rachel writes | How I Created a MAGIC SYSTEM Out of Nothing @rachelwritesbooks | Uploaded October 2022 | Updated October 2024, 1 hour ago.
Worldbuilding a fantasy novel is hard! It was particularly difficult as a Pantser who has never written fantasy before. In this video, I break down, step-by-step, how I managed to create a magic system for my contemporary fantasy novel. I wanted my approach to be unobtrusive to someone who has no idea what they're doing (like me)--I hope you can take something away from my process!
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
0:41 - 1. Came up with the very basic concept for the magic
2:03 - 2. Loosely gave the characters powers
2:44 - 3. Decided which houses had what type of magic
3:34 - 4. Sorted any existing notes about magic into "Magic System Brain Dump" document
4:19 - 5. Sorted any existing mentions of magic in the book into "Magic System Brain Dump" document
4:55 - 6. Organized "Magic System Brain Dump" into bullet point notes
6:43 - 7. Refined/expanded on bullet points to create a Magic System Bible
7:32 - 8. Made notes in a "what to revise" document about what about the magic system needs to change
8:26 - 9. Created a "Roost Power Breakdown" document
RELATED:
- How I Accidentally Wrote a 10 Book Series | All About My Novel(s) - Fostered: youtu.be/elXAZDy8OJM
- Creating a CHARACTER PROFILE in Campfire!: youtu.be/NEZXXMxQC8M
- Worlbuilding blog post I mentioned: bit.ly/3BI4xk6
- Another helpful worldbuilding post: bit.ly/3Ss2eb4
🌟 QUESTIONS FOR YOU🌟
1. Have YOU ever created a magic system? What was that like?
2. What's your favourite magic system (either created by you or someone else)?
3. Do you like worldbuilding?
LINKS
Twitter: twitter.com/rachellwrites
Instagram: instagram.com/rachelxwrites
Website: bit.ly/3rq2vz5
Tumblr: bit.ly/3BhAtK3
Pinterest: bit.ly/2qdKsyM
ALL MY PUBLISHED WORK: bit.ly/3CYT7Y1
MY STORIES:
→ "The Species is Dead" in Minola Review: bit.ly/3wEnkqE
→ "Mama Lives in My Mouth" in Young Voices: bit.ly/3yRzBKg
→ "Primary Organs" in The Malahat Review: bit.ly/2Tl0yWu & read an excerpt: bit.ly/3fzSQR1
→ "The Wolf-Antelope Will Not Come for Us" in filling Sation: bit.ly/2UhCxjH
→ "Where to Run When the Lamb Roars" in The Temz Review: bit.ly/3GN246M
→ "Fig" in Fractured Lit: fracturedlit.com/fig
→ "Jasmine’s Brows and Cuts,” in The Puritan, bit.ly/3mBsPDA
→ “Slaughter the Animal” in The New Quarterly, bit.ly/3BURVqb
→ “Eat Well” in CAROUSEL, forthcoming
MY POETRY:
→ "We sell skin on sale" in Augur Magazine (poetry): bit.ly/3vBvQH3
→ "the drive-up microphone at burger king" in carte blanche:
bit.ly/3sm6RoE
→ "A burial" in The Fiddlehead: bit.ly/3oMU7ID
→ "The night my mother learns to use the bus" in The Fiddlehead: bit.ly/3oMU7ID
→ “What’s the difference between good and god” in CV2 bit.ly/3y9WXwT
→ “At night, I rest my limbs in water and search for my mother’s father’s mother’s mother’s tongue” in Augur Magazine, forthcoming
→ "My Wolf Lives on the Windowsill" in Grain Magazine: [print only]
ABOUT ME
Hi y'all! I'm Rachel, a twenty-year-old writer from Toronto. I've been writing for eight years and will be entering my fourth year of my BA in creative writing in the fall. On my channel, I document my writing journey and try to post once a week (usually on Fridays).
DISCLAIMER:
I'm only one writer, and approach each video from my experience/expertise. While I make content like writing advice videos on this channel, it's important to me that my viewers ultimately write in the way that best resonates with them. :)
ASK ME ANYTHING: bit.ly/34wRv7u
Outro: This is not a joke by Monplaisir
My equipment:
→ Camera: Sony ZV1
→ Vlog mic: Rode Video Micro
→ Sit-down mic: Blue Yeti OR Blue Snowball iCE
→ Editor: Premiere Pro
#authortube
Worldbuilding a fantasy novel is hard! It was particularly difficult as a Pantser who has never written fantasy before. In this video, I break down, step-by-step, how I managed to create a magic system for my contemporary fantasy novel. I wanted my approach to be unobtrusive to someone who has no idea what they're doing (like me)--I hope you can take something away from my process!
