Magic – Trying to Write About Something That Doesn’t Exist
[image error]
My husband likes koans (A koan is a paradoxical idea that is sometimes used for meditation. For example, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”) Anyway, the other day, he asked me to picture a color that didn’t exist. Needless to say, I couldn’t do it. Magic falls into the same category. As an urban fantasy writer, I need to describe it; however, it doesn’t exist which makes it hard to put on a page.
I’m always interested in how other writers structure their magical systems. They are so creative! Take the Harry Potter series. Rowling’s characters use wands, of course, but they also recite words to go along with their spells. It’s a complex and interesting type of magic. (And, let’s be real, who among us hasn’t tried saying wingardium leviosa just to see if it really works!)
Another book series that I love is The Magicians by Lev Grossman. In this series, there are many different types of magicians, such as travelers, physical magic users, and light benders. These magicians use complicated hand signals to work magic. The signals are really apparent on the TV series. I am amazed at how dexterous the actors are, and I love watching them cast spells.
In my books, I have my magic users combine everyday objects such as black salt (yes, that’s really a thing!), bird feathers, candles, copper bowls, and hemp. Because I love crafting (I’m an avid knitter) and cooking, I think of magic as an art or craft. My characters do chant spells, but the real magic comes from the combination of ingredients.
Describing something that doesn’t exist can be challenging. That’s what makes it fun!
