Thread by @Rachel_Gutin

The third panel I attended at #ConZealand this year was “Shared Common Myths”, with @gracikim, @TheCallYA, and @IAmSuyiDavies, moderated by @manuscriptgal

This panel left me with some interesting ideas for my own writing.

This thread will include some of the many things the panelists said. I’m copying this over from my handwritten notes, so assume I’ve paraphrased unless I put something in quotes.

One of the things I really liked about this panel is that each of the panelists had grown up with a different mythology:

@gracikim: Korean mythology
@TheCallYA: Irish mythology
@IAmSuyiDavies: Nigerian mythology

And all of them have used mythology in their writing.

The panelists began by each sharing one myth they found fascinating. I’m not going to share those myths here, because they aren’t my stories and I don’t want to get them wrong.

There will be a lot missing from my notes here for similar reasons.

After hearing the myths the panelists shared, @manuscriptgal noted that objects of daily life within a specific culture will show up in their myths. For example, snail shells in a Nigerian myth, and garlic in a Korean myth.

The panelists then discussed how myths have impacted the structure of their writing.

@gracikim said myths inspired her to write about animals becoming gods and having descendants with divine powers.

And @TheCallYA talked about how his series, The Call, involves two superimposed worlds. This connects back to the Irish origin story of bisecting the world between humans and fairies: aboveground and underground.

The panelists then discussed what myths can teach us about cultures.

@IAmSuyiDavies: They can show the influence of nonnative cultures on native ones. A lot of Nigerian myths are now interwoven with Christian or Islamic myth.

And @TheCallYA talked about how stories change to reflect the times. There are times when stories would be about invasion, and times when stories would be about plague.

On whether it’s okay to change a myth to put it in a story:

@gracikim: Myths are ever-changing, especially when they’re orally passed down. Each area has its own versions.

From @gracikim: Myths are always affected by my own experience. They’re different for everyone. Both the stories and the meanings change. I think we should have the power to mold and change myth in a way that has meaning to us.

And @manuscriptgal talked about how growing up in Canada, reading Irish and British myths, there were aspects that weren’t the same for her—like hedges weren’t wild things where she lived.

From @TheCallYA: In Ireland, every rock, pool and river has a story. It must be strange to read these myths elsewhere—like us reading Greek myths. It’s not as visceral.

The panelists on what mythology adds to their work:

@IAmSuyiDavies: For me, it’s about bringing this pantheon to notice. Half of Yoruba mythology is about people turning into spirits. You create your own deity. You have an engagement with the traditions and the people.

From @gracikim: The idea that myths are stories of the people is so true. By taking myths and using them, we’re almost building our own identity. The magic is being able to take people along with you with this new version.

The panelists were asked whether COVID is reviving or creating myths.

@TheCallYA: Tons of stories will just be changed. Like a love story where you can’t touch, or a self-isolation murder mystery. I’m sure there will be thousands of urban legends.

From @TheCallYA: When you name something and tell a story, you’re taking control of it.

From @IAmSuyiDavies: There will be stories about healing and recovery.

From @gracikim: And grief.

Those were the ideas that stood out for me from “Shared Common Myths.” I really enjoyed about mythology from so many different perspectives, and thinking about how these ideas could apply to my own writing.

I also enjoyed getting to know these authors and their work. I've already read one of the books by @TheCallYA, but now, I'm really looking forward to reading @gracikim's book when it comes out. And I'm already a chapter into @IAmSuyiDavies's book.

I'm writing up threads like this for a number of the panels I attended. This is my third panel thread, and I'm collecting them here: twitter.com/i/events/12922…

Happy reading!