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Writer's Digest

BUILDING BETTER WORLDS

The Making of a Monster

Let’s get this out of the way first: Monsters and animals differ because their purpose in your plot is different. If your character is attacked by a bear in the woods, you wouldn’t consider it a monster—you’d say it was a bear living its normal bear life. However, if there’s a mysterious creature stalking and killing travelers and it seems invincible, you’d probably have a monster on your hands.

Some say that monsters are simply our anxieties made flesh. This can be a good way to look at a monster that you want to incorporate into your story. When it comes to exploring thematic elements of fear and anxiety through your monster, there are a few ideas you’ll want

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