Spooky season is upon us! And if you prefer a little growl with your romance, then get to writing! While animal instincts and natural raw behaviors may not be what you want in your real-life partner – doesn’t mean you can’t can’t write about them!
When writing in this specific category of paranormal romance here are a few guidelines to go off of:
Dive deeper into the sensory realm – readers want to embrace the wild side!
Do your research! – what paranormal animals do you want to use, and what special abilities do they have amongst others?
Purpose of shapeshifting – do you want them to be stronger, can they blend into the environment?
How will the character be different in human form? – What traits will make them stand out?
Story line, story line, story line! – It is very important to identify the origin story! How were the shifters created? Who was the first one? How do they reproduce? Etc.
When thinking about a shapeshifter romance most people strictly think werewolves (shoutout to Twilight). However, there are other shapeshifters you can base your character off of, many countries have their own version of a shapeshifter. For example:
Canada : Bear Walker is from First Nations folklore of that area. It’s an evil sorcerer who walks around in the form of a bear.
Haiti : loup-garou can change into anything, both plant and animal.
Ireland & Scotland : The selkies are seals that take off their skins to become human. Dark-haired Celts may have their genealogy explained via the selkies. Selkies are helpful creatures who watch over fishermen.
Portugal : The bruxsa or cucubuth is a vampire-werewolf that consumes both flesh and blood.
And there’s so many more! Writing is work! Especially when building a complex and dynamic world. But you can do it, don’t be afraid to put your mind to the test! Do some research and have fun.
Happy Writing!
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