Creating a Magic System

Amie Kaufman On Writing

Creating a magic system that really works takes effort. Every time you think you’ve got it working, someone points out some what-if hypothetical, and you’re back to the drawing board, trying to plug more leaks in your logic bucket. When it does work, though – well, all of us have been swept away at one point or another by the feeling we’re truly in another world, and a story full of magic you can believe in is really special. I’m going to give you three questions I ask myself when I’m creating a magic system, using one of my own as a case study.

My new book, The Isles of the Gods, is officially out! The Isles of the Gods is a fantasy novel set on the high seas, full of magic, romance, slumbering gods, gangsters’ dens and forgotten temples. It’s about a sailor girl who ends up saddled with an annoyingly handsome prince, who has to save him, if she wants to save the world. I think you're going to love it.

You can find a transcript of this episode on my website. You can also sign up for my newsletter there, which is full of information about upcoming releases and events, and my other podcast, Pub Dates, which will take you behind the scenes on The Isles of the Gods.