Putting it all together As we draw this series to a close, it might be interesting to look back on what we’ve discovered and lay the groundwork for a Magic System that’s unique, interesting, and realistic – as far as
Writing Magic Systems (Part 8)
Writing Magic Systems (Part 7)
Power corrupts. This is not a new concept. We’re all intimately familiar with the idea that power can corrupt. But the extent of the corruption is something that doesn’t always get a lot of attention. In some ways, that’s a
Writing Magic Systems (Part 6)
Edge Cases Warning: This blog post will contain spoilers for both Harry Potter (Book 4 and up) and The Wheel of Time Very often, the most interesting things happen, not in the main arena, but at the edges. If I
Writing Magic Systems (Part 5)
Lying Lying is an essential part of writing – it’s the only thing that separates you from a reader. And yes, I hear you protesting that you’d never lie to your audience, but that’s also… a lie. Welcome to the
Writing Magic Systems (Part 4)
Types of Magic Warning: There are going to be a few controversial opinions in this blog post. If you’re dearly attached to a particular magic system and would rather not read about how it’s categorized or if you’re the type
Writing Magic Systems (Part 3)
Artifacts Some of the most interesting stories are ones that involve some or other magical artifacts. Often, this is used by a character to either focus/concentrate their magic or to imbue something *else* with magic. Whether it’s the “One Ring
Writing Magic Systems (Part 2)
Writing Magic Systems is Hard. And it should be. Writing is complex all by itself. As anyone who has ever written well… anything will tell you, there’s nothing more daunting than looking at a blank page and needing to fill
Writing Magic Systems (Part 1)
Rules Writing Magic Systems is hard. And it absolutely should be. They take a lot of thought and effort. In looking at creating the Magic System for the Elements Octology (By the way, we’re looking for Beta Readers), I had