In my early writing years, I kept my made-up creatures very basic -- essentially copies of Earth animals, with a dash of the supernatural thrown in. But there are so many more things to consider when creating fictional creatures; not just about the animals themselves, but their interactions with people, the world, and other animals.
To try and help you break down what that means, here are some questions to ask when creating fictional creatures!
1) What is their basic appearance? What are the first features that would be spied (eg. a long tail, wings, a slithering tongue, claws)? What colours do they appear in? What covers their outside (eg. feathers, scales, fur, a mix)?
2) What would they be classified on Earth as: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, reptiles, amphibians, arthropods, etc?
3) How do they communicate with each other? Are they verbal or non-verbal? If verbal, do they rely on pitch, pattern, or sound to represent different meanings? If non-verbal, what parts of the body do they use to communicate?
4) Are they mostly seen in packs, in herds, or alone? What is the reason for this (eg. travel in herds so if hunted, they're less likely to be targeted)?
5) Are they herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores? What plants/meat specifically do they eat? How does their unique form enable them to eat this food? Do they store it? If so, where/how?
6) How long can they last between eating and drinking? Do they get their moisture from bodies of water, from eating leaves, drinking dew, or something else?
7) What environment can they typically be found in (eg. desert, forest, ocean, tundra, plains)? How has this limited or expanded their food sources, or method of drinking?
8) Are they tameable? What features/behaviour make them appealing to be tamed by humans (eg. can be ridden, or do strenuous labour)? What features/behaviour might make them not appealing?
9) Are they capable of killing? What method is this done in (eg. poison/venom, choking, mauling)? What defense mechanisms do they have?
10) After being born, how long does it take for them to be able to stand? How long do they remain with their mothers? Are they born in a litter, group, or alone?
11) What name are they known by, in different cultures? How is their representation different or similar between cultures? Are they commonly seen in art, or stories? (Bonus: what sounds do different cultures associate with them?)
12) What is their history with people? Are they friends, enemies, or neutral? How rare are they?
13) Are their products eaten by people? If so, is it their milk, meat, eggs, fat, or other parts? What foods are their products seen in? Are they killed/their products harvested in the wild or are they put in farms? How are they treated in this process?
14) Where in the food chain are they located? What fellow creatures do they fear, if any? Are there any animals they have a symbiotic relationship?
15) How has an increase in human population (or decrease) affected their food sources, hunting skills, and nesting/resting places? Have they taken residence among human settlements, or retreated further back into the wilderness?
16) Are there any human sports/games associated with them, eg. hunting? How has this affected their numbers, and what they teach their young about humans?
17) How do they communicate with humans? Are they able to easily sense human emotions and feelings? Do they try and bring comfort, or do they hide when they sense something is wrong?
18) How do their senses compare to humans' and other animals'? Which sense do they rely the most on? Can they see in the dark, smell prey from miles away, regrow their limbs, or something else?
19) Are there any other parts of them that are used by people, such as fur for blankets, claws as necklaces, or fat for lighting, that don't center around food? What uses do they have, and how expensive are they?
20) Do they only have one mate for life, or multiple mates? Are there family/pack loyalties, or once grown up, are these loyalties dead?
More in the Questions to Ask When... series!
What's your favourite fictional creature (I love griffins!)? Any topic you'd like me to cover in the next Questions to Ask When... series? What creatures are in your story-worlds?
Have a wonderful day! <3