Introduction
At first blush, Grimms’ fairy tales are some strange stories. Adults plot against children. A knocked-off head can be reattached with a life-giving root. And the amount of rust on a knife will tell you if your brother is alive… or mostly dead.
Unusual they may be, but these fairy tales have stood the test of time. There are two hundred and ten fairy tales in Grimms’ final collection. They’ve been enjoyed by generations of readers and sparked many a writer’s imagination.
Today, we can use these stories to master the basics of storytelling. After all, when Grimms’ fairy tales are boiled down to their simplest components, we have a pattern:
Once upon a time there was a character who lived in a setting and had a problem (plot). Fairy tale magic intervened/interfered and everyone learned a lesson (theme).
In Lessons from Grimm we’ll do a deep dive into each of these components to study how the Grimms handled genre, character, setting, plot, magic, and theme. We’ll make note of repeated patterns that we can use in our own stories so we can become better writers. Whether you are working on a retelling, an adaptation, or a brand-new fairy tale, there is something you can learn from these master story tellers.
Who Am I?
I’m an author known for my Fairy-Tale Inheritance Series of young adult novels, particularly Cinderella’s Dress. I’ve used fairy tales to teach writing to children, teens, and adults in my roles as an author, a homeschool educator, and a writer-in-residence at the library.
Having worked with the most popular fairy tales (Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), I wanted to explore the lesser-known tales, and so I went to the well. Of all the fairy tale collections, Grimm is by far the most well-known, so this German collection seemed like a great place to start. By the way, do you know what’s at the bottom of a well? Grimm can tell you, and you’ll find out later in this book.
How to Use This Book
If you are starting from scratch: Maybe you have a smattering of ideas about what to write, but nothing fully formed. Great! Keep a notebook handy and get ready to brainstorm. As you learn more about the Grimms’ fairy tales, inspiration can strike at any moment, and you’ll want to capture those thoughts before they flitter away. You’ll learn about the fundamentals of storytelling as used by the Grimms and how all those pieces fit together. The appendices at the back of this book list hundreds of tropes to give you more ideas.
If you already have a partial or first draft: Are you already deep in the fairy tale forest and looking for some tips on how to make your story better? The Grimms can help. As you work through each section, stop and analyze the work you’ve already written. Use the exercises to strengthen your fairy tale based on these timeless techniques.
If you are a creative writing teacher: While not written as a teacher’s manual, these pages can help you walk your students through the major elements that make up a fairy tale. Each section contains examples from popular and lesser known tales. Tales filled with adventure, romance, and derring-do. The questions in the exercises at the end of each section can be used to help drive classroom discussion.
A few more things…
Have a copy of Grimms’ complete fairy tales on hand. That way, when I mention a tale, you can read for more details. You can find all of the stories online. Go to my website for an updated list of resources.
ShonnaSlayton.com/LessonsFromGrimmResources/
A brief word on translations and copyright. The original German versions of Grimms’ fairy tales are in the public domain, as are many of the early translations.
The most complete and accessible translation in the public domain is from Margaret Hunt, translated in 1884 under the title Household Tales. Recent translations are still under copyright.
For clarity’s sake, when I quote a passage, I’m using Margaret Hunt’s translation and changing out the thee’s and thou’s for modern ears. I also left in the excess commas and sometimes mention the modern titles of the stories.
Note: The companion workbook Lessons from Grimm Workbook provides guided space for you to brainstorm and plot out your own fairy tales. It also contains a plot chart and pages for drawing maps. The Lessons from Grimm workbooks designed for students are adjusted for grade level and complexity. For extra inspiration, there is also a series of writing prompt workbooks based on Grimms’ tales. Be sure to check those out.
Now. Shall we begin?
