How to Write Fairies in Fantasy Fiction

Fairies, or fae folk, are one of the staples of the fantasy genre. Although they populate classic fairy tales more often than fantasy novels, fairies still have a place in modern fiction. If you write fantasy fiction and are interested in fairies, this article can help you learn about the different types and their usual roles in stories.

Types of Fairies in Fantasy Fiction

There are two main types of fairies that populate fantasy fiction. The first is the classic sprite type of fairy. These fairies, much like Tinkerbell from Peter Pan, are tiny humanoids with wings. They are often magical and mischeivious at the same time. These types of fairies rarely have speaking roles in fantasy fiction; they often do not interact openly with humans at all. Instead, they work behind the scenes to do magic or play tricks.

The other type of fairy that is written about in fantasy fiction are often called fae folk, or any number of other names from myth and legend. These beings are human-sized but have wings. These wings can often be magically hidden so the fairies can better interact with humans. These fairies are described as beautiful and are especially good at luring people to their world. Changeling babies are associated with this type of fairy.

Role of Fairies in Fantasy Fiction

The two types of fairies described above often have very different roles in fantasy fiction. The first - small, sprite-like magical fairies - are often used stereotypically. They grant wishes to people, or play tricks on them in their house. They are often written into background parts in which they work unseen from the background.

The other type of fairy - the human-sized ones - are popular in slipstream type fantasy fiction. This type of story includes a human slipping into another world, such as the land of fae or an alternate dimension. These fairies are often given larger roles than their smaller cousins. Fantasy fiction writers usually depict them as wise and magical, although they can also be cruel.

Fantasy fiction writers who wish to include fairies in their stories have multiple choices. While the two most common type of fairies in fiction are tiny magical humanoids with wings and human-sized magical beings from another world, there are other ways to write fairies. Reading myths and legends and delving into the imagination allows fantasy fiction writers to make up their own rules about fairies and what they do.