Story types · Tip 66 of 82 · 4 min read
Write a Fable With a Lesson
Short, clever and wise. Learn to build a fable backwards, starting from its lesson.
A fable is a very short story that teaches a lesson, called a moral. Fables have been told for thousands of years, and they're perfect for practising, because every word has a job to do.
Start at the end
Here's the trick: write your moral first. Decide what lesson you want to teach, then build a tiny story that proves it.
- Showing off can get you into trouble.
- Small friends can be a big help.
- Don't judge someone by how they look.
- If you always cry wolf, nobody believes you when it matters.
One character, one trait
Fable characters are simple. Each one stands for one quality: the boastful peacock, the patient snail, the greedy crow. There's no room for long backstories. The reader should understand each character in a single line.
The fable shape
- Set-up: meet the characters and their traits.
- Choice: someone makes a choice because of their trait.
- Result: the choice comes back to help or bite them.
- Moral: one short sentence that sums it up.
A peacock laughed at a plain brown moth. "Look at my feathers! Nobody will ever notice you." That night, an owl swooped over the garden. It spotted the peacock's glittering tail at once. The moth, resting on the bark, was never seen at all. Moral: What makes you stand out can also put you in danger.