The Magic of Writing

Aiya!

As you have probably gathered from my last post, I am in Plotting for NaNo Mode. (Trust me, that's a legitimate thing… Condition even.) So… I have another post that has a lot of cool stuff for you strange, mythical race of people who are known as writers.

You people who use magic to make worlds for at the tip of your fingers.

You people who hold that fate of countless lives in your hands.

Yes. I am talking to you.

My main character in Chosen by Fire, Jade DeArchet, is a fire mage. So, that means she has magic.

It didn’t take too long in my planning to realise that I was in a foreign area. I hadn’t ever worked with magic systems before, so, how does one do it? I used the magical skill I had—Google. (Wow, that sounds like an ad, maybe I should go into marketing some day….)

Anyways, I hunted about and basically got one clear message; Magic has to come with a cost. Now that’s fair enough. You don’t want limitless magic and characters being super overpowered. But how can one make a magic system of costs?

There are a few ideas about the place. Y’know, if you use magic you will slowly transform into something. You could suffer nausea, fatigue. Maybe it requires a sacrifice. Maybe it is sporadic and dependent on a much greater power.

I decided to go with a chance of loss of control.

Sooooo, I had to come up with a system to have this all neatly arranged so that I could calculate how much fire magic she could use before she loses control, resulting in a bushfire. Now, this was an interesting process, so, here are some tips for anyone else considering doing something similar.

I use spreadsheets. Label one column, “Magic” the next “Cost” and then the last one “Calculating.” Then go ahead and write in the type of magic in the first and then put a number in the second. Put in numbers and then decide what your max will be before the loss of control happens. Then, while writing, just add up the numbers. Its pretty easy.

But you know what all of you magical writers? Magic is less terrifying when you get into it than it is when you’re staring at it for aaaaaages trying to pluck up the courage to start the planning. I actually really enjoyed doing my magic scheming. Admittedly, I do love that sort of stuff.

I wish you all luck and a prompt on this magical day! Have fun performing your magic while typing away!

Any Inspiration? Any ideas on magic? Feel free to say so, and enjoy writing!