Magic In Writing

So you want to write fantasy. You have your compelling and relatable main character, your wicked villain and a world full of magic that can do, well, everything. And then it hits you: if magic can solve any problem… why are there still problems? 

Don’t worry, this is an extremely common first-draft woe—and one that can be solved. Simply put, it sounds like you might need to create a magic system for your fantasy world. 

But what is a magic system… and do you really need one?

Magic in any world—whether you book is set in Cincinnati or Middle Earth—has to function in a particular way. Yes, it’s magic, but it still needs to make sense. Your readers need to have a clear understanding of what it can and can’t do. 

You don’t have to be super detailed about this—in fact, if your book is for younger readers, you can get away with a lot less explanation. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is a prime example of this. Magic exists and with the right spells, witches and wizards can do cool stuff. How exactly does that magic functions? Eh, not important to the eleven-year-old audience. 

But older readers usually want at least a little detail about the rules of the world, and because of this, magic in your world needs to have some kind of internal logic. So if you are writing for older teens and adults, I’d recommend diving at least a little deeper. 

Now that you know what a magic system is, how do you go about making one?

There are three key pillars that any magic system needs to have in order to hold water. And the first of these is the need for an origin story. 

Simply put, where does magic come from? Is it a power granted to your characters by a benevolent—or evil—deity? Is it something they only learned from years of study? Is magic something that lives inside their blood, passed on from parent to child, like red hair? 

Or is it some combination thereof? This is a major opportunity to integrate your particular kind of magic into the worlbuilding of your novel. Where magic comes from and the feelings your characters have about it, can inform your entire story.

In my own novel, The Frozen Crown, magic was given to the first humans by a goddess called Lady Night, but she didn’t give the gift to everyone. Only the decedents of those first, blessed people have magic. Its rarity makes magic both coveted and hated depending on who you ask. And issues about who has it, and who doesn’t is a major source of conflict.

Which bring me to my next pillar…

What place does magic have in the world? 

This is a big one, because it feeds directly into your plot. You can’t just put magic in your story simply because it’s cool. It needs to feed into your central conflict in some way. 

If you aren’t sure how, ask yourself the following questions: Do all of your characters have magic? Is it easily accessible? And is everyone aware of magic, or is it a secret?

Imagine for a moment that your high school nemesis had the power to bewitch the teachers. Not gonna lie, that would be awful. But would it make you want to find magic for yourself, or make you hate magic entirely? 

Alternately, if magic is an open secret, how is it affecting the rest of the world? Why wouldn’t it become yet another natural resource to exploit? Are there cubicle-farms filled with bored tech witches coaxing Wi-Fi out of the ether? (To be honest, I’m a complete luddite, so if you told me this was true, I might believe you!)

Finally, what are the limits of magic in your world?

As I eluded above, magic can’t do everything. It’s the story equivalent of having your entire climax hinge on the hero’s phone being dead. It feels cheap and that’s the last thing we want our readers to feel. 

So you need to imbue your magic system with some limitations—and repercussions. Is there a cost of using magic? That cost can be physical, but it could also be emotional. However, the big takeaway, is your readers need to see that with great power comes a great price—a price that wears at your characters and weakens them.

I know some writers have a hard time finding genuine flaws for their characters. In the age of Facebook and Instagram, we train ourselves to always appear at our best. But what makes characters interesting and relatable are their struggles. I would argue that we love characters (and people) because of their imperfections, not in spite of them. Ask yourself, how does magic negatively affect your character. 

Need an example of how to create a cost to magic? Think about how compelling it would be if your heroine could cast spells, but every time she did, she got just a little more addicted to the feeling, like a drug she can’t quite quit. You can easily see how that might make life more difficult and your story more dangerous.    

Only by giving your characters genuine flaws and obstacles, can your readers see them overcome impossible odds. And really, who doesn’t love rooting for an underdog? Happy writing!

—
Greta Kelly is (probably) not a witch, death or otherwise, but she can still be summoned with offerings of too-beautiful-to-use journals and Butterfingers candy. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her husband EJ, daughter Lorelei and a cat who may, or may not, control the weather.

The Frozen Crown:

A princess with a powerful and dangerous secret must find a way to save her country from ruthless invaders in this exciting debut fantasy, the first novel in a thrilling duology packed with heroism, treachery, magic, and war.

Askia became heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh because of her devotion to her people. But her realm is facing a threat she cannot defeat by sheer will alone. The mad emperor of the Roven Empire has unleashed a horde of invading soldiers to enslave her lands. For months, her warriors have waged a valiant, stealth battle, yet they cannot stop the enemy’s advancement. Running out of time, she sets sail for sun-drenched Vishir, the neighboring land to the south, to seek help from its ruler, Emperor Armaan.

A young woman raised in army camps, Askia is ill-equipped to navigate Vishir’s labyrinthine political games. Her every move sinks her deeper into court intrigues which bewilder and repel her, leaving her vulnerable not only to enemies gathering at Vishir’s gates, but to those behind the palace walls.

And in this glittering court, where secrets are worth more than gold, Askia fears that one false step will expose her true nature. For Askia is a witch gifted with magical abilities—knowledge that could destroy not only her life but her people. As her adversaries draw closer, Askia is forced to make an impossible choice—and no matter what she decides, it may not be enough to prevent Seravesh’s fall.

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Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips