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What's your favourite magical story? Magic can add some great action to your writing, as long as you follow its rules.
This week's Action/Adventure Newsletter, then, is all about magic.
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I don’t know about you, but I quite enjoy stories with a touch of magic. Whether it’s set at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry or merely contains some subtle (but meaningful) references, a proper use of magic can make for an enjoyable read.
There are a few rules to follow when you add magic to your writing. The first is that your magic system has to make sense. Where does it come from? How does it work? Who can use it? Everyone, or just a few select individuals? Why them? What are its rules and its limits? What is its cost? A Song of Ice and Fire is a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin. The books contain some magical elements that are woven through the story in a variety of ways. Some of the characters can ‘warg’ – enter the mind of animals and even, when they’re powerful enough, control their actions. Some can raise the dead. The Faceless Men can swap faces so that you don’t know who they are and what they truly look like, making them highly effective assassins. The magic level of the world is heightened by the arrival of dragons, but it has its limits. A warg can get stuck. Those who are brought back from the dead lose something of who they are. These magical limits make its use more believable. Few people enjoy overpowered characters.
Which brings me to the second rule – don’t overpower your characters. It may feel nice to give a character the power to set everything right in the world, and have them defeat all who would oppose them, but no matter how good their motives may be, they’re not going to feel relatable, nor very likeable – everyone has flaws, and limits, and therefore our characters must have flaws and limits, too. Moreover, there has to be something at stake if a story is to be compelling. A good example here is Raistlin Majere from the Dragonlance novels by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. A frail child, he seeks out magic and pays a heavy price for his power. He is a complex character – often unpleasant, yet sometimes unexpectedly kind. At the height of his power he strives to become a god, but what kind of existence will that lead to? What truly makes someone a hero, or a villain?
The third rule is that it’s not magic that makes your character interesting; it’s their personality, their choices and actions. Who would care about the fate of Harry Potter if he were dull as dishwater, or a horrible bully? He may be the ‘chosen one’, but what makes you root for him is that he’s a likeable, well-meaning boy, flaws and all. He doesn’t always make the best decisions. He can be awkward, temperamental and rather lazy when it comes to his school work. He isn’t even always the best friend, but he is a believable teenager, trying to make the best of the hand he’s been dealt. His magic is just one part of him – the rest is all Harry. This is shown, too, by the fact that his most famous battles involve quite simple magic – he chooses to disarm, instead of destroy.
Generally speaking, magic needs to be learned and controlled. Even when characters are born with special powers, it takes a while for them to learn how to master it. It may be a nice idea to wake up one day with new abilities and now you can do everything that you’ve ever wanted to do, but just as people need to learn how to walk, and talk, read and write, so too do they need to learn how to use these extra abilities. This does not necessarily mean having to attend a school like Hogwarts, or the Unseen University, though such settings can be fun to explore. Again, though, for a character to feel believable some kind of learning process is usually necessary. It is also helpful in sharing with the reader what the character is capable of, and what their limits and vulnerabilities may be, which raises the stakes.
Magical creatures are great. I love dragons, for example. Dragons come in many forms, and can be either hero or villain. I prefer the non-evil dragons who may befriend and/or bond with a human. Again, if you’re going to write magical creatures, don’t overpower them. Definitely don’t make them invincible (though a dragon should be difficult to destroy, in my opinion). Where there is a bond, build it and nurture it. And whilst this is a matter of personal preference, I recommend against destroying a bonded magical creature just for the drama/shock factor. It’s one of those trends that I have never been on board with and it’s almost come to be expected now, so if you like to subvert expectations you’re actually going to be more of a trendsetter by not upsetting your readers after they’ve become emotionally invested. Happy endings are still okay.
Of course, you are the writer, and in writing there are no hard rules. If you can make your story work by going in a completely different direction, that’s great! It’s what’s so wonderful about that creative spark that drives the many stories we share. There’s always something new, something different, and that’s worth celebrating.
May your stories be magical,
NaNoKit
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Action/Adventure: June 19, 2024 Issue [#12598]
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