this changed my perspective on WRITING MAGIC!
Summary
TLDRThis video script explores the concept of 'hard' and 'soft' magic in storytelling, challenging the binary classification and suggesting a spectrum approach. The speaker advocates for considering the function of magic in a narrative, whether it's to evoke wonder or solve plot problems. Using humor, like the 'metaphysical taco' for superpowers, the script illustrates how magic systems can be more fluid and engaging when their rules and revelations are tailored to the story's needs, rather than strictly adhering to predefined hard or soft categories.
Takeaways
- 🧙 The concept of 'hard' and 'soft' magic systems is discussed, suggesting that these terms may not be as useful as focusing on the function of magic within a story.
- 🌟 A magic system's primary functions are to either look cool and immersive or to solve problems within the narrative.
- 🌮 The 'metaphysical taco' is used as a humorous example to illustrate how a magic system can appear 'hard' with clear rules but still be 'soft' in practice due to its open-ended nature.
- 📚 The speaker argues that magic systems exist on a spectrum from 'hard' to 'soft', determined by their function and the level of detail revealed to the reader.
- 🎭 The magic system's classification as 'hard' or 'soft' is influenced by the perspective of the audience, the writer's understanding, and the characters within the story.
- 🌈 Magic systems that serve to create a sense of wonder tend to be on the 'soft' side, as they are more about world immersion and less about specific rules or problem-solving.
- 🔍 Conversely, magic systems designed to solve problems are often 'harder', requiring internal logic and consistency that the audience can understand and anticipate.
- 📉 The level of detail about a magic system often increases with the stakes of the problems it's used to solve, to avoid the perception of a Deus ex Machina.
- 💡 The speaker emphasizes that writing about magic systems is subjective and encourages writers to experiment with different approaches to find what works best for their story.
- 📖 References to works like 'The Lord of the Rings', 'The Name of the Wind', 'Avatar', and 'One Piece' are used to illustrate different magic system functions and their classifications.
Q & A
What is the main point the speaker is trying to make about magic systems in storytelling?
-The speaker argues that the classification of magic systems as 'hard' or 'soft' is not as important as understanding their function within a story. They emphasize that the purpose of a magic system should be to either create a sense of wonder or to solve problems within the narrative.
What does the speaker mean by 'metaphysical taco'?
-The 'metaphysical taco' is a humorous and fictional example used by the speaker to illustrate how a magic system could be both 'hard' (having clear rules) and 'soft' (being loose and unrestricted) at the same time. Eating a taco grants superpowers, but the specifics of what powers and how they work are left open to interpretation.
How does the speaker differentiate between 'hard' and 'soft' magic systems?
-The speaker suggests that 'hard' magic systems have clear, defined rules, akin to a science, while 'soft' magic systems are mystical, loose, and unrestricted. However, they also propose that the distinction is not binary and that magic systems exist on a spectrum between these two extremes.
What is the significance of the speaker's mention of Gandalf from 'The Lord of the Rings'?
-The speaker uses Gandalf to illustrate the concept of 'soft' magic, where the character can perform magical acts without a clear explanation of how or why. This approach leaves more to the imagination and contributes to a sense of wonder.
How does the speaker relate the function of magic in storytelling to the concept of 'Deus ex Machina'?
-The speaker warns against using magic to solve problems in a way that feels unearned or unexplained, which can lead to a 'Deus ex Machina' scenario. This term refers to a sudden, unexpected resolution to a plot that feels contrived or unmotivated.
What role does the audience's perspective play in determining whether a magic system is perceived as 'hard' or 'soft'?
-The speaker suggests that the audience's perception of a magic system's hardness or softness is influenced by how much they understand about the system and the rules governing it. If the audience knows few details, the system may seem softer, whereas more information can make it appear harder.
Why does the speaker argue that magic systems should not be solely focused on problem-solving?
-The speaker believes that while magic can be used to solve problems in a story, it should also serve to create a sense of wonder and immerse the reader in the world. A balance between these functions can lead to a more engaging and dynamic narrative.
What does the speaker mean when they say that magic systems can 'integrate themselves with the world'?
-The speaker is suggesting that when magic is deeply intertwined with the world's lore and setting, it becomes more than just a tool for characters. It contributes to the atmosphere and wonder of the story, often leading to a 'softer' magic system where the specifics are less important.
How does the speaker view the role of character knowledge in the perception of a magic system?
-The speaker points out that characters within a story may perceive the magic as 'hard' if they understand its rules and mechanisms, while the audience may still perceive it as 'soft' if they are not privy to the same level of detail.
What advice does the speaker give regarding the creation of magic systems in stories?
-The speaker advises writers to consider the function of magic in their story, whether it's to create a sense of wonder or to solve problems, and to find a balance that works for their narrative. They also encourage experimentation and adaptation of concepts like 'hard' and 'soft' magic to suit the individual story's needs.
Outlines
🧙♂️ Magic Systems and Their Storytelling Functions
The paragraph discusses the concept of 'hard' and 'soft' magic in storytelling, suggesting that these classifications are not as important as understanding the function of magic within a narrative. The speaker proposes that magic systems should be evaluated based on their purpose in the story, such as creating a sense of wonder or solving problems. The paragraph introduces the idea of a 'metaphysical taco' as a humorous example of a magic system that, despite having a clear rule, can still be quite loose and open to interpretation, thus illustrating the spectrum between hard and soft magic.
🌮 The Spectrum of Magic: From Hard to Soft
This section delves deeper into the spectrum of magic systems, using the 'taco magic' analogy to explain how a seemingly hard system can still be soft in practice. It discusses how the function of magic in a story determines its classification on this spectrum. The speaker contrasts this with examples from 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Name of the Wind,' where certain aspects of magic are more defined (hard) while others are more mysterious (soft). The paragraph also touches on the importance of perspective, suggesting that what is hard or soft magic can vary depending on the character's and audience's understanding of the magic system.
📜 Adapting Magic Systems to Storytelling Needs
The final paragraph emphasizes the subjective nature of writing and magic systems. It suggests that writers should feel free to adapt or discard any guidelines, including the concept of hard and soft magic, if they do not serve their story. The speaker uses the example of 'Arcane' to show how characters' perceptions of magic can differ from the audience's, and how this can influence the storytelling. The paragraph concludes by encouraging writers to experiment with magic systems to find what best fits their narrative, aligning with the theme that writing is a personal and flexible process.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Hard and Soft Magic
💡Function
💡Metaphysical Taco
💡Spectrum
💡Wonder
💡Problem-Solving
💡Deus ex Machina
💡Internal Logic
💡Worldbuilding
💡Perspective
Highlights
The concept of 'hard' and 'soft' magic is introduced and then set aside to focus on the function of magic systems in storytelling.
The importance of understanding the purpose of a magic system within a narrative is emphasized.
A humorous example of a 'metaphysical taco' magic system is presented to illustrate the discussion.
The idea that magic systems can be a spectrum from 'hard' to 'soft' is introduced.
The concept of 'hard' magic is exemplified by a rule-based system