This week: The Rise of the Gnome Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Much like the dwarf character, gnomes can be found within fantasy. In the real world, they are found on shelves for the garden season and have moved beyond that to a full time position all year long. We take a look at the potential for writing a gnome as a character. |
I am somewhat familiar with the gnome. Many years ago, when I first started working at a retail pharmacy type store, when I was first a cashier, I had a little funny incident that included them. There was a slight prank war with the managers back when corporate wasn't as strict about decorations and such for how each store was done to let them have a little individuality instead of being the look the same every where viewpoint. The store manager was a goofy man in his 30's who was still a little bit like a child in his sense of humor and fun. He started a prank war with the shift managers.
One night, since we knew that the store manager would be coming in before it was open. He was going to be the first one there with no customers, so we had a little surprise for him. There was the garden section with a number of gnomes because they weren't as popular over 10 years ago. When the managed got to the glass doors, as he was unlocking it, what he came to was a trail of garden gnomes from the front door back to photo department (among other things).
A few years ago, when I was walking around stores with one of my clients, I started to notice gnomes. The first ones have the familiar look with the garden but then it became part of other things. Christmas gnomes, spring gnomes and even the Halloween gnome. All year long there are gnome decorations.
What is a gnome?
1. an ageless and often deformed dwarf of folklore who lives in the earth and usually guards treasure
2. an elemental being in the theory of Paracelsus that inhabits earth
(source: Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Paracelsus: pseudonym of Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim Swiss-born alchemist and physician.
I hadn't heard of the alchemist and the theory about an elemental creature that could have inhibited Earth but that was interesting to see on the dictionary web site. But that does give some interesting ideas for how they might be used within fiction writing in different ways than just the little gnomes in the garden or the movie where the gnome statues suddenly were moving and plotting. And it's kind of a fun idea because the gnomes are sort of like the dwarves only most dwarves that are more known for readers are male. I've seen more female gnomes compared to dwarves in the recent movies but I do have my own female dwarf character in an epic fantasy series. I have to admit, that I've never written about a gnome but may put one in for the Witch/Detective series that I wrote book 1 this month for November Novel Writing. I haven't been as interested in them as decoration but I do know others have a very different opinion. Even my mom has one Christmas gnome decoration. I have a step aunt who really likes them but with a family where I have around 30 cousins or so, I suppose someone is bound to like the gnomes.
But I would like to know what other people here have to think about the gnome character in stories. Do you have one as the main character? Is there an evil gnome? Or are they just secondary points or methods of conversation, like when a character notices a garden gnome decoration out of place. What do you write?
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Have you ever written about a gnome?
Not long ago, I discussed magic users and the general fact about maybe have different levels of capabilities for the characters. I used the example of my own series where I had a strong magic elf and one who was barely capable of handling a sword or bow who struggles to survive. Here are a couple of comments sent in about the topic:
Comment by S🤦♂️  :
It is something that annoys me in too much modern fantasy - those people who are skilled at everything, sometimes with little or no training. Sure, it's fantasy, but it does need to make sense. In my long-running series of fantasy, the main character is a priest-soldier. His fighting skills are moderate, but it does mean he is injured more than his companions - an army officer, a soldier-for-hire and a thief. The thief, by the way, is more a dodger than a fighter, using agility and surprise. Then there are the priest's daughters. One is a fighter, trained through and through and built like... well, picture Jordynne Grace from TNA. Another followed him into the priesthood, but has very little martial training, and so tries not to put herself in those situations. Everyone has skills; no-one has all the skills.
Comment by BIG BAD WOLF is Howling  :
Sometimes it depends on the story. The average mage isn't good with weapons, hence why they need a swordswinger, and the average warrior doesn't understand magic, hence the need for the mage. Similar things also happen in other stories.
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Fantasy: November 26, 2025 Issue [#13467]
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