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10 BEST TIPS FOR WRITING A MAGIC SYSTEM

Writer's picture: Jenna MoreciJenna Moreci

HelloOoOo everybody!


I've discussed magical systems in the past. However, you guys had additional questions, and I'm happy to oblige. This video is dedicated to my patron over Patreon, Tori Torrific. Tori is sweet and lovable, and she loves dogs as much as I do. That means she's good people and I trust her. Tori wanted to know all about magic systems, specifically how to avoid magical info dumps, and I got her covered! These are the 10 questions you should ask yourself before planning your magic system.


A brief disclaimer: I'm going to be speaking about magic in very generalized terms. Magic can be very specific and complicated, but this video is giving you the basic starting points for creating your system. This topic tends to bring out the pedants, but this is not an in-depth analysis, so calm your tits.





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Number 1: Soft or Hard Magic?

If you're writing a magic system, you've probably already heard of soft versus hard magic. To give a generalization, soft magic is magic without any structure or rules. It’s free as a bird! The readers and characters usually don't understand it and it's kinda just there to stir shit up. On the flip side, hard magic is a system with rules, capabilities, and limitations that can potentially be understood by both the characters and the readers.


I mention this because it helps to know where your magic system falls within the spectrum. Magic can have hard rules, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're voiced to the characters, in which case, a hard magic system may appear soft. The advice I'm about to give is most applicable to hard magic. However, even if you're writing a soft magic system, I recommend at least understanding the magic for yourself. That way it's a lot easier to write!


Number 2: Where Does the Magic Come From?

In order to fully understand, and thus write your magic system in a clear and digestible way, you need to first understand where it comes from. Sometimes magic comes from the world itself. Maybe it comes from the air or the earth. Sometimes magic is biological; people are born with specific gifts. In that case, what qualifies someone to be born with magic? Is it genetic, or ritualistic, or are they chosen? If they're chosen, who's doing the choosing? A god? A wizard? A noble? A shoe? I don't know! It's your world!


Other times magic is held within physical objects like wands, books, or amulets. If that's the case, can anyone wield these objects or do they need training? Do they need a specific birthright? Even if your characters don't yet understand where the magic came from, it behooves you to get a grip on this as the writer.


Number 3: Who Has Access to Magic?

Sometimes magic is depicted as an everyday part of society, like people having fingers and toes. Sometimes magic is restricted to a specific race, career, or even just one person in particular. Figuring out who has access to magic is going to answer a lot of your questions regarding your magic system.


Number 4: How Does Magic Impact Your World?

Once you nail down the who, figuring out the impact of magic in your world is going to be a lot easier. If everyone has access to magic, then maybe its impact on culture is minimal. People see it as normal. But you also need to keep in mind that if magic is normal, people are going to be using magic to do normal things like opening and closing doors, or turning on and off lights.


If magic is exclusive to a particular group, how do other people view them? Are they afraid? Do they discriminate? It's common for people to be fearful of what they don't understand. If only one person is magical, what does it mean for them or society as a whole? Are they keeping their magic a secret so that they're not targeted, or are they revered by their overall society? In The Savior's Champion, the Savior is the only person in Thessen who can produce magic, and thus she is worshipped. A single person with magic can have a huge impact on the society you're creating.


Number 5: What Are the Capabilities?

This is probably gonna be the first thing you do when you create a magic system. “What exactly can your magic do?” No shit! I can't exactly tell you how your magic works, that's for you as the author to figure out. But it's important for you to nail down the exact capabilities. Is it healing magic or dark magic? Is it super strength? Is it elemental? The world is your oyster! Magic is fiction, so you can create whatever the hell you want!





Number 6: What Are the Limitations?

