How to write magic systems!

The topic of discussion for today is magic and how to write them!

Time to ask: how does magic work in your world? Well first of all, what even IS magic? It's science. No really! The only real difference between science and magic is the amount of mystery in how it works. Science is something we fully understand. Magic? Not so much. Now I'm not saying that magic has to follow the laws of matter and physics, but you should be able to explain how it works.

Here's how!

What is the source?

Your power has to come from somewhere. Wether it comes from living things like in mana or special crystals in temples, it has to have a source. Here's the most common ways it's presented.

1. Within living beings/being or the planet- This type of system means that the source can be used by just about anyone. Likely with some having more than others. People being born with powers is a common occurrence with this system as well as it being hereditary. Power may also come from the land itself and just be a natural occurring substance that can be extracted or called upon by certain conditions. (Like chanting, magic circles, or extreme concentration.)

2. Magical artifacts- You see this often in video games. The weapons or staves use use already have the powers in them with special gems or runes. These could also be grimoires (books) with magic text that can be read to call forth power from them. Or there could be a object that is the physical embodiment of all magic like a giant crystal, fountain or tower. If these items are scarce or forgotten, some people might do anything in hopes of getting ahold of one for themselves.

3. Bestowed by a higher being or otherworldly force- A higher being may grant your people power as a gift. Or maybe even a curse? This means that powers can be bestowed as well as taken away in some fashion. For otherworldly power, some may have to find a way to tap into another realm where magic does exist and draw it forth to their own if it's more scarce. Contracts would also be in this category. A powerful creature or entity may give someone power in exchange for a high price in return. And usually it's something much more valuable than money.

How is it controlled?

This is what separates masters from novices. There's going to be a certain way people use magic in your world. It could be by chant, magic circles, using magic objects, or just by thought in some cases. It could even be a combination of several of these! But whichever one you pick, it's important to establish the difficulty. You're bound to have characters with magic stronger than others. But why are they stronger? Was the person just born with more potential for it? Do they have years of experience because practice makes your magic stronger? Is it hereditary and they come from a stronger bloodline or contract with someone more powerful? This also helps depict there's a right and wrong way to preform it. A person trying magic but doesn't do it the right way may hurt themselves. A spell could blow up in their face or they might summon something they really didn't intend to unleash. But just like regular science and tech in the real world, people can make mistakes. And they can't usually be fixed by the same methods either.

For example: if the big baddy of the story is established to only be strong enough to destroy a city, they shouldn't be capable of destroying the whole planet the end. Especially if they haven't changed how they use their magic from the beginning. It's different if they tapped into a new power source no one has gotten to yet, or obtained a cursed powerful object that makes their spells more fearsome. They may have even STOLE the powers from another. You don't want your characters to pull powers out of nowhere when how they use their powers hasn't changed at all.

You want to show that whatever magic you use in your story doesn't seem too easy to learn. You want it to seem like theres a reason the most powerful characters can do things that not everyone else can do as easily. And by doing theses things, a reader can tell how powerful a characters magic is just by you describing what it does instead of having someone explicitly state they're strong. It can be seen.

What are its limitations?

Rule, rules, rules. As cool as magic is to use in stories, it has to have some limits. If someone can use a spell or power that can blow up a village, how far can that go? Can they also blow up and entire kingdom? The world if they wanted to? Make sure it's clear what limits powers have and establish a power ceiling early on. Establishing a defined power ceiling makes sure that you don't have unrealistic gaps in strength.

Also different types of magic and magic s exist as well. It's important to establish what they are capable of doing and sticking to it throughout the story.

For example: if there's a healer mage who specializes in healing wounds, don't have her start using fire magic randomly with no reasoning. In a story that uses magic, there are so many possibilities with one type, that giving a character too many powers just opens the door to Mary Sue syndrome. I personally find it much more satisfying if the main character has a more limiting power without many options but still manages to prevail by utilizing its advantages and disadvantages. The winner of every magic fight shouldn't always be the one with the flashiest power. But it should more so be the one who knows how to utilize their own the best, no matter how unimpressive it may seem to others.

Who uses it?

Now in whatever world of magic you create, there might be people who can use magic and people who can't. Why is that? It could be hereditary or the magic s could be from a different world. Or if the magic was bestowed, maybe only certain people got chosen by the entity giving them out. It could even be a curse fallen upon random unfortunate people.

What's more, a world with people who can and can't use magic will definitely affect the story socially. Two sides where one has power and another does not are bound to disagree. This can be shown in many ways. The magic s could discriminate against the non magic s by thinking that they're lesser. Or maybe the non magic s are the majority and hunt down the magic s out of fear? If it's a world where everyone can use magic, there should still be societal laws from whoever is in charge of what magic is and isn't allowed.

In a world where magic exists, there will always be taboos and spells no one supposed to talk about. No one in a society where it's clear magic exists would have free reign to use it as they pleased. Magic on its own can be extremely dangerous in the hands of someone evil or even someone who just was too curious. And these societies should also have plan for just in case certain taboos are broken or things unleashed to keep everyone safe. And above all of that, be sure to have the solution be just as well explained as the problem. One of my biggest pet peeves is when the explanation in a story for something happening is just "because magic".

That's the magic systems post for you all! I hope you got some helpful tips from it! Did you like it? Not like it? Have something you'd like to add? Leave an ask below and feel free to ask questions!

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