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro
0:41 - 1. Came up with the very basic concept for the magic
2:03 - 2. Loosely gave the characters powers
2:44 - 3. Decided which houses had what type of magic
3:34 - 4. Sorted any existing notes about magic into "Magic System Brain Dump" document
4:19 - 5. Sorted any existing mentions of magic in the book into "Magic System Brain Dump" document
4:55 - 6. Organized "Magic System Brain Dump" into bullet point notes
6:43 - 7. Refined/expanded on bullet points to create a Magic System Bible
7:32 - 8. Made notes in a "what to revise" document about what about the magic system needs to change
8:26 - 9. Created a "Roost Power Breakdown" document
RELATED:
- How I Accidentally Wrote a 10 Book Series | All About My Novel(s) - Fostered: youtu.be/elXAZDy8OJM
- Creating a CHARACTER PROFILE in Campfire!: youtu.be/NEZXXMxQC8M
- Worlbuilding blog post I mentioned: bit.ly/3BI4xk6
- Another helpful worldbuilding post: bit.ly/3Ss2eb4
🌟 QUESTIONS FOR YOU🌟
1. Have YOU ever created a magic system? What was that like?
2. What's your favourite magic system (either created by you or someone else)?
3. Do you like worldbuilding?
LINKS
Twitter: twitter.com/rachellwrites
Instagram: instagram.com/rachelxwrites
Website: bit.ly/3rq2vz5
Tumblr: bit.ly/3BhAtK3
Pinterest: bit.ly/2qdKsyM
ALL MY PUBLISHED WORK: bit.ly/3CYT7Y1
MY STORIES:
→ "The Species is Dead" in Minola Review: bit.ly/3wEnkqE
→ "Mama Lives in My Mouth" in Young Voices: bit.ly/3yRzBKg
→ "Primary Organs" in The Malahat Review: bit.ly/2Tl0yWu & read an excerpt: bit.ly/3fzSQR1
→ "The Wolf-Antelope Will Not Come for Us" in filling Sation: bit.ly/2UhCxjH
→ "Where to Run When the Lamb Roars" in The Temz Review: bit.ly/3GN246M
→ "Fig" in Fractured Lit: fracturedlit.com/fig
→ "Jasmine’s Brows and Cuts,” in The Puritan, bit.ly/3mBsPDA
→ “Slaughter the Animal” in The New Quarterly, bit.ly/3BURVqb
→ “Eat Well” in CAROUSEL, forthcoming
MY POETRY:
→ "We sell skin on sale" in Augur Magazine (poetry): bit.ly/3vBvQH3
→ "the drive-up microphone at burger king" in carte blanche:
bit.ly/3sm6RoE
→ "A burial" in The Fiddlehead: bit.ly/3oMU7ID
→ "The night my mother learns to use the bus" in The Fiddlehead: bit.ly/3oMU7ID
→ “What’s the difference between good and god” in CV2 bit.ly/3y9WXwT
→ “At night, I rest my limbs in water and search for my mother’s father’s mother’s mother’s tongue” in Augur Magazine, forthcoming
→ "My Wolf Lives on the Windowsill" in Grain Magazine: [print only]
ABOUT ME
Hi y'all! I'm Rachel, a twenty-year-old writer from Toronto. I've been writing for eight years and will be entering my fourth year of my BA in creative writing in the fall. On my channel, I document my writing journey and try to post once a week (usually on Fridays).
DISCLAIMER:
I'm only one writer, and approach each video from my experience/expertise. While I make content like writing advice videos on this channel, it's important to me that my viewers ultimately write in the way that best resonates with them. :)
ASK ME ANYTHING: bit.ly/34wRv7u
Outro: This is not a joke by Monplaisir
My equipment:
→ Camera: Sony ZV1
→ Vlog mic: Rode Video Micro
→ Sit-down mic: Blue Yeti OR Blue Snowball iCE
→ Editor: Premiere Pro
#authortube
