stories from Gwen Kirby, Amber Sparks, Sarah Jane Cody, & Angela Carter

Hello friends!

Okay, so who does that? Who begins a Substack, then goes MIA for months after? I guess I did, and I’m here to say I’M BACK and ready for more regular Alone in a Room missives! If you’re new to me and this newsletter, my name is Joy Baglio, and I’m a speculative-literary fiction writer. You may know me through the literary arts organization I founded and run (Pioneer Valley Writers’ Workshop), or from my short stories, or from social media. Regardless, Alone in a Room (where you are now!) will be the MAIN forum where I will share craft instruction, teaching, writing prompts, new publications of my own, Youtube craft videos (coming!), essentially everything I do/offer will first happen here, in Alone in a Room! Thank you for joining me! These posts are always free and public, so if you enjoy one, please share, re-post, and spread the word!

I’d also love Alone in a Room to become as interactive and discussion-friendly as possible (especially given the likely loss of Twitter), so please do comment with thoughts, links, your experience with these ideas, and anything else that comes to mind, and we can continue the discussion in the comments!

Each post will dip into a different “Room” of craft, process, and/or something related to the writing life. (I like to imagine these as magical portals into real rooms that might be furnished in strange, writerly ways!) So, on that note, let’s continue - through the proverbial doors, into the Room itself!

The Room: Retellings & Story Kernels

Almost a year ago, I was falling asleep (maybe actually asleep?) when I woke up somewhat suddenly with the idea for a new story, that seemed to spring out of nowhere and borrowed in a big way from animal-as-magical-guide fairy tales. Even more interestingly, it came to me in a strangely omniscient and opinionated narrative voice that I don’t normally use, yet seemed to be what this particular story wanted. I quickly wrote down everything I could, and the story has been growing and evolving ever since and is now in the final revision stages. When I think of this piece, despite all the revision work and plot wrangling I’ve done, I also think about how much potential energy (and potential tension) was embedded - initially - in some of the magical tropes it plays with, and also how much fun and how freeing it was to reinvent and experiment with these ideas. How these already-existing narrative structures allowed me to tap in more deeply to what the story might mean. Similarly, most of us have grown up with fairy tales and myths passed down in various forms, so we have probably been thinking about some of their narrative “kernels” for years. Fairy tales and myths are pretty much EVERYWHERE and also deep in our collective psyche, and for many of us, they are how we came to writing, why we love stories so much.

Most importantly though, to truly rise above pure playfulness and/or quirkiness and to hit at real meaning - just as the best speculative fiction always connects to some deeper emotional core or human truth, made more powerful and visceral through the fantastic element(s) at play - I firmly believe that the best retellings will also feel urgent and emotional and speak to some “core” of human experience.

But why retell and/or borrow from fairy tales & myths (i.e., why I do!):

• It provides a clear jumping-off point, a way to launch into something new, from a point that readers are often familiar with. Your retelling may have almost nothing to do with the story it’s jumping off from, yet this key launch point acts as a kind of doorway you might not have been able to access without the other story providing that ladder.
  

• Beginning with a fairy tale or myth, already commonly known, can be a way to enter into dialogue with existing narratives and the meaning they already hold in society, and/or shift those narratives to illuminate new truths. Similarly, if a particular fairy tale or myth makes you angry or hits a chord with you, that can be a sign that the story is ripe for a retelling. (See Allegra Hyde’s and Gwen Kirby’s stories below.)
  

• Pre-existing narrative backbones. By retelling and/or borrowing from established fairy tales or myths that a lot of people are familiar with, the reader enters into the story with a certain degree of familiarity, and the writer is able to count on this familiarity and as such spend time on other aspects of story. Creating a story in this way, with a fairy tale or myth as a guiding plot backbone, can take off some of the pressure to invent tension and plot, as many of the plot points and tensions already exist.
  

Types of retellings and ways a story can be shifted / reimagined

• Choose a different character to focus on, perhaps a side character or a minor character, and let them be the narrator or the POV character through which the story is filtered. (Ex: One of the stepsisters in Cinderella or Jack’s mother who has no idea where he is when he climbs the beanstalk or the the story of the Hydra before Heracles comes to kill it.)
  

• Mix and match different characters and POV: Tons of options here, and it’s interesting to note that the character focused on and the POV character (perspective from which the story is told) can be different and the effect of mixing/matching these can be quite striking and fun to play with. Imagine a Little Red Riding Hood retelling about the wolf, from the POV of the woodsman. Perhaps he’s been stalking the wolf for years, has been on its trail and has photos and “crime scene” type images posted on the wall of his cabin. Or, alternately, imagine the wolf telling his own story. Suddenly, two completely different stories are possible.
  

• Choose a different point on the timeline. This is what intrigued me in my tiny flash piece “Before”, in The Fairy Tale Review: I was thinking about the life of the fairy godmother before she meets Cinderella and pondering over the idea that she herself might have been a kind of Cinderella figure who needed saving, yet perhaps had to figure out how to save herself, and in this process, became who she ultimately is in the story we know. What’s fascinating about this approach to me is that the story we’re familiar with (in this case, Cinderella) ends up acting as a kind of bridge into a new piece that is - very often - completely independent of and different from the original. You could imagine distant futures or alternate futures (or pasts) for any character in any fairy tale or myth, and there’s really no end to the permutations that can come from experimenting.
  

• Set fairy tale or mythical characters in new settings and time periods. I think the fun here is self-evident. Yet perhaps less obvious is the way doing this can transform the same story into something wholly new, as you lean in to different aspects of the story’s meaning, depending on the where and when of it. What would Sleeping Beauty reimagined as a journey through space, in the distant future, where her sleep is necessary for survival, look like - and what cloud of potential meanings would be available to that particular story? Or what would a contemporary retelling of Theseus and the Minotaur look like?

Writing prompts that play with retelling

Here are a few prompts I created that aim to get us thinking about ways to subvert and reimagine fairytales, myths, and different magical tropes. I find myself using prompts like this often and have used all of these here somewhat recently!

Here's a brainstorming warmup to try right now:

1. Think of the first fairy tale, myth, legend, etc. to come to your mind, in whatever form it does. Maybe it’s the Disney version. Maybe it’s Hans Christian Anderson or a Greek (or other cultural) myth.
   

2. Now, make a list of all the possible versions of that story that could exist. All the different characters who could tell it, different time periods, angles, settings, etc. and how this story might tap into x or y current issues as it shifts.
   

3. Lastly, choose one of your brainstormed versions from your list, and freewrite for 10 minutes. I’ve seen all kinds of things come from this exercise: voices and characters emerging that writers had never experienced before. New, fresh layers of meaning spawned from ancient stories. Above all, have fun with this! I firmly believe the best writing and ideas happen when tapping into a spirit of curiosity and play. (Bonus: Try retelling the same story several times, switching who tells the story, where it’s set, how it moves through time, etc. and see what happens!)
   

Reimagining and subverting magical and fairy tale tropes:

• Three Wishes: Write a scene in which a character is granted three wishes. Put a new spin on how these wishes are granted. Is it through a magical object? An unexpected visitor? An act of benevolence or goodwill? An accident? Consequently, what does your character wish for? How does the act of wishing progress? What happens after each wish? Are there drawbacks or consequences (the “cost” of the wishes)? How might the idea of “wishes” be subverted and/or reimagined?
  

• Forbidden Door / Box: Write about a door or box or some other closed-off space that should not - under any circumstances - be opened! Who gives this warning? What’s at risk? Who is tempted, and why? What happens? What can this say about human nature?
  

• Talking Animal Guide / Helper: Write about a character facing a problem who is aided, mysteriously, perhaps not without some element of threat or danger, by a creature in the natural world. Why is this help given? What is promised? What toll must be paid, if any? (I’ve been thinking a lot about this one lately, as it’s the premise of a new short story that I will hopefully be sharing soon!)
  

• A Promise: Stemming from the above idea, this is also one I’ve been thinking about lately. Write a story that begins with a promise that is made. To whom is it made, and why? What happens over time? Why is this promise difficult to keep? What are the implications of breaking it? What leads to it breaking, and what happens afterward?
  

• Share your own in the comments! Do you have a mythical trope that could be subverted and played with that you want to throw onto this list? Or perhaps one you recently worked with? Share in the comments!

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Recommended reading

A few pieces that use myth & fairy tale elements in surprising:

• In Which Athena Designs a Video Game with the Express Purpose of Trolling Her Father, by Amber Sparks, in Wigleaf. “Trolling Zeus is dangerous, after all. Last time Hera did it, he turned her into an earthworm for a year.” The title of this piece speaks to how humorously and brilliantly it reimagines both Athena and Zeus and sets them in a completely different paradigm, with all kinds of hilarious references to Zeus’ shape-shifting womanizing, yet my favorite thing about this story is the way we feel the subtle tensions of the father-daughter relationship, Athena’s “disappointment”, Zeus’ loneliness - the real, human emotions threaded throughout.
  

• “Shit Cassandra Saw That She Didn’t Tell the Trojans Because at that Point Fuck Them Anyway” by Gwen E. Kirby in SmokeLong Quarterly: “Cassandra is done, full the fuck up, soul weary.” This story (also the titular story of Kirby’s short story collection) is all kinds of awesome in how fiercely and urgently it gives voice to Cassandra’s foresight and how far her vision (and rage) stretch. Notice here how much glorious work the title is doing, similar to Sparks’ story above, and also how this story of Cassandra has shifted to be about so many contemporary issues.
   

• “Story of Girl" by Sarah Jane Cody in Joyland: “Already, there are so many such stories, so many little girls who venture into dangerous woods, but the girl knows that she is one of them.” I love how this story plays with fairy tale motifs and language, in particular the sense of threat and warning at the heart of many fairy tales, yet also how it gives a new agency and interiority to “the girl.” Red Riding Hood and wolf imagery emerge, but this story is also completely its own.
  

• “Eat Me (Alternative Scenarios in the Garden of Eden)” by Allegra Hyde in Code Lit: “Eve ate the apple because she wanted to.” This story reimagines Eve as complex feminist, scientist, environmentalist “bad girl” full of desire, boredom, and a need for self actualization and exploration - and does all this while the reader explores (and alters!) the original paragraph structure, which crumbles as the cursor is moved around the page. (A shout-out to the brilliant Matthew Baker and Code Lit, a journal that envisions digital ways that stories can be experienced.)
  

• Before, by Joy Baglio (me): “Let’s talk about the fairy godmother, before.” I hesitate to use my own piece as an example, but it’s very short and also a clear example of retelling a fairy tale from another character’s POV, in particular from a point in time before the story we all know (in this case, Cinderella) begins.
  

• Song of Achilles and Circe, by Madeline Miller: “Achilles returns to the tent, where my body waits. He is red and red and rust-red, up to his elbows, his knees, his neck, as if he has swum in the vast dark chambers of a heart, and emerged, just now, still dripping.” I really have no words to describe how much I love both of these books and Miller’s lush, visual prose style. If you haven’t already, and if you love the above line as much as I do, you’ll love both of these.
  

• The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter: “My father lost me to The Beast at cards.” If you haven’t yet read Carter’s brilliant collection and you’re excited about fairy tale retellings, get your hands on this masterpiece as soon as possible! If her dripping, ornate language doesn’t captivate you, you’ll be pulled in by the psychological astuteness and deep yearning at the heart of these stories. My favorite, always and forever, will be her timeless vampire tale, “Lady of the House of Love,” which borrows from vampire stories and gothic tropes, yet recasts the monstrous countess into a sad figure who resists what she is. Quote from The Tiger’s Bride, also one of my favorites. Link is to the book at Book Moon Books, Kelly Link and Gavin Grant’s bookstore in Easthampton MA.
  

And here I am with my partner Eric, channeling “Lady of the House” of Love for Halloween (Angela Carter’s vampire countess). Eric is James Joyce!

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What’s new with me

So since it’s been a while, I’ll include a bunch of new-ish news and stuff about me! I’m sure many of you have seen me posting about some of this on Twitter and beyond, but here it all is, in one neat little list! (Who among us can resist a neat list? I can’t!)

New Short Stories

• Last month, I had a new ghost/mortality flash fiction piece, “Box of Ghosts”, in The Bureau Dispatch, an incredible project and journal created by Hong Kong writer/editor Jiksun Cheung.
  

• The story I’m most excited to share, this year and maybe ever, is one that came out this summer in The Missouri Review: “They Could Have Been Yours.” I think it's probably the best thing I've written to date. (It’s also - currently - on the Nebula Reading list and eligible for Nebula, Hugo, & Bram Stoker awards, so just a friendly reminder if you’re reading for any of those!) I think of it as an inverted ghost story, and it’s wild and dark (but not without humor). It's about jealousy, obsession, addiction, FOMO, exes, weddings, haunting/stalking, and ultimately love, forgiveness, and letting go. It's also (excitingly) in the process of being optioned for film! (Though I shouldn't talk about that yet...*claps hand over mouth*) My agent has described it as "Lord of the Rings meets A Christmas Carol” and TMR Editor Speer Morgan has very kindly called it “the kind of short story that makes me want to jump onto my desk and shout: The American short story is alive and well.” It’s taken me years to write, and some of the stuff I’ve been trying to write about for over a decade finds its way into this piece. If you’re curious too, I talk more about the story and where it came from in this interview with the wonderful Constance Malloy, in The Burning Hearth. You can also listen to me read it here (which I recommend - I’m proud of this recording; it took a while):
  

Write With Me, Live on Zoom!

• I lead a once-a-month, free, virtual, generative gathering called Community Writing, through Pioneer Valley Writers' Workshop. It's on the first Friday of every month, 6 - 7:30pm EST, and always features a handful of original writing prompts (created by me), time to write, and time to share/discuss/meet each other. If you're struggling to find writing time and/or just want more community around your writing practice, come join us! It's always fun and writing really does happen! Next session: Friday, December 2 (6 - 7:30pm EST) Free and open to all! RSVP at above link.
  

Upcoming Readings / Workshops / Events

• Italian American Writers’ Association Reading Series: If you’re in Boston on November 19 (7pm), I’ll be a featured reader at the Italian American Writers’ Association reading series, at I Am Books. There’s an open mic first that begins at 6pm! November 19, 7pm ET. In-Person.
  

• PVWW Manuscript Program Open House: I’ll be hosting PVWW’s annual Open House & Reading, for those interested in our 10-Month Manuscript Program, which is now open to applications until December 21. If you’re working on a book-length project in any genre and are looking for a (virtual) program that might support you over a longer period of time, with opportunities for feedback, community, craft study, and consultations with an instructor), our program may be of interest to you! Program instructors Kate Senecal, Carolyn Zaikowski, and Dorian Fox - as well as current/former students - will be at the open house to answer questions. Featured readings from a few of our 2022 program writers: Rachel Teferet, Tzivia Gover, Tom Pedulla, Ina Lipkowitz, & Cheryl Bonin.

  Learn more / RSVP here. November 20, 3 - 4pm EST. Virtual
  

• Dreams for a Broken World: Anthology Reading: I’ll be reading at the LAVA Center in Greenfield MA alongside four other authors from the new Dreams anthology (Robert V.S. Redick, Tina Egnoski, Celine Keating, & Jan Maher)! If you’re in the area, come join us! The anthology is an incredible mix of speculative fiction & realism, from Essential Dreams Press & Series Editor/Publisher Julie C. Day & Guest Editor Ellen Meeropol. Learn more here. November 30, 7 - 8:15pm ET. In-Person. LAVA Center in Greenfield, MA.
  

• Story Sketching: Outline Your Book in Three Acts: A three-hour workshop I’ll be leading (virtually) at PVWW! This is an interactive, generative workshop, and past participants seem to have really gotten something out of it. It’s geared toward writers wanting to bring clarity and organization to in-progress novels (or memoirs), and is for writers at any stage of the drafting or revision process! Learn more / sign up here. December 3, 1 - 4pm ET. Virtual.
  

Other News:

• Ragdale residency: I recently found out I received a residency at Ragdale for next summer, and I couldn’t be more excited and grateful. (I’ve been applying widely to residencies for next year, and while rejection is the norm at most of the competitive ones - and my rejections are still flowing in! - when it works out, it really does feel like the universe lining up to help you write.)
  

• Interview: Mentioned above, but I’ll include it here as well: I was interviewed by the wonderful Constance Malloy of The Burning Hearth back in the spring (when this newsletter was lying dormant!) and got to talk with her about a bunch of stuff I love including my process, teaching, haunted residencies, accepting our own darkness, and more! Constance is a fabulous interviewer and writer, and all of her conversations with writers are terrific. In particular though, her three-part interview with David Naimon (of the podcast Between the Covers) is not to be missed!

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About me

JOY BAGLIO is a speculative-literary writer and proud Leo living in Northampton MA. Joy is the founder of Pioneer Valley Writers' Workshop, a literary arts organization - now virtual - offering writing workshops, craft classes, literary events, a 10-Month Manuscript Program, and editing/coaching services. Her short stories have appeared in literary magazines such as Tin House, The Missouri Review, American Short Fiction, Conjunctions, The Iowa Review, Gulf Coast, and elsewhere. Recent honors include residencies from Yaddo, Vermont Studio Center, The Kerouac Project (spring 2023), and Ragdale (summer 2023); scholarships from Sewanee Writers’ Conference and Bread Loaf; and grants from The Elizabeth George Foundation and The Speculative Literature Foundation. Joy is at work on a collection of short stories and two novels. She loves birds, dinosaurs, amateur astronomy, and plays the bagpipes. Visit her at www.JoyBaglio.com (& on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon).

Thank you!

Thank you so much for reading! I'm excited for what's to come, and so grateful for your interest and desire to be part of this. This post is also publicly available, so feel free to share! And if you haven't already you can always subscribe here as well.