Half a year ago, I wrote a blog post about different kinds of magic systems, hoping to be informative, not expecting it to continue garnering views in the way that it has. I certainly wouldn’t call it a throwaway post, but in the months since I’ve published it, I’ve come to realize that, although I … More Five Branches of Magic Systems (Revisited)
Wheel of Time is known for many things, and for its readers, channeling is often touted as an impressive magic system. It is expansive, detailed, and well-thought-out. For those who are interested in a more present, harder magic system, the series offers as a template three major facets that differentiate channeling from other magic systems. … More Building a Magic System (WoT Setting Study #2)
Although magic is not a requirement for fantasy settings, they are a staple of the genre. When it comes to how new and unique a novel’s magic system is, well, they can be just as varied as fantasy as a genre. Yet there are a few categories that most magic systems either fall into or … More Five Types of Magic Systems
Recently I watched a video by Daniel Greene called “Dear Authors: Writing Magic Systems,” in which he discussed hard magic versus soft magic, and why one isn’t necessarily better than the other. If you aren’t familiar with his videos, I would check them out as Daniel posts fantasy-related content, like me, but better. If you … More On Magic and Writing
Katie Bachelder 