 Fantasy: March 30, 2022 Issue [#11291] |
This week: Sanderson's Laws of Magic Edited by: Jeff  
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"Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It's a way of understanding it."
-- Lloyd Alexander
About The Editor: Greetings! My name is Jeff and I'm a guest editor for this issue of the official Fantasy Newsletter! I've been a member of Writing.com since 2003, and have edited more than 350 newsletters across the site during that time. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me via email or the handy feedback field at the bottom of this newsletter! 
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Sanderson's Laws of Magic
If you weren't already familiar with bestselling fantasy and science fiction author Brandon Sanderson prior to a few weeks ago, you might have recently heard his name in the news for his wildly successful Kickstarter campaign which has currently raised more than $36.5 million, making it the highest grossing campaign on the platform.
For those of you who haven't heard of Brandon Sanderson before, he's also the author that was chosen to finish the Wheel of Time series after the original creator Robert Jordan passed away. Sanderson has written a number of bestselling books in both the fantasy and science fiction genres, for both adults and children. He was also one of the original hosts of the long-running Writing Excuses podcast, and an adjunct professor at his alma mater (Brigham Young University), where he still teaches a creative writing class and has posted the lectures for that class on his YouTube Channel .
Sanderson is most notably recognized for the "Cosmere," a Marvel Cinematic Universe-style shared setting where many of his stories take place, as well as the unique magic systems in his books. His Mistborn series introduces the concept of allomancy, the ability to manifest different abilities depending on different types of metal that are ingested. His standalone book The Rithmatist involves bringing chalk drawings to life. He's largely credited with popularizing the idea of unique magic systems, something that you can find in the books of Brian McClellan (powder mages who can use gunpowder for mystical effects), Francis Knight (pain mages who manifest physical pain into remarkable abilities), and Kameron Hurley (blood mages who derive magical benefits from, well, you get the idea  ).
A number of years ago, Brandon Sanderson actually published a series of essays entitled Sanderson's Laws of Magic which are three practical tips for those who are interested in designing their own magic systems. The three laws are as follows:
The First Law: An author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL to how well the reader understands said magic.
The Second Law: Limitations > Powers
The Third Law: Expand what you already have before you add something new.
You can read the entire essay series linked above for more detailed explanation, but basically: (1) The more understandable a magic system is, the more you can resolve conflict with it. If you don't explain the magic to the reader, using magic to solve problems will seem confusing, contrived, or convenient. (2) The limitations and restrictions on a power are more important and more interesting than the powers themselves. And, (3) Don't be in a rush to throw new concepts and ideas into a story until you've exhausted what you've already established.
The essays are worth reading in full if this is a subject that's of interest to you (I'm always a fan of thinking logically and methodically about your story, even with it's fantastical in nature), but consider these guidelines if you're creating a magic system of your own, in order to give it weight, balance, and effectiveness for the audience. Or better yet, come up with some guidance, rules, or "laws" of your own! 
Until next time,
Jeff
If you're interested in checking out my work:
"Blogocentric Formulations"
"New & Noteworthy Things"
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EXCERPT: Autumn woke up and decided to go to Lake Michigan for the day. She loaded up her canoe on the truck and headed to Lake Michigan. She loved looking at Lake Michigan. It looked like the ocean of the Caribbean.
EXCERPT: Robert Hiram watched the man enter his bar. He approached him as he stood behind the bar getting ready to open. The man pulled off his grimy ball cap and looked down at his feet.
EXCERPT: Vetle was running away. No, not running but walking at a clipped pace and keeping a thick shroud of silvery white mist around himself. Thick enough to drink. His feet knew the way; they’d trudged the road between Emil’s humble farm and his own vast estate countless times over the last few years. Woden’s eye, what would his half-brothers think? Or the mousy Daughter of Eostre who had born the near entirety of consequences of his own foolishness five years before? She hadn’t run away. Ravenous shame with its many mouths ate at him.
EXCERPT: Running. Running. Running. Lungs burning. Muscles screaming in pain. She ran as fast as she could. Leap the log. Dodge the tree branch. Entering a clearing, Cheri Sember took to the sky. Poisoned arrows hit her leg, another lodging in her arm. She yanked them out and threw them back down. Oh, why did she have to be cursed with wings?!
EXCERPT: Might I trouble you with a question?
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