Thursday, May 1, 2014

RavenCon: Writing Believable Magic

Your magic system has to have something to do with the plot. Establish it early so it's not a deus ex machina.

It has to be consistent, and it has to have a cost or limitation. Limitations reduce the ramifications. If you can call down fire, but only within 50ft and only while you concentrate, then that will influence your worldbuilding a lot less than if you can call down fire on a whim, anywhere in the world.

It should have an element of the unknown. It's not technology, it's not a case of "anyone can understand it if they study", and you're not just calling an engineer.

Do you reward "ability to plan ahead" or "ability to extemporize"? (Or maybe both--sorcerors extemporize, wizards plan).

How does magic affect the world? If there's a domestic dispute involving a caster, does she turn him into a chicken, or banish him to another plane, or cause teporary baldness?

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