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With the publishing of War of Nytefall: Lost, I’ve introduced a literary aspect that I’ve done before. Not exactly since Lost has a bunny and Fizzle is a dragon, but both of them can be seen as mascots. In Legends of Windemere, Fizzle really stole the show and hearts of the audience. The bunny isn’t really the same, but he fits the humorous and ‘cute’ quota. Another story that has two mascots is Quest of the Brokenhearted, so one could say that I really enjoy adding these animal characters. They are a lot of fun even though they bring on a few difficulties such as overuse, putting dramatic scenes at risk, and not always being able to carry a scene on their own. That being said, here are some tips.
- Cuteness is neither necessary or the sole trait for a mascot. Yes, there has to be a visual appeal, especially if you want to make some merchandise with them. Still, there must also be a personality or behavior side to the character. Then again, there are plenty of mascots that don’t even talk and are just ‘cute’ creatures in the background.
- Your series mascot might end up being something that you didn’t expect. I never thought that Fizzle would rise as high up the popularity ladder as he did. Sure, he’s a cute dragon with an adorable speech pattern and powerful magic, but I didn’t have a lot of scenes for him when I started. When I noticed that he was a big draw, I gave him more to do and expanded his role to more than just being there. This made him a mascot with more meat to him.
- Even if you go for a creature that has been used before, you need to put your own twist on it. Having a cat that is nothing more than a cat won’t really be appealing, especially if it’s in a book. Visual mediums give you more leeway, but books require that you make them stand out more. Lost’s bunny is a good example since rabbits are commonly used to get the ‘awww’ factor. This is why the bunny flies, fights, looks rather decrepit, and doubles as Lost’s purse.
- To be fair, humanoids can be mascots too. This might end up being a little easier because these characters can speak to reveal their personalities. An animal or monster that has no clear speech has to work solely off actions. Taking a humanoid as the cute/funny mascot of a series means you have more to work with. A downside is that this is fairly insulting to the character and can make it that they have stunted development.
- Much like any comic relief character, mascots should be used in small doses if they’re only there for laughs. Otherwise, they could ruin every serious scene and quickly wear our their welcome.
- It is possible to have more than one mascot. They can be a team that works together or two separate individuals that appeal to different groups. Another option is to have feuding mascots. The good guys can have one cute or impressive creature and the bad guys can have another. They don’t have to openly feud, but it’s more that one is good and the other is evil. A reason for this is that some in an audience will gravitate towards the villains instead of the heroes.
- Try to come up with a catchy name. It can be the species or the creature itself, but a name can make or break a mascot. This could require some testing if you aren’t sure of it. It doesn’t have to be cute either. Just something that can stick in the mind and, possibly, roll off the tongue.
Legends of Windemere 
Great tips, Charles. Would Mushu in Mulan be considered a mascot? What’s the difference between a mascot or a sidekick? Or is there a difference?
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There isn’t much of a difference since they can overlap. Although, mascots are typically non-humanoid while sidekicks are usually humanoid. Mushu could fall under both, but I’d say the lucky cricket is a mascot.
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Okay, that makes sense. I think mascots are great additions to a series.
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Great points, Charles. Lost’s bunny is a perfect example of cute but unexpected behaviors. Might make a long-lasting mascot.
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Especially if she has anything to say about it.
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True. 😀
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Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
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Thanks. ☺️
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Welcome 👍
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Great stuff. I think I’m guilty of this myself, and have no intention of stopping. The root monsters are coming soon, and they qualify as humanoid by your description.
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They do sound like mascots when you’ve mentioned them.
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You ca tell me after I get it published. I think they fit the bill.
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Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
Check out this post from the Legends of Windemere blog with 7 Tips to Creating a Series Mascot
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Thanks.
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You’re welcome
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I never consciously thought about it, but my cats tend to wander into my stories and Khana, who made an appearance in The Wake of the Dragon, is shaping up to be a proper mascot for the Steampunk series. But then a cat who joins airship pirates and adopts the one person who doesn’t like cats is just begging for further development. 😉
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Wow. That sounds like a great mascot. Very plushie worthy.
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Fluffy tortoiseshell. She’d make a great plushie! I may have to make some inquiries.
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If you find anything then I’d love to know. Haven’t had any luck myself and I have a few possible plushie mascots.
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Well, my first searches found some very expensive companies! I did, however, find a suitable cat pattern if I were to make them myself.
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You did better than me. No luck finding a purple scale pattern. That and I have no skill with sewing.
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It’s time consuming. Not really practical for commercial purposes unless it’s a limited edition. I’ll let you know if I find anything good.
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This is something I’ve not thought about. I have a little creature that appeared in Book 1 of The Wolves of Vimar. He then disappeared in Book 2, made a brief appearance in Book 3 but has demanded a bigger role in Book 4 (not yet published). I could work with him a bit more. He’s a small, distant relative of dragons, with psionic ability. He’s got iridescent scales, though, which could be difficult in making a soft model of him.
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That sounds like a fun mascot. I had the small dragon in my series disappear for a book. Seemed to make him more popular.
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