This week: The Moms and Dads in Fantasy Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Fantasy Newsletter by Dawn
In both adult and YA novels, there can be a place for parents as a source of conflict and as a way to develop the arc of the character's development. Here we can look at some elements where the mom and/or dad might be involved in a fantasy story. |
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Parents are a common factor in many stories, whether they are involved in the character's lives or not. This is a topic that comes up in particular with young adult novels since they are notorious for having the parents be somehow missing or lack involvement in order for the main character to have the freedom to do whatever the story requires. However, it's not just the teen books that need to consider the topic of parental units. Unless it's a fantasy world where the character comes into existence by some other mean, then there might be room to talk a little about the character's parents and for a few reasons.
Character Development
Where did the character come from? We often can trace at least some of our features, mannerisms and other factors back to our parents. Growing up, every time I visited my mom where she worked I would always here from anyone else working there (often nurses and such cause it was a hospital) about how much I looked just like my mom. Or now as I get older, I can see some of the mannerisms and thought processes that are similar. And it's something I can think about when it comes to my novel characters too. Some know there parents and others do not. That is a factor on a few levels. So, consider that for a moment. Do your main point of view characters know their parents?
The lack of a parent or both
Maybe they don't know their mom/dad or the person isn't involved in their life anymore. That is quite possible. Granted, you don't want to use it all of the time with every character, but there are many reasons for a parent to not be around. If a character didn't have them around they might not know if they look like one of them or like the uncle on the mom's side of the family. On the other hand, they might come upon some pictures or find out through other sources. If there is a lack of nurture then maybe some of what they do is instead based on whoever took care of them instead of the parent. A number of options exist. The lack can also help drive a character to act. Do they want to find their parent? If they are no longer alive, there are then options or memories or even the lack of memories. What it can boil down to is a matter of how you use the missing or there parents in order to develop the character into a person that has a story for the reader. And part of that can be shaped into the stories conflict.
Conflict
There is conflict when a character doesn't know their mother or father, sure. However, one can also create conflict just by having the parents involved. More so in young adult because it's hard to go out fighting demons, vampires or whatever else is causing problems when the dad is around mentioning curfews or getting in the way. They might get in the way as an adult too either just by their nature or have some factor that makes them involved in the overall problems the character is facing. Or they could be the source of conflict or the villain. Luke I am your father - for a classic spec-fic example. Maybe the main character is a parent themselves. Many possibilities out there.
It can also be an element of world building: the role of the parent. How the society is developed, the roles of the parental unit and how a person develops from their experiences all plays a part in showing the world created within a story. It also can bring us up to the point of change, what sparks the main character into action and puts the whole book/story into motion.
So... what about your story, your world and your characters? Is there a mom involved? What about a dad? Who raises the children? Consider those factors, whether the parental units are a character development, source of conflict or how the two elements can be intermixed. Then get back to writing. Write a story involving a fantasy character and their parent and enter it in a contest here on the site. Just write!
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How are your characters' parents involved (or not involved) in the story?
Last month, I wrote about travel in our stories. Here are some comments submitted in regards to that topic and newsletter:
Comment by BIG BAD WOLF is Howling 
There's different ways that characters can travel. Mine depend on the setting.
Comment by dragonwoman 
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. Depends on the story how they travel. I am writing one tale that has a unicorn sanctuary on a floating island. The protection force travels by flying motorized cycles.
Comment by Quick-Quill 
A wrinkle in time is one favorite of mine. Somewhere in time- movie is a good one. I also liked the little boy who made the rocket- flight of the navigator. Outlander has become highly rated as a time travel series of books.
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Fantasy: June 19, 2019 Issue [#9608]
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