If your magical characters are all-powerful, then one of two things are gonna happen. Number one, the story will be less interesting depending on which characters are magical. The stakes aren't gonna be very high if your protagonist or villain cannot be defeated whatsoever. Number two, you are going to write yourself into a corner, because how the fuck do you overthrow a magical villain with zero weaknesses? This is why magical limitations are so important. What makes this character’s magic fallible? If a character has super strength, awesome, but maybe using this super strength takes a toll on them–either their mind or their body. So if they overuse their super strength, they could be totally wiped out. This will make their fight scenes much more intense, which is exactly what you want.


Number 7: When Is an Explanation Relevant?

Writers get really excited about their magic systems, but like every other element of your plot, you only need to explain it when it's relevant and necessary to the story. That means you should not info-dump an entire magic system if only a fraction of it is going to be used. Think about what is relevant and explain it when it's logical and needed.


For example, if your character is being taught how to use magic, then it makes sense for someone else to explain the magic system to them. But if your character is using one power of many, you don't need to explain all of their powers at once. Sometimes magic reveals are supposed to be shocking, in which case there's usually little to no advance explanation. This can be entertaining when done well, so long as it's not a scapegoat.


“By the way, I have the magical ability to come back to life. I just never told you!”


Sounds fake, but okay.


Sometimes writers will show blips of magic without fully explaining it until a later chapter. This is a popular technique because when done correctly, it intrigues the reader. It makes them want to read further so they can figure out whatever the hell is going on. Lastly, sometimes magic is supposed to be misunderstood because the characters themselves don't know what's going on. In that case, an explanation would completely contradict the character’s point of view.


Number 8: What’s the Perspective?

Writers, and even readers, often forget that perspective is pivotal when writing magic. Before you explain a magic system, stop and ask yourself the following questions.


First, what is the point of view? If you're writing third-person omniscient, then it doesn't really matter which character you're following. The point of view is all-knowing, so you can explain whatever you want about your magic system.


However, if you're writing first person, third person limited, or third person deep, you need to stop and ask yourself which character are you following and what is their relationship to magic? When writing these specific points of view, the narrator only knows what the character knows. This means if the character is a wizard possessing all knowledge of magic, then you can write whatever you want about the magic, provided it's in keeping with the story and the voice.


If your character just developed their powers and has no idea how they work, then it would be counterintuitive for you to explain the magic system in full. Similarly, if your character is witnessing magic for the first time, then you can only describe what the character is seeing and understanding. Otherwise, it will break the perspective. I know you want to give all the juicy details, but just because you understand what's going on doesn't mean the character does. Stick to the perspective or else you're breaking the immersion.


Number 9: Can You Simplify?

The general rule of thumb when creating any kind of system in your world is that if you cannot easily explain it to someone else then either you don't know it well enough or it is over complicated. The more convoluted your magic system is, the less likely readers will be able to follow it. Obviously.


Now I'm not saying your magic system needs to be dumbed down like, “Make fire! Go boom!” Just remember that the reading experience is supposed to be fun, and if you're making all of your readers memorize a glossary of terms and definitions, that's not enjoyment! That's the SATs.


Number 10: How Does Magic Fit Into Your Story?

Sometimes people get carried away with their magic systems and then forget that, like everything else, it needs to serve a purpose to the plot. You need to figure out what the point of your magic system is because it's going to influence pretty much everything I already listed. If magic is a small part of your story, then that means it needs to take up less space on your pages. Simplify your magic because people don't want to be studying up on a system that's rarely utilized. If it's a huge player, then it needs to be conceptualized with as much time and care as you would an important character. And if magic doesn't play any role in your story, it's time to have an honest conversation with yourself. Why haven't you deleted it yet? Be realistic about your magic system and its role in your book, if it has one at all.


So that's all I've got for you today!

Author Jenna Moreci.

A huge thank you to Tori Torrific for requesting today's post! If you'd like the chance to have a post dedicated to you, or if you want access to tons of other awards, check me out on Patreon! We've got early access to videos, we have a private Discord writing group, we've got signed merch, and we have a monthly live stream! The link is listed right here, get on it!





 

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