Fiction is full of fantastical creatures. From dragons, to giant worms, to griffins, creatures we can't see at our local zoo have always...

Fiction is full of fantastical creatures. From dragons, to giant worms, to griffins, creatures we can't see at our local zoo have always fascinated us. After all, who doesn't love animals, especially if they're of the magical variety?

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!

Cities      History      Celebrations      Magic
Characters (Backstory, and Interview)
Schools      Monarchies      Religions     Ethnicities


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

It can be hard to find a fantasy story without kings, queens, princes, and princesses. So how do you make your novel's monarchy stand ou...

It can be hard to find a fantasy story without kings, queens, princes, and princesses. So how do you make your novel's monarchy stand out? How do you make it feel like yours

Today I hope that with a list of questions to ask yourself, I'll be able to help spark an idea of how to make your story's monarchy shine!


1) What type of monarchy is it? Is it absolute, symbolic, or constitutional? In other words, how much power does the monarch have, and how much do the people have?

2) Who is considered the head of the monarchy? Is it defined by gender, age, experience, or something else?

3) How is the heir chosen? Is it always the eldest child, or is it decided by the people, or by some form of contest? If it's chosen by the public, what kind of heir do they prefer? If it's a contest, what is it like? How is it conducted, and when? What are the consequences for the children who do not get chosen?

4) Where do the monarchy live? Is it a castle, a fortress, a palace, or somewhere else? Do they have any holiday homes? Do they change places of residence according to the seasons? Does their home double as a place of government work, or is that a separate building?

5) How long has this monarchy been around for? Why was it created in the first place -- what need did the people have, or who decided they wanted to rule, and set themselves up as king/queen? Did they draw inspiration from other nations with monarchies, and wanted to have their own, or did they create the first one and were copied by others?

6) Do they have a symbol or crest? Are there animals on it, plants, or a place? What does this signify to others, and what does it mean to the monarchy? Do they have a motto which they try to live by?

7) Who directly serves the monarch and their family? Do they have close advisers, ladies-in-waiting, or valets? Who works for the royal family, but never comes close to them? What is their perception of royalty?

8) What type of clothes do the monarch and their family wear? Are they expected to set the latest fashions, and wear affluent clothing, or be simple and efficient with their clothing? Is there any significant jewelry that shows they are royal, such as a signature ring?

9) What accessory shows they are the monarch? Is it a crown, a necklace, a cloak, or something else? What materials is it made out of? 

10) How complex is their family line? Is every monarch supposed to come from royal or noble blood?

11) Is the monarch considered partially divine, chosen by a god or another person? How highly are they elevated in society and class ranking?

12) What kind of education are royalty provided with? Are they taught by a private tutor, in a private school, or at a public one? Do their subjects focus on government and ruling, or are they taught the same as every other non-royal child? Does the type of education differ depending on whether the royal child is the heir or not?

13) What are acceptable sports for royalty to participate in? Archery, hunting, sword-fighting, or team games? Is it considered improper to mingle with non-royal people in this way?

14) What is the public's impression of the monarchy and their family? How has this differed over time, or between generations? What is the monarchy's impression of the public?

15) Who is considered the worst monarch, and the best? What expectations of society, and the monarch's actions, fuel these opinions?

16) What kind of relationships do they have with other monarchies? Are there ever marriages between them, or are they always enemies?

17) Does the monarch have the power to declare a war? Do they have their own army, or do they rely on the armies of nobles that are loyal to them, etc.?

18) Has there ever been any attempt to overthrow the monarchy, and put in place a new ruler, or change the form of government? Did the monarchy survive? Or did it topple, then come back later? How and why did it return?

19) How involved does the public like to be in the royals' lives? Are they constantly swarmed by press or the source of gossip?

20) What does the daily life of the monarch look like? How much paperwork is involved? Do they sit on trials, conduct public hearings, meet with foreign leaders and diplomats, or do they live a life of idle luxury? Or something in-between?