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LostBoyTootles
Registered User
(4/15/03 9:09 am)
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Hey, I'm new/Cinderella help
Hey all! I'm new! My name is Drew, I'm a boy, I'm thirteen, and I live in Ohio. Oh, and I love fairy tales!
I was wondering if you could help me. I'm trying to write a novel that's a retelling of Cinderella. I was wondering if you had any ideas.
Thanks in advance!
Drew
Tootles~~If I can't be anything important, would you like to see me do a trick? |
Jess
Unregistered User
(4/16/03 6:26 am)
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Retellings of Cinderella
Hi and welcome to the board. I think you might enjoy browsing the archives for Cinderella posts. There are many. Have you read many retellings of this or other stories? It might give you some ideas about story structure. One of our frequent participants has completed a Young Adult novel, Tithe, which is receiving good reviews. I haven't read it (yet), but it might give you food for thought.
Eventually, the ideas must come from you. What will make the retelling unique is the perspective that you bring to it. The voice, the characters, the direction of the story will reflect the way you see the world. The best ideas, therefore, come from your own observations, research and inner thoughts.
One last thought, a novel is a huge undertaking. It requires discipline and care. You must make sure you know the direction of the story, especially the direction of the ending, before you begin. As a reader, I can often tell when the author had "an idea", but didn't quite know how to end it. Nothing is more frustrating. If you work progressively and you have structure and direction, however, you can finish it. It will be a tremendous accomplishment just to have written it. Don't lose site of your goal. Then again, one of the best books ever written, "To Kill a Mockingbird", started as a bunch of good short stories that the author was encouraged to combine into a novel. So there you go. Good luck.
Jess
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Laura McCaffrey
Unregistered User
(4/16/03 3:13 pm)
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Cinderella
Hey Drew -
How about start with your main character? Who is Cinderella? Why does she do what she does? If you haven't read Ella Enchanted, you might want to. Gail Carson Levine, the author, decided that the reason Cinderella obeys all the people who are so nasty to her is that she's under a curse and has to. That might be a good starting spot for you. What makes Cinderella obey all those nasty people? What plan does she have to make her life better?
OR - maybe Cinderella isn't going to be your main character. Maybe you want to tell the story from a different perspective - say one of the stepsisters.
You also might want to go to the library and find lots of different versions of Cinderella, as Jess suggested. Reading those might give you ideas, too.
Good Luck!
Laura Mc
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LostBoyTootles
Registered User
(4/16/03 4:27 pm)
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Thanks and more
Hey! Thanks for the help!
Yes, I've read Ella Enchanted, as well as Just Ella and I'm reading Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister (I'm even doing a book report on this).
I hate naming Cinderella! She's been tons of names so far . . . Ella, Cindy, Cynthia, Danielle, Jennifer, Carita, ugh, the list goes on and on. I think she's gonna be Elizabeth and be called Lissie. She gets called Cinderella because Cinderlissie doesn't sound right, so they take another nickname of Elizabeth.
She obeys people because her mother told her that if she's always good and obediant, she will be rewarded. She's rewarded by marrying the prince (who I don't think is going to be a prince, but we'll see).
Hmmm. . . . If I think of more, I'll post it.
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Jess
Unregistered User
(4/16/03 8:23 pm)
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I like it
Especially that last part about why she obeys everyone. I have a short story about "Sleeping Beauty" that has a similar vein. Oh, and don't forget that there are no rules. Cinderella doesn't have to have a name and she could even be a "he". Good luck!
Jess
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LostBoyTootles
Registered User
(4/17/03 10:22 am)
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I got it!
I got it!
There's a toymaker and his wife who can't have children. I'm not sure why they can't yet, but I'll figure that out. Anyway, they want a child very badly so they make one out of wood. She's perfect with painted blue eyes, yellow yarn hair, fake red cheeks, pink lips, etc. They get a dress and everything. Well, they decide they want it to come to life. They make a wish every night, but nothing happens. Finally, one night, a fairy appears and makes the fairy into a real girl. She tells her that if she always obeys her parents, she will eventually be a permanent human. If she doesn't obey, and nothing will force her to obey, then she will turn back into a doll. Desperately wanting to be human, Elisabeth (or Lissie) agrees.
Well? That's only a little bit. Eventually, Elisabeth becomes Cinderella and stuff. Tell me what you think!
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LostBoyTootles
Registered User
(4/20/03 2:36 pm)
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Re: I got it!
K, I hate double-posting, but oh well.
Does anybody have any suggestions? Even if it's nothing like the above, since I may not even use it. Anybody? Anybody? Bueler? Bueler? (Sorry, my family and I watched FERRIS BUELER'S DAY OFF last night.)
Drew
Tootles~~If I can't be anything important, would you like to see me do a trick? |
Ys
de Marsan
Registered User
(4/21/03 7:30 am)
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Re: I got it!
Maybe not suggestions, but questions that may lead to ideas...
- Depending on the life of your Cinderella character, you may wonder how she would know how to dance.
- Then one thing that puzzled me quite often (except in Ella Enchanted), is why is it her shoe doesn't fit anyone else but her?
If you want, you can have a look at the versions I wrote:
www.angelfire.com/realm2/azzy/Swan.html
(Only three are completed)
Hope it helps
Ys
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swood
Registered User
(4/23/03 6:09 am)
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Re: how does she dance?
Isn't it the Perrault version where Cinderella introduces herself as "The Princess of Nowhere" and influences court style with her ridiculous antics?
Am I just making this up? Sadly, my books are in storage, so I will have to take a trip to the library to figure this out.
Sarah
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LostBoyTootles
Registered User
(5/6/03 3:24 pm)
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Why...?
Why does Juliet (my current name for Cinderella) obey her stepmother? I stumped on this one and really, really need help. Have any suggestions?
Tootles~~If I can't be anything important, would you like to see me do a trick? |
denag
Registered User
(5/7/03 7:46 am)
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perhaps because...
could the stepmother have power to destroy something/someone of value to Juliet - not necessarily physically - what about their reputation? - perhaps she knows something potentially damaging:
hey you Juliet! - get down and scrub that hearthstone, or i'll make sure everyone knows the truth about...
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