Otherworldly creatures are some of the most common concepts in fantasy; it’s almost a necessity. Those creatures usually have their own societies and strict rules with harsh penalties for disobeying them, especially when it concerns humans. Despite that, humans still prefer to socialise and be them. If they wanted to experience another culture, it is far easier to go to another country. Do you think the trade off is worth the hype and effort?
Fairies in the woods. Vampires in the dark. Werewolves by moonlight. It seems like the monsters are everywhere these days, not to mention the occasional angel, fallen or otherwise. What is it about the supernatural that we find so super to read about?
That’s easy: monsters are cool. Whether they’re trying to kill us or kiss us, there’s something appealing about the things in the shadows (or sparkling in the sunlight). When they’re gorgeous, it’s easy to say “sex appeal.” But what about the ugly creatures, the terrifying ones, the supernatural beings that don’t make the cover of EW’s sexy beasts? Why do we keep coming back to them, knowing they have fangs or claws or bare hands that could easily rip us apart? Because they'e the monsters, the things that go bump in the night. They’re our original nightmares. They’re part of us, whether we want them to be or not. They’re our darkest urges given form.
They’re more than just a catharsis for us; by reading about monsters, we’re reading about our own humanity. Of course the werewolves and vampires and other such creatures are going to have their own cultures and societies (for most, they are the ultimate Secret Society that humans aren’t allowed to know about)—those monsters are the dark underbelly of humanity, and we humans cluster together in villages and towns and cities. We thrive around others of our kind…and so, the monsters do as well. Sure, there’ s the occasional lone wolf, just like there’ s the occasional human hermit. But overall, we (and the monsters we read about) need contact with others. To make that contact work for as many as possible, there are rules for society, laws and those who enforce laws, and a governing body. So, too, are there such trappings for monsters—
because again, monsters are a reflection of our humanity.
That’s one of the reasons I enjoyed using the Horsemen of the Apocalypse in HUNGER and the follow-up book, RAGE: the Horsemen symbolize how we humans choose to destroy ourselves…as well as how we can find the strength to overcome that destruction. The world in those books is our world; the evil (and potential for good) just happens to have a powerful steed and a symbol of office, and a somewhat loose connection to an impending Apocalypse.
So when you’re sitting down to write a paranormal romance or an urban fantasy or a good old ghost story or anything with the supernatural, keep in mind that just like we humans have rules, so do the monsters. Maybe those rules are centered around interaction with humans; maybe the rules are about how and when to create baby monsters. Maybe the rules are those things and so much more. But there have to be rules. Once you have those, you’re on your way to worldbuilding, Halloween-style.
Jackie Morse-Kessler's website
1 comment(s):
I loved Hunger and look forward to reading Rage.
I've paid attention to the rules of "monsters" and how they interact with humans, but this gives me added insight into these worlds.