Creating a magic system for your fantasy novel: Three essential tips
Ah, magic. If only you could wave a wand and – poof! – your fantasy novel came equipped with a fully fleshed out magic system. But where would be the fun in that? Here are three tips to help you create a cohesive magic system that will keep your readers spellbound.
Decide what magic can and can’t do
In fantasy fiction, anything is possible, right? Of course! The magic system you create can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. But if it isn’t carefully planned, it can lead to some undesirable effects – whether that be plot holes or deus ex machina moments that make the story feel unsatisfying.
The first rule of magic is: You can make up any rules you want, but you have to stick to them. These rules will form a part of your fictional universe – the characters can neither amend nor break them, just as humans cannot change or break the rules of physics. By doing so, you create an alternative fictional reality, one into which your reader can escape any time they choose.
So how do you decide on your rules? Think very carefully about how they could add interest to your story. How will characters exploit the weaknesses around a rule in order to get the better of one another? In this way, magic becomes an obstacle in your story, but not an insurmountable one – only someone with a specific set of skills and who is clever enough will be able to overcome it.
Determine who can use magic and who cannot
Are only certain individuals capable of magic? Or does everyone have some base level access to magical power, but only some acquire the skills and knowledge to wield it to any great effect? Perhaps there are different degrees of power according to race, age or gender?
When deciding how many people you want to be able to wield a certain power, consider how rare or abundant you want it to be in your fictional world.
There is a simple rule to follow here: the greater the magical power, the scarcer it should be/the fewer people should have access to it.
For example: if there is a magical power that allows the holder to turn their enemies into stone, if everyone were able to do it, your story could soon come to a standstill!
If there is a ubiquitous magic power that allows the holder to appear unstoppably desirable to a specific person for a limited amount of time, a lot of fun can be had with characters using this to their advantage and finding inventive ways to block this power.
The perils of unlimited power
If you choose to create a world in which an individual holding unlimited power is a possibility, know this: it will place limitations on where you can go with your story. Let’s say that in your fantasy realm there is a ring that gives the wearer access to unlimited power. Once they have it, they have magical powers that will never run out and which they can use to do whatever they please. If the hero of your story already has this ring, then there would be no obstacles or challenges for them to surmount, which would make for a rather dull, conflict-free plot. If the antagonist in your story already has the ring, then there is nothing stopping them from wreaking their brand of havoc on the world. In a world in which unlimited power exists, the only way to build a compelling narrative is to make it about the hero’s quest to acquire unlimited power – or to stop the villain from getting their evil hands on it.
Identify where the magic comes from
There are two main approaches to the mechanics of magic, though some stories may play around with a combination of both.
First is that magic comes from within a character – either it is passed down to them through their bloodline or it is part of their soul. If this is the case, your ‘who’ from earlier will be only those characters who have the innate ability, and in that case your story will naturally centre around how they learn to use their powers.
The second is that magic comes from an exterior source such as nature, a substance, the spirit world, or it exists as an ambient power in itself. In this case, characters may harness the power of magic by writing and using spells, by using artefacts imbued with magical power or by combining herbs and plants that contain magical powers.
If an exterior source of magic is accessible to all characters, then the narrative will be shaped by who is the most skilled at exploiting these external sources. If the exterior source of power is limited, conflict will arise from the characters’ efforts to get hold of this limited resource.
Tip
While you as the writer need to know where magic originates and how it works, you don’t have to explain ALL of that to your reader. In fact, keeping a bit of mystery about some elements will add tension to your storytelling.
Summing up
The magic system in your fantasy novel can be as simple or complex as you want it to be, but the process of creating it needn’t become complicated if you follow these three essential tips. By defining the what, the who and the where of magic from the outset, you will be well on your way to creating a magic system that feels believable and gets the reader hooked on your unique fictional world.
Other resources
If you would like to delve further into the rationale behind creating magic systems, fantasy author Brandon Sanderson has written three excellent essays on the topic:
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