Writerly Ways
I thought I was going to get lucky. It stopped snowing by 11 AM but now it's snowing again. If it's this light powdery stuff I should still make it to the hospital. I really don't want to reschedule the procedure.
Remember my theme a few weeks ago about YA books and disposing of parents so the teens are unsupervised, I'm reading one now You Must Not Miss and the plot gives a believable and sad way of doing it. Dad had an affair with his wife's sister and is out of the house. Mom a formerly sober alcoholic is back to drinking so the college aged sister has cut ties with the family so there is no supervision (and sadly this isn't that far from some of my students' lives)
So today's theme comes from a conversation this weekend with evil_little_dog I'm trying to get started on one of my two current novel ideas and I'm a pantser but there is one thing I can't really pants: magical world building. And I'm struggling with it this time. Originally I wanted this to be more of a D&D type of setting but then it morphed to gaslamp but they're like yeah no, 1920s type setting. Okay sure. But still magic and D&D like races? Yes still that.
So what are my rules of magic? I was thinking everyone has a little of it and that maybe some of the science lags behind because if you can light things with magic do you need electricity? Not for that but for other things yes. Does medicine lag behind? A little but I did decide that magical healing knits tissues back together (but not if amputated) but it doesn't kill pathogens (or we'd basically have people with nearly no reason to die and that causes population problems)
The two main characters were 'adventurers' in the original setting but maybe military (ex) now. His magic is bardic in nature but what are his limits? I'm not sure I want it to be 'anything that moves the plot along' like Scanlan in Vox Machina. She'll have some kind of fire magic and probably some defensive magic too.
The one thing that bugged me in Harry Potter was the whole division between Muggles and magicians making me wonder how they ever intermarried and how the wizards got on with almost no science and all magic. I don't really want that.
So what I need to do is to sit down and really figure out what I want with my magic. What are the limits? Who can do what? How prevelent is it?
What are YOUR favorite worldbuilding resources? I'm sure you have them. (I know ysabetwordsmith has some having seen them in the past) The sharing of resources and ideas in the last few weeks has been awesome and I hope that continues. Here are some good ones I know How To Create Magic Systems and Magic Worldbuilding in Fantasy: Why It Matters
OPEN CALLS
Wyrd Warfare Wyrd/Weird combat stories
Patterns Dark stories with the theme of patterns (I had one but it's too long. whines)
parABnormal Magazine 2025 - First Call
Cosmic Roots And Eldritch Shores February 2025 Window
Feline Frights: Whiskers Between Worlds March 2025 Window Cosmic horror through the eyes of our feline companions
From Around the Web
Tips for Terror: Find the Beauty in the Horrific
How to Write Intense Scenes That Captivate Readers
Marketing quotes and why you need them.
Don’t Write Every Day: 3 Things to Do Instead to Finish Your Book definitely a YMMV type of article
How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book Traditionally?
How to Write a Book With No Experience in 10 Steps
How to Find a Literary Agent
How to Find the Right Literary Agent for Your Book
From Betty
Crafting Micro Stories
Five Common Problems With Metaphors
Finding Your Story’s Throughline
Five Arab and Muslim Stereotypes to Avoid
Advancing Your Plot
The Writing Life: Discipline and Challenges
A Complete Guide to Revising Your Novel: Part One
Who’s Your Daddy?
O Writer, Who Art Thou?
Timeless Truths About Story
How to Leverage Humanity to Outshine AI Books
How Writers Can Stay Hopeful in a Tough Publishing Climate
Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: Pursuing a Personal Goal
putting technique before the horse
Un-productivity tips for 2025
When Can I Call Myself a Writer
Remember my theme a few weeks ago about YA books and disposing of parents so the teens are unsupervised, I'm reading one now You Must Not Miss and the plot gives a believable and sad way of doing it. Dad had an affair with his wife's sister and is out of the house. Mom a formerly sober alcoholic is back to drinking so the college aged sister has cut ties with the family so there is no supervision (and sadly this isn't that far from some of my students' lives)
So today's theme comes from a conversation this weekend with evil_little_dog I'm trying to get started on one of my two current novel ideas and I'm a pantser but there is one thing I can't really pants: magical world building. And I'm struggling with it this time. Originally I wanted this to be more of a D&D type of setting but then it morphed to gaslamp but they're like yeah no, 1920s type setting. Okay sure. But still magic and D&D like races? Yes still that.
So what are my rules of magic? I was thinking everyone has a little of it and that maybe some of the science lags behind because if you can light things with magic do you need electricity? Not for that but for other things yes. Does medicine lag behind? A little but I did decide that magical healing knits tissues back together (but not if amputated) but it doesn't kill pathogens (or we'd basically have people with nearly no reason to die and that causes population problems)
The two main characters were 'adventurers' in the original setting but maybe military (ex) now. His magic is bardic in nature but what are his limits? I'm not sure I want it to be 'anything that moves the plot along' like Scanlan in Vox Machina. She'll have some kind of fire magic and probably some defensive magic too.
The one thing that bugged me in Harry Potter was the whole division between Muggles and magicians making me wonder how they ever intermarried and how the wizards got on with almost no science and all magic. I don't really want that.
So what I need to do is to sit down and really figure out what I want with my magic. What are the limits? Who can do what? How prevelent is it?
What are YOUR favorite worldbuilding resources? I'm sure you have them. (I know ysabetwordsmith has some having seen them in the past) The sharing of resources and ideas in the last few weeks has been awesome and I hope that continues. Here are some good ones I know How To Create Magic Systems and Magic Worldbuilding in Fantasy: Why It Matters
Click to viewOPEN CALLS
Wyrd Warfare Wyrd/Weird combat stories
Patterns Dark stories with the theme of patterns (I had one but it's too long. whines)
parABnormal Magazine 2025 - First Call
Cosmic Roots And Eldritch Shores February 2025 Window
Feline Frights: Whiskers Between Worlds March 2025 Window Cosmic horror through the eyes of our feline companions
From Around the Web
Tips for Terror: Find the Beauty in the Horrific
How to Write Intense Scenes That Captivate Readers
Marketing quotes and why you need them.
Don’t Write Every Day: 3 Things to Do Instead to Finish Your Book definitely a YMMV type of article
How Much Does It Cost to Publish a Book Traditionally?
How to Write a Book With No Experience in 10 Steps
How to Find a Literary Agent
How to Find the Right Literary Agent for Your Book
From Betty
Crafting Micro Stories
Five Common Problems With Metaphors
Finding Your Story’s Throughline
Five Arab and Muslim Stereotypes to Avoid
Advancing Your Plot
The Writing Life: Discipline and Challenges
A Complete Guide to Revising Your Novel: Part One
Who’s Your Daddy?
O Writer, Who Art Thou?
Timeless Truths About Story
How to Leverage Humanity to Outshine AI Books
How Writers Can Stay Hopeful in a Tough Publishing Climate
Character Secret Thesaurus Entry: Pursuing a Personal Goal
putting technique before the horse
Un-productivity tips for 2025
When Can I Call Myself a Writer