How to create magical systems

How does one create a magical world that the reader can believe in?

Brandon Sanderson, an American author of fantasy and science fiction, may have the solution to this complex problem. Sanderson invented the three laws of magic to help create magical worlds, and also popularised the idea of ‘hard magic’ and ‘soft magic’ systems.

A hard magic system involves clear and specific rules. The mechanics of how the hard magic systems works are explained to the reader.

These mechanical explanations can also be used for world-building around the magic system.

A soft magic system doesn’t always have clearly defined rules and/or may provide limited explanations as to how the magical system works, creating a sense of wonder and mystery.

J.R. Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ series is an example of a soft magic system.

The magic in the Harry Potter books series is described by Sanderson as being in between soft magic and hard magic.

Let’s now explore Sanderson’s three laws of magic in depth.

The first law

An author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader understands said magic.

The reader should already understand the magical system and how it works before a problem is solved by magic.

This avoids questions like ‘how did they manage to do that?’

Soft magic, having no obvious rules, should not be used to solve problems, but it can be used to create problems.

The second law

The limitations of a magic system are more interesting than its capabilities. What the magic can’t do is more interesting than what it can.

Limitations on the magic make it more interesting. For example, it can create more struggle and difficulty for the characters.

They may have to work harder and be more clever with magical limitations.

Limitations can also create more tension and suspense.

For example, when superman fights a villain, it’s not that interesting because let’s face it, he’s superman. He can easily crush his opponents with his unearthly superpowers.

So let’s be mean and throw in a limitation. Let’s have him fighting a villain carrying kryptonite (an item that makes superman go weak).

The battle has now become gripping, as superman may not survive.

Sanderson encourages writers to make up weaknesses and costs to using magic to make things more interesting.

For example, in The Wheel of Time fantasy series (started by Robert Jordan and completed by Brandon Sanderson) the magic causes the practitioners to slowly go insane.

The third law

Expand on what you have already, before you add something new.

The author should expand on what is already a part of the magic system before something new is added.

“A brilliant magic system for a book is less often one with a thousand different powers and abilities – and is more often a magic system with relatively few powers that the author has considered in depth.”
– BRANDON SANDERSON

Add depth to your world by considering the effects that magic will have on it. Ask questions and work out the consequences.

For example, if the characters can shape-shift, how would that affect society, politics, and warfare?

Another suggestion is to make magical powers thematically connected. This expands the world.

For example, a character could have powers specifically designed for the life of a thief. He could move objects, make himself invisible, and teleport himself to other locations at will.

Yet another suggestion is to streamline. By this, he means that combining pre-existing magical powers is usually better than introducing new ones.

For example, say heat magic has already been introduced in the story, but this time the heat magic is combined with a magical culture.

This culture uses heat magic in a different way than before. For example, it may have previously been used in warfare, but they may now use it for cooking.

Finally, there is an additional law: