Since the Weekend Writing Prompts series has been such a hit, we’re going to do our best to post one every other week, opposite our usual blog posts!

This week’s theme: Fairytales. These classic stories have been rewritten, spun, and magic-pumpkin’d into many iterations. Some fairytales are disturbing. Some explore good vs. evil. Others are an exploration of royalty and true love. Whatever your preference, fairytales are FULL of inspiration for any writer. So, get a little wild and have fun with this one!

Poetry: Fairytales’ protagonists often interact with important objects: Red Riding Hood has her… red riding hood… Cinderella wears a glass slipper, Jack sells a cow and grows a bean stalk, and Snow White receives a poisoned apple. Similarly, the villains have their own objects which may be the same or different from the protagonist. Explore the importance of these objects in a poem, whether from the perspective of the main character or the villain. For example, how does the witch in Snow White gaze at the poison apple? Or, how does it feel in Snow White’s hand? Does she struggle with the decision to take a bite? Do the dwarves burn every apple tree they can find after what happened to Snow?

Fiction–Make It Dirty: This is your chance to try your pen at erotic writing. Angela Carter’s short story “The Company of Wolves” retells the story of Red Riding Hood with contrasting themes of sexuality and religion. You can find this story online with a quick Google. Your prompt is to choose a fairytale and rewrite it with a touch of ~spice~.

Creative Nonfiction: Take a real-life event that stands out to you from your personal life (or from the chaotic neighbouring country to the south) and write your own fairytale based on true events that could be told 200 years from now. Take some liberties with the fantastical elements of the story and have fun with it. Whether it contains a moral, a tragic ending, or a happily-ever-after is the writer’s choice.

Message us on discord or comment with your stories! Happy writing!