Use the Myth template to write about anything that's not true (even if it's based on truth). Think creation myths, urban legends, conspiracy theories, children's stories, and more!
Contents
What should I use this template for?
A myth is any type of story that is based on something real, even though the story itself isn't. There's some overlap between the Myth template and Prose and Document; here's how to choose which one you should use!
- Use Prose if you're writing the story of the myth itself as someone would tell it in your world. Prose articles include very little worldbuilding context around the story.
- Use Document if you're writing about the physical thing that holds a version of the myth. For example, the creation story explained in the Bible would be a Myth article, but the Bible itself would be a Document.
- Use Myth if you're writing about the myth itself. You can also include the contents of the myth, but using this template will give you more space for all the context and history around it.
Let's look at some examples of things you can write using the Myth template!
Myths & legends
All cultures have old stories that talk about legendary heroes and how the world came to be. Greek and Norse mythology are probably the first ones that come to mind if you're a Westerner, but many sacred texts from current religions (like the creation story in the Bible) would also be written using this template.
Urban legends & conspiracy theories
Urban legends and conspiracies are usually folklore stories and theories that appear to explain an unknown phenomenon. The phenomenon doesn't need to be unknown to everyone; it just needs to be unknown or difficult to understand for some people for an urban legend or conspiracy theory to appear. The reason these stories appear and continue being told is the same one as with myths: they prove or reinforce the worldview of those who believe in it.
Fables & children's stories
The main difference between a fable and a myth is that, generally, people don't believe that fables are true (maybe except children, but they find out eventually). An urban legend will continue existing only for as long as people believe in it; children's stories continue existing as long as the lesson it teaches is relevant. So keep this in mind when writing it! Beyond the characters and plot of the story, what message does it have for the reader?
Template walkthrough
Remember that all prompts in the template are optional, and some might not be relevant to the myth you're writing about. As always, there's a free-writing section at the top (which we call vignette) and the prompts are under the "+ Prompts" button in the bottom toolbar. In the Myth template, the prompts are organized into two sections:
- Generic: You'll find all the prompts about the myth itself here, from the date of creation to depictions in popular culture.
- Relations: This tab has dropdowns to link the Myth to other articles you've written. For example, you can link it to a Prose article with the actual contents of the myth.
Feature recommendations for myths
Here are some ideas on how you can use other features in combination with myths!
- Manuscripts: If the myth is long, you might want to use a Manuscript to write it out so you can divide it into chapters.
- Prose template: If the myth is shorter, you can write it in a Prose article rather than in the Myth article itself. The Prose template is optimized for reading and can be connected to the Myth from the Relations tab.
Step-by-step guide to writing a myth
Here are some steps you can follow to start writing a myth for your world!
- Think about its creation.
When did the myth appear, and why? Was it spread by a specific person who wanted to push a specific narrative? To answer these questions, look at your world and decide what is important to the people living in it, as well as what things are still unknown. For example, in A Song of Ice and Fire, the existence of the White Walkers remained as a myth (rather than being forgotten) because of the huge danger they posed to the world. Of course, most people didn't believe the myth, which brings us to... - What do people think about it?
Myths, especially those related to religion, urban legends, and conspiracies will usually have some people who believe in them. But there will be people who don't buy them too! So find out how many people would believe in your myth and why. And once you have that... what are the consequences of this? In A Song of Ice and Fire, not believing in the White Walkers means that the people from Westeros aren't ready for this threat, and saying this later becomes a problem would be an understatement! - What other versions exist?
Myths are often spread when someone tells them to someone else. So, just like in the telephone game, the myth will change just a little bit every time someone tells it. If the myth is culturally important (such as part of an organized religion), there might be a standard version that's seen as the "correct" one. But even in those cases, there could still be alternative versions that are considered apocryphal.
Community examples for inspiration
Need some inspiration? Here are some myth articles written by our amazing community!
