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In games, monsters are used to gain Experience Points and increase the level of the characters. Some are story central, but most are things you randomly run into when moving from Point A to Point B. It creates a vast ecosystem of creatures that people tend to get guilty pleasures from. Sadly, this isn’t something that you can really do in a book because random encounters break the flow
So, how do you include a variety of monsters or use them without making them come out of the left field? A few tips:
- Have monsters or creatures mentioned before they appear. If the reader knows that such things are known then it isn’t a shock if they show up. Almost like running into a squirrel or a wolf if mentioned enough.
- Summoning magic can allow for random creatures to be brought into a fight for either side. It’s a cheat and these things aren’t in the story for too long, but it’s acceptable if not done very often. For example, a summoned demon.
- Pets and mind control. Similar to summoning magic, this differs in that the monster is tamed and willingly obedient to its master. You can keep these monsters in a story for a lot longer than a summoned beast. For example, a pet dragon.
- If the heroes run into a wild monster while traveling, you have to give the confrontation purpose. An injury, poisoning, characters split up, or two feuding characters forced to work together to survive. These situations can be used to develop a character, but they need a purpose.
- Ancient ruins are great for strange, unique creatures that are never spoken of. Again, you need a reason to be there and you can’t be there for too long. If you can fit lost regions into the plot then you have a better chance. It’s all in planning and moderation with this one.
Now, you might be wondering what the purpose of monsters in fantasy is at this point. I’ll give you my personal take on it:
In a world of magic and knights, it isn’t fun to read about a regular bear getting slain. Such beasts are killed in our world, so there’s not ‘wow’ factor. Make it a chimera that can really fight back and put the fear of death into a character? Now you’re on to something. That’s it though. The idea of someone getting killed by a real animal isn’t far-fetched and is rather mundane. It isn’t fantasy where the unreal exists. You don’t fear for the well-trained warrior when he faces a wolf. You get nervous when that warrior is looking down the snout of a wyvern.
Personally, I think monsters should be created as part of the ecosystem. They exist in nature and not as the whim of an author. They have habits, territories, eating habits, physiology, and a history. The pointy ears of elves have vibrating crystals in them to increase their hearing. Griffins are used as transportation in Gaia. Trolls are highly territorial and you can only have 3 in one spot, but they have to be the same gender or they’ll fight. Welcome to Windemere, folks. Where every monster has a story and a purpose to the natural order. 😉
Legends of Windemere 
I think I’ve been successful so far in my NaNo effort in allowing for the introduction to whatever sort of mythical creature or monster my little heart desires as most of my story takes place in populated areas. I have already established the realm is a magical realm and I have already made mention of Driders, Elementals that can be controlled by the five sages, as well as savage elves, kobolds and orcs… so I figure I can work about anything else into such a world if it is relevant. In writing the story I have allowed for a certain amount of randomness so far as I really don’t have a story line just thirty one or two word prompts to work from, a handful of names and a map…
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Sounds like you have it worked out. The ‘mentioned early’ trick really seems to help when the monsters show up. The reader can’t feel like it came out of nowhere. Hope NaNo goes smoothly and treats you well.
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So far so good 8650 words in five days for five chapters and I’m 1000 words into chapter six today and my plot is thickening… NaNo is providing me with many challenges… one is writing in a way that allows me to introduce things later as they become relevant. another is that I am not a very disciplined writer. Also I really tend to rely on memory to recall what I’ve previously said which as the story grows becomes harder to do…
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Love challenges that make you stretch your skills. Sounds like you’re really getting a lot out of it.
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“In a world of magic and knights, it isn’t fun to read about a regular bear getting slain.” This made me laugh, but I totally agree.
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I know some people who would disagree, so I should have probably put it as an opinion. Still, a highly trained knight having a grand battle with a simple bear feels a little anticlimactic and odd. Makes me think the character is gathering levels in World of Warcraft. Kill 50 wild boars to reach the next chapter.
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… I suddenly want to write a fantasy spoof of MMOs where that kind of thing happens. “They met a strange man shuffling through the woods who said he’d help them on their quest by giving them the map they need but only if they bring back 10 magnificent bear hides, 10 sharp bear claws, and 10 yellow bear teeth.”
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“They looked at one another, then killed the old man and took the map.”
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I’m waiting for that to happen in a book. I keep thinking of the South Park W.o.W. episode.
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This is so cool! Very helpful and informative post! Thanks Charles! 🙂 Hope you’re doing well.
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You’re welcome. I’m hanging in there. Bumming around this week.
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Good. Hope editing is going well, and the cold weather hasn’t been to much of a pain to you yet!
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Editing is done, so I’m resting for the week. The cold weather is only a pain because it keeps jumping from 30’s to 60’s. Perfect for catching a cold.
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Oh that’s great! And how did the book release go? Got many sales yet?
And I know what you mean about the temperatures. I’ve been sick for almost two weeks now. And now there isn’t even any snow. 😦 Either give me snow, or nothing colder than 40! LOL
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Allure of the Gypsies won’t be out until December 1st. Building hype and trying to gather people for a blog tour.
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If you need anything, I’ll be glad to help as much as I can.
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Thanks. I’ll put you on the list of volunteers. 🙂
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Awesome!
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So the WereBear has a point, other than being ridiculous? How about the Uneagle(Unicorn/Eagle)? A normal bear would take me out without breaking a sweat, I can imagine a trained warrior would have a better chance, but it is still a bear. Bigger, stronger and probably faster.
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Don’t go mocking the WereBear. There’s a ton of lycanthropes out there. WereWolf is so blaise and crude. WereVulture is the way to go now. 😉
Depends on how the transformation goes for the WereBear. If it’s turning into an actual bear then it wouldn’t be as threatening. If it transforms into an anthropomorphic bear then it’s a lot worse.
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I say put a monster on every dot of the twister mat. right foot on horse, left arm on panda. hey look, a handa!
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Right foot on platypus!
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Left on warthog the platyhog
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Left hand on Blue-footed Booby.
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I think that monsters can also be used to engender a feeling of strangeness, both for the reader and for the characters, Part of what I try to keep alive in my books is a sense of wonder, the idea that anything could be lurking in the shadows. My world is contemporary, so it looks very much like ours, but I do that to heighten the effect of the strangeness that hides just below the surface.
I think having characters run across things that they don’t understand and don’t know how to fight makes for strong narrative tension. They can go into a battle thinking that it’s just a bear, but what they and the reader don’t know is that this particular kind of bear breathes fire.
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I do enjoy doing that with monsters. Putting a twist on a regular animal or something just out there that the characters can’t identify. That moment of ‘what is that?’ can build a lot of tension.
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Hahaha. I think Ionia has the right idea 🙂
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Twister solves everything.
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