How to Write a Fairy Tale Retelling: A Step-by-Step Guide

To write a fairy tale retelling, choose a tale you have strong feelings about, identify its core structure and emotional promise, pick one bold change (perspective, setting, genre or theme), keep three to five recognizable "beats" so readers know the source, and then build real characters with motives the original never gave them. A good retelling is a conversation with the original: it honors what makes the tale work while asking a question the original didn't.

Here's a step-by-step process, with examples and exercises.

Step 1: Choose the Right Fairy Tale

Start with a tale that provokes you. Strong reactions make strong retellings:

Something bothers you. Why does Cinderella's father do nothing? Why does the Little Mermaid give up her voice?
Someone is ignored. The stepsisters, the huntsman, the wolf, Rumpelstiltskin.
An image haunts you. The glass coffin, the bloody key, the hair ladder.

Tip: Read the oldest versions, not just the Disney ones. Original details, like the red-hot shoes in Snow White or the twins in Rapunzel, are full of story potential.

Public domain tales (Grimm, Perrault, Andersen, folk tales) are free to adapt. Avoid borrowing specific elements invented by modern films, such as character names or designs, which may be protected.

Step 2: Find the Tale's Core

Strip the tale to its skeleton. Ask:

What does the hero want?
What stands in the way?
What is the test or turning point?
How is the hero transformed?
What's the emotional promise? (Cinderella promises recognition; Beauty and the Beast promises being loved beyond appearances.)

Folklorists' tale types can help. The ATU index describes the essential plot of each type, separate from surface details.

Step 3: Pick Your Angle

Most successful retellings make one big change. Here are the main options.

Angle	What it does	Example
Shift the point of view	Tell it from the villain, sidekick or a minor character	Gregory Maguire, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister (Cinderella from a stepsister's view)
Change the setting	Move it to a new time or place	Marissa Meyer, Cinder (Cinderella as a cyborg in futuristic Beijing)
Change the genre	Turn it into horror, romance, sci-fi or a mystery	Angela Carter, The Bloody Chamber (gothic, sensual horror)
Answer a question	Fill a gap the original leaves	Gail Carson Levine, Ella Enchanted (why is Cinderella so obedient? A curse)
Combine tales	Merge two or more stories	Naomi Novik, Spinning Silver (Rumpelstiltskin plus Russian folklore)
Invert the moral	Make the "villain" right	Many modern Rumpelstiltskin retellings

Find more examples in our list of the best fairy tale retellings.

Step 4: Keep the Recognizable Beats

Readers enjoy recognizing the original. Choose three to five beats to keep, even if you transform them. For Cinderella, that might be:

The mistreated heroine
Magical or unexpected help
The event she's not supposed to attend
The lost object
The search and recognition

Transform them creatively: the ball might be a job interview, a music competition or a royal court case. The slipper might be a cyborg foot, a phone or a song.

Step 5: Give Everyone Real Motives

Fairy tales are flat by design. Characters are "the stepmother" or "the prince." A novel needs depth.

The villain: What does she want, and why? See our guide on how to write a villain.
The hero: What's her flaw? Fairy tale heroes are often passive; your protagonist needs agency.
The love interest: Why does the prince love her? "She's beautiful" isn't enough for a modern reader.

Exercise: Write one paragraph from the point of view of your story's "villain," justifying their actions in their own words.

Step 6: Build the World

Fairy tales take place "once upon a time." Retellings need specifics:

What's the society like? Who has power?
How does magic work, and what does it cost?
What does the setting smell, taste and sound like?

Our worldbuilding guide has a full checklist.

Step 7: Decide What to Do with the Ending

The ending is where your retelling makes its argument:

Keep it. The familiar ending lands differently because of everything you changed.
Twist it. The heroine chooses not to marry; the beast stays a beast.
Reveal the cost. Show what "happily ever after" really meant.

Step 8: Respect the Source Culture

If you retell a tale from a culture that isn't your own, research deeply, read authors from that culture, and consider sensitivity readers. Retelling tales like Heer Ranjha or Mulan carries extra responsibility to understand their history and meaning.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Copying the plot too closely, so readers know every twist.
Changing so much it's unrecognizable, losing the pleasure of comparison.
Relying only on the gimmick ("Cinderella, but in space!") without deep characters.
Mocking the source instead of engaging with it.
Using Disney details, which may be copyrighted and are less interesting than the originals.

A Quick Retelling Planning Template

Question	Your answer
Source tale and version
Core emotional promise
Your big change (angle)
3–5 beats you'll keep
Question your retelling asks
Ending: keep, twist, or reveal the cost?

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I legally retell a fairy tale?

Traditional fairy tales from the Grimms, Perrault and Andersen are in the public domain, so you can retell them. Avoid copying elements created by modern adaptations, such as specific film character designs or names.

How close should a retelling be to the original?

Keep enough recognizable beats (usually three to five) for readers to spot the source, then change the rest boldly.

What are the most retold fairy tales?

Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Little Red Riding Hood are among the most retold.

Should I read the original before writing a retelling?

Yes. Read several versions, including the oldest available, because they contain details that can inspire fresh ideas.

What makes a fairy tale retelling successful?

A clear, bold angle; deep characters with real motives; and a meaningful conversation with the original story.