This week: Different Hormones and Usage in Fantasy Edited by: Dawn Embers  
More Newsletters By This Editor 
 
1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
Fantasy Newsletter by Dawn
Taking a look at the concept of hormones and how medical elements could be used in fantasy stories to create issues or solve problems for the characters. |
Hormones are an important element of our existence that either you hear so much about or absolutely nothing. There is the chatter about females being hormonal but don't worry, we aren't going there exactly with this topic. Because hormones are more than just the gender/sex norm aspects but we will touch base first with the expected. Since we create fantastical worlds that have humans or creatures similar to humans but might have different biological elements to consider, one thing you could possibly look into is the use of hormones for character development, whether there is magic or not.
When it coms to female or male, some of the hormones you may be familiar with are estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. I am also very familiar with them all due to working as a pharmacy technician as they are common with prescriptions but not something that anyone can just grab off the shelf here in the US. Hormone replacement is something often used to help during certain stages of life and after the results from certain medical procedures. There are also some not medical usages as anyone who competes in strength sports will attest. Categories are set up for natural versus other in the powerlifting world, which is usually related to the usage of T (testosterone). Even though humans have a variety of hormones naturally, the extra usage of T is a male noted factor with connections to muscle growth leading to assistance in weight training. Extra strength could be something helpful in a fantasy story.
But what about the female ones? While not as dynamic as the usage of something to help pull a semi-truck with a long rope, I am sure there is something that can be done in the fantasy realm. What happens when a character gets older? Do they start to have features change due to shifts in hormones like we do? Think menopause (and yes, please don't be afraid to give male characters something similar cause why not) or something similar. Due to having radiation for my cancer, for example, I will probably be put on some type of hormone treatment because what the treatment did to the area. Now, imagine our health issues but in a system where magic can exist. Oh the possibilities.
Then there is the ability to transition between male and female. While a sci-fi/fantasy type element, this is something I read about in a romance novel and it was quite interesting. Some people were born with the ability to magically switch between the two. Others were born transgender and had to go through the process the way they do in our world. It was quite an inventive story with a character who was essentially gender fluid as some days felt female and others male. When blocked from shifting it was extremely hard on them and it. was quite a surprise for the boyfriend who had only seen them in female form until the problem happened (tricked by family). However, I do also wonder what that would be like for the body to go through those big hormone shifts in such a magical way.
These aren't the only hormones and not the only time when someone might need assistance or man-made to make up for what they don't have anymore. Another issues I developed is called adrenal insufficiency, which means my body no long gets the signal to make cortisol. What is cortisol? It is a stress hormone. If you google the condition, the AI notes will let you know that the hormone cortisol is one that is very important for... life. Yep. Without it then blood pressure drops too low and leads to a fainting spell. This means taking hydrocortisone from now on until the end of life. Any stress can cause issues and illness is problematic because the body can't respond as well. I do wish there was some magic that could adjust this hormone element. Stress happens often in fantasy stories. Now, imagine a character who when gets over stressed they might faint. Problematic and sort of inconvenient but plausible and might have some story usage.
Hormones are something the body uses for many things that include reproduction, cognitive function and physiological homeostasis. They might be the ones discussed but there are many others such as: melatonin, histamine, serotonin, dopamine and even insulin. Now imagine what could be done in a speculative fiction setting involving those elements. So many possibilities! Hormone imbalance could take medical intervention that could be quite science fiction in the approach or you could take a magic one depending on the story. It is all a matter of what you want to do and what will work best in the world of the story. I am certainly curious to see if there are more fantastical tales out there that do use elements of a characters hormones in a way that is pointed out or exposed to the reader.
For more information on hormones you can search online or check out this link.
|
| | Writing 4 Kids (E)
If you like writing stories and/or poems for kids, this is the contest for you!
#1999597 by Cubby   |
|
Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
Do character's have to deal with hormone changes or issues within your fantasy world?
While I didn't get a comment for last month's fantasy newsletter, there was another comment that came in from a different topic. In April, we discussed character expectations compared to what they experienced. Here is the wonderful comment sent back discussing the topic:
Comment by H. C. Blakemore  :
The questions surrounding a character's expectations and their experiences is very thought provoking. Thanks for the writing such a fun newsletter!
I tend to present things as if they are "completely and totally true." But that's merely part of my style, and I'm simply attempting to convey my opinion. Guess I'm saying, "take it with a grain of salt."
Here's my take.
Reader's have expectations derived from: genre, length, title, cover art, author's previous work, and many other factors. When the story—that is, the experience of reading the piece—doesn't deliver on those expectations then it can be a bit jarring.
If this was done on purpose—and flagged "just enough" to feel satisfying—then the experience will often be highly lauded. However, doing this on purpose is risky because it requires the author to fully understand their audience. That level of understanding can—though not always—limit the size of the target audience or create a steeper "learning curve." And, of course, if it's done accidentally then it usually creates a negative experience for the reader.
Many years ago, I learned about an important concept in business. It's a great piece of wisdom that can relate to many different topics.
"Under promise. Over deliver."
A simple business-related example would be promising to deliver a product by Friday; despite feeling confident that you could it by Wednesday. This way, if you deliver it on Thursday then the client's expectations are exceeded. However, if you promise the work will be done by Wednesday, and you deliver it on Thursday, then the client will have a negative reaction.
At least in novel writing, authors make promises regarding tone, genre, plot, and characters (among other things). Often, this is done in the first chapter, but it's always early in the book. Ideally, the promise would align with the reader's preconceived expectations; while also making it easier for the author to exceed them.
And I'm sorry for causing anyone "first chapter stress syndrome" from adding another important concept to consider. Remember, it'll be ok. Just write something and get the ball going. Because this idea is best to think about while editing.
Anyway, thanks again for everything! Have a great day!
- Thank you so much, H.C. Blakemore. I really appreciate your well thought out comment in return to my previous newsletter.
|
To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.
|
Fantasy: June 11, 2025 Issue [#13171]
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
