These are notes I took from a wonderful writing symposium called Life, the Universe and Everything. We have a lot of talented people in Utah and visitors with a great deal of knowledge. Any Misinformation is the fault of the note taker.

– What is a magic system?
– Soft magic systems where the magic is not explained but the characters don’t really what it is either. Don’t allow the magic to solve things.
– Hard magic system: magic set into stone. Does not have to be explained. Here are the rules characters can do this and not that. The character knows and the reader knows. The magic does not solve the problem the person solves the problem using magic.
– Brandon Sanders universe is hard magic. Harry Potter is mid-hard to soft.
– Characters believed in magic but they’ve never seen it in their lives. Could be compared to the miracles in the bible such as the parting of the Red Sea by Moses. It is believed in but never seen in modern time.
– Bright glass series: the only fantastical element is an empath.
– The more obscure the magic the harder to define. Had to be clear cut rules and limits. She feels emotions. She learns how to use other people to feel emotions.
– What is the surest way to make a buss come > walk away from the bus stop and the bus comes could be considered magic?
– Gravity could be considered as magic. Throw something it will eventually drop.
– Even in non-magic systems, the character will still try to make sense of it.
– Authors are often tempted to over-explain. You need to trust that the reader will go with it.
Q: If don’t have a magic system, do you need rules?
– You just need to be consistent on your restrictions.
– When writing a series and you create something you need to justify why it wasn’t referenced/ used before.
– Some feel you don’t have to be consistent. For example, some thought the earth was the center of the earth. Then new facts came. But the understanding of the world changed by seeing the earth rotation around the sun.
– Read the 5th season series. The author feels one need to include magic that the characters and readers don’t understand. Include magic that defies expectations to maintain a sense of wonder.
– You need to think of your magic and the consequences of that magic. A shifter character takes on the form of a vampire and werewolf. He has ripped out all tension of the story. So had to put a limit such as the character could not change the body odor and that betrays the character.
– Melva: maybe certain conditions have to exist for a certain magic to exist or to work.
– Your character needs to be transformed from the beginning to the end of the book.
– When a series is being written the magic system tends to evolve.
– Magic in books are used to solve problems and they start using magic in ways it was not designed for. Like a cell phone where it no longer is used for calls but a lot of other things.
– Don’t rely upon your prolog to define your magic.

It is imperative to consider all costs, limitations; consequences of magic else there is no tension.
– Take a fairy tale> Cinderella. What is the cost of making her ball gowns, no cost of making the carriage? No other rule or limit in the magic other than to be home by 12.
– One author’s magic system is bone magic: use the bones of animals to gain animal abilities. You need to have the magic you create to serve the type of story you are creating. That way you can use your magic to its potential.
– You need to understand magic just enough to use. The direct proportion used to solve the problem and how much the reader needs to understand it. One does not know that you have to go into the lower orbit to slow down to rondiview with another ship. Don’t have to explain it.
– Story idea: The other side: the cost of godmother doing magic for Cinderella
– If magic is going to be used in a story it needs to be shown in the world to match for basic understanding.
– Less defined magic can create a sense of wonder for your audience. Well-Defined magic can ground the reader in your universe.
– Superheroes: readers need to know about power and limits.

Want any suggestions to add to the list? Please do so in the comment section of this blog.