Diversifying fairytales

[rhian_crockett]

I'm really interested in "diversified fairytales", by which I mean retellings of traditional stories which give a place to characters not generally included (or not positively included). Examples of this would be my own Happy Ever Afters, which is a version of Sleeping Beauty in which a servant-girl kisses the princess, and Malinda Lo's Ash, which is an LGBT retelling of Cinderella. I'm sure there are other retold fairytales out there: Disney's The Princess and the Frog might count, given that the princess is a person of colour -- I haven't seen it, though. Other ideas might be to include characters with disabilities, non-neurotypical people, people who don't fit into the gender binary...

In any case, I'm really interested in seeing more of this kind of thing. I would love to put together some kind of anthology, perhaps as an ebook and as a 'print on demand' type thing. Problem is, I haven't the least idea of how to do it, and I don't have many people interested in submitting.

So, I turn to you, internet! Please, bring your friends. Retweet. Reblog. Pass it around. Pass the link to authors who would support such an endeavour, and might send me some help! Share what you know. Help me figure out how to do this. If you think you know exactly what to do, talk to me -- maybe we can do this together.

(I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little scared by the idea of leading such a project. Be gentle with me.)

Comments

[thistleburr]

I think that a LOT of people would be interested in something like this. I'll spread the word around :)

[rhian_crockett]

Me too! Thank you. I really have no idea how to begin, so I hope someone does. Heh.

[amethystfirefly]

You know I'm in! And I'll definitely spread the word.

Out of curiosity, are you looking for classical fantasy style fairy tales, or would you be open to fairy tales taken out of their fantasy setting and put into another genre?

[rhian_crockett]

I know!

Hmmm, I'm not sure. Could you give an example? (Or PM me/email me/whatever with an idea, if you don't want to share it in public.)

[novel_machinist]

I've been doing something like this for a long time, over a year ago I came up with a male Snow White (I'm sure it's been done before, but this is the first time I'd seen it)

I've recently looked into gender flipping Beauty and the Beast You can see my nano post here.

I like the idea a lot myself, and I'm definitely going to be writing more of it. :) Maybe we should be friends.

[rhian_crockett]

Yep, me too -- I wrote Happy Ever Afters two years ago, for my partner. And I've seen a lot of gender-flipping and such in fandom, so it's not a surprising or new concept, but it is one it'd be good to encourage.

Feel free to subscribe to my journal; I'll subscribe back.

[lynnoconnacht]

Disney's retelling of The Princess and the Frog... When it comes to diversifying it kind of shoots itself in the foot. Tiana (and Naveen, obviously) are frogs for most of the movie, after all, and I'm sure there's more I missed. But, in general, whether it suits your purposes as an example depends on how important the ratio of time spent as human compared to that of time spent as frog is to you. (I'm sure there are more than those examples out there too, but names? I have none. Oh. There's a Disney rendition of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. That might count.)

It might be an idea to narrow down your criteria a little further. Ties in with what amethystfirefly asked, actually, because as it stands you have some really wide parameters that readers/contributors can interpret quite differently from you. Some tales may be too obscure for what you want the anthology to accomplish. For example, Sweetheart Roland or The Iron Stove. I don't know if the fact that they're relatively little known would help or hinder what you want to accomplish with the anthology. Might be a point worth discussing with more people before deciding? *hopes she's being useful rather than obnoxious*

(I have some, admittedly very limited, experience with DTP and publication layout making, so I'm willing to take up the layout presentation if you need someone for it, by the by. ^-^)

[rhian_crockett]

I was definitely thinking of having another post to discuss exactly how we're defining fairytales -- amethystfirefly and I have been discussing it on IM, too -- once I've gauged interest and seen whether there's really interest and if people want to join in the endeavour. I have my own ideas, but it's also important to know what people are interested in reading.

For example, I'd say that fairytale style original stories would be welcome -- like Neil Gaiman's Stardust, only with an LGBT character at the centre. Creating new fairytales where non-typical characters are the most important ones is just as empowering a thing as rewriting the old ones -- arguably, more so. So resurrecting less known stories would also, I think, suit that goal. It's more, to me, about renewing the form and creating a more diverse and open place within it.

[whatawaytoburn]

I just wanted to trop by and say that I think this idea could be really fun. I'd love to contribute, whether it's in writing or simply as another person to bounce ideas off of. The point is, I'm definitely game for some diversity.

I have a question though: when you talk about diversity, you mention LGBTQ themes, racial themes, things like that, would somehow integrating a poly relationship count? Or alternative lifestyles in general assuming they are age appropriate?

[rhian_crockett]

It's good to hear from people who are interested in contributing!

Interesting question! I hadn't thought about that, despite saying only this morning about being impressed re: a writer including positive polyamorous relationships in their work. I think that it'd definitely be within the scope of this project: it's a natural and normal relationship dynamic for many people, and yet it doesn't get represented in fairytales (or even in fiction more generally).

[lexicalcrow]

Here via amethystfirefly.

I'd definitely be interested in something like this. Would writing the witches in a positive/realistic kind of light be included? Not as in 'good witch/bad witch', or writing from the POV of the bad witch, but a more positive depiction of witchcraft on the whole.

(Also, mind if I subscribe to you so I can keep track of this project?)

[rhian_crockett]

Hi! Good to see you.

Hm, that bears thinking about. A whole anthology could be made simply on the basis of undemonising (totally a word!) female power, and be very worthwhile and important! I'm planning to post some kind of more specific discussion about what content is going to be sought out and considered acceptable, and this is definitely something we can discuss then. If it was the only thing people wanted to submit, it could rather overwhelm the original idea, but at the same time it's something that still needs doing. I can't say yes or no without some more discussion -- I want this to be something lots of people have input in -- but I'll make sure to address this soon!

You're definitely welcome to subscribe! And poke me, if I don't keep the ball rolling on this project, heh.

[hopeoubliette]

I'm definitely in, and spreading the word. This is a wonderful idea, imo.

[rhian_crockett]

Thank you!

[chasethecloudsaway]

Got the link from whatawaytoburn, and I think this sounds really interesting. I'd love to see what comes of it and would be interested in contributing, too, or being somebody to bounce ideas off of -- however I can help.

[rhian_crockett]

Welcome! Glad to know you're on board.

Okay...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I have written a variety of things like this, a little prose but a lot of poetry. If you look through the "poem" tag in my LiveJournal you can see some examples.

One of this month's fishbowl poems that I just posted has an unusual family arrangement: a female dwarf and a male elf who are involved with each other, their respective conspecific children, and a male human (who is asexual) is the third adult in the trio. You can read "The Underground Gardens" here:
http://ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com/1405393.html

Re: Okay...

[rhian_crockett]

Thank you! I take it you might be interested in contributing to the project, then?

[outlineofash]

Came here through ysabetwordsmith. I'm very interested in this! :)

[rhian_crockett]

Welcome!

[tayles.livejournal.com]

I think it's a wonderful idea, as I love twisted fairytales. I shall think of ideas and suggest this to friends!

[rhian_crockett]

That would be wonderful!

[clare_dragonfly]

This sounds really, really awesome and I would love to be involved. Now I'm imagining lesbianizing some of my favorite fairy tales, like East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon...

[rhian_crockett]

Yay! It's good to hear from people who'd like to be involved. I'll put up a new post soon to discuss things more specifically.

[pitseleh]

There was a cartoon that did this almost in its entirety, and a few minutes of google searching says it was called Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child. I barely remember if it was any good, as I was in my single digits at the time, but it was the first thing that sprang to mind when I read your post.

[rhian_crockett]

Interesting! Thank you for telling me about it.

[belgatherial]

Ooooh, interesting. I'd love to be involved in something like this.

[rhian_crockett]

Good to know!

[the_escapist]

I'm not really an ideal contributor, but I wanted to voice my support for the project and say I'd definitely be interested in reading it when it's done.

Also, if you're brainstorming ideas for distribution once it comes that time, there is a mobi-pocket creator program floating about somewhere (and I'm sure there'd be one for epub, too). Openoffice.org is an easy way to create PDFs from text files. lulu.com print on demand without being one of those dodgy vanity publishers that require a fee and minim number of books in the original order - they don't allow fanfiction, but you'd probably be safe with fairytales.

[rhian_crockett]

Thank you!

That's useful to know -- I want to look into Lulu, but hadn't got chance yet. I think fairytales are fine: retellings are published as novels all the time (Robin McKinley, Malinda Lo, etc).