Creatures

[Agent_Bugs]

Once again i need some help! (not having a very good day)
I can't think of any good creatures to use... I have made up my own but if i keep making up creatures then the reader will get bored and forget half of them... Any help???

[Sultan]

Hmmm... what kind of creatures do you make, and what are their purpose in your story?

[Cordilow]

Try checking out The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, a mythological dictionary, or such. They're all full of interesting creatures.

I think making up your own creatures can be good if they're cool—especially if you don't introduce them frivolously. Introduce them like they're the awesomest things in the world—something like what J. R. R. Tolkien did with hobbits (how he did in The Hobbit, and not in The Lord of the Rings). Don't just throw them in here and there and ignore their idiosyncrasies. Act like you love them, and your readers just might, too.

[Domland]

Draw your creatures on paper and label the parts that make them interesting. When you get to describing your creatures, you will have what you need.

Also look at different animals through wikipedia and google. A lot of times fantasy writers just modify already existing animals or combine two animals.

[darkenrahl]

you could maybe try Seventh Sanctum they have an evil monsters generator that gives ideas for fantasy creatures

[Dolphinia]

Without knowing the full story or what you are using these new creatures for I might suggest trying to use creatures that are already there if possible. Instead of creating new creatures trying adding different aspects to the ones you already created that will help with the current problem. Say you have a centaur that needs to cross a deep river but he can't swim so you have him call up a giant turtle of the deep to take him across.
If you don't want to bring in the turtle because you think you have too many creatures already then just use one of the centaurs own abilities. Such as they are excellent builders and archers, so most stories go, have him build a bridge using these abilities and his surroundings. Then not alone have you avoided bringing the turtle into the story but you have enhanced the character of the centaur.
You can so the same thing with non-important creatures in a story as well. Instead of say adding giant tree eating beetles when your character enters the dark forest, have a creature you have already introduced be following them. This creature could attack them while in the forest adding dimension to your story again without actually having to bring in new creatures. As always just my thoughts hope they help. D.