How to Create a Mermaid Character for a Fantasy Book

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Do your research on mermaids.

   Don't stick with modern-day images of mermaids in Disney movies; those mermaids are tame in comparison with the possibilities.
   
   Wikipedia's mermaid piece is a good place to start.
   
   Here you will discover that mermaid lore can be found all around the world, in the Ancient Near East, in the British Isles, etc., and in many famous pieces of literature. , This is not for the sake of copying; rather, it is about getting as full a comprehension as possible of how mermaids have been represented in literature through the ages.
   
   In itself, there might be ideas from your readings that you'd like to explore further; for example, perhaps you'd like to write about the new adventures of a mermaid character originally from an old legend, to see what she might be doing in modern times (given that many writers assume mermaids to be immortal).
   
   Weaving the legends surrounding mermaids into your writing can be a great storytelling device too.
   
   The more that you know and understand mermaids, the better. , Will she be:
   Loving, caring, peaceful? Heartless, cold, remote? Vengeful, with some plot to seek revenge on a lost love? Naive but charming, clumsy but cute? Thoughtless, as in the mermaids said to forget that humans cannot breathe under water? As ancient as time itself or very modern? Subject to another's will or subject to her own? A mixture of differing moods? , There is no need for your character to conform to modern depictions of mermaids.
   
   You are free to make her in form that you like.
   
   You might even consider crossing legend types, such as a mermaid vampire, or a mermaid wereshark. , Is she a Starbucks style mermaid, all sleek and modern, or is she a Botticelli mermaid from times long passed? The possibilities are endless, and your mermaid doesn't need to even keep with one style but can evolve throughout your story. , When you have a good idea of how your character looks, what her personality traits are, how old she is, etc. find a good ocean-associated name for her, or just find a name as suitable as needed.
   
   Some good ocean-associated names might include:
   Shell, Mishell, Coral Seah, Siah Selkie Oceania, Oceanie See Sea Names for more ideas , When writing, the plot can often influence some elements of your characters.
   
   Your story will certainly have some impact on the strengths and weaknesses of your mermaid character, so take this into consideration as well.
   
   The rest is up to you, to take your mermaid where she hasn't gone before! , Traditionally, mermaids are depicted with long, flowing hair, bit you could really go all out and give her a bob or a pixie cut.
   
   You could make her a bit of a rebel.
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   Step 2: Read stories about mermaids to see how other people have depicted them.

   Is she carefree, laid-back and easygoing? Or is she a mermaid-to-human shapeshifters, paranoid and terrified that someone will discover her secret? Alternatively, you could make her struggle to appear as human as possible. , To really flesh out your character, run her through tests: all sorts of sticky situations.
   
   Let's say she's a shapeshifter and she grows a tail every time she touches water.
   
   She's just fallen overboard- she's fine, but the other people on her boat are getting worried.
   
   What happens next?
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   Step 3: Consider the type of character that you'd like for your mermaid.

4. 4

   Step 4: Form an idea of how your mermaid will look.

5. 5

   Step 5: Think about the era that you'd like your mermaid to represent.

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   Step 6: Name her.

7. 7

   Step 7: Consider the plot before finalizing your mermaid character.

8. 8

   Step 8: What do you want the mermaid to look like?

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   Step 9: What's the mermaid's personality?

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    Step 10: How does the mermaid react under pressure?

Detailed Guide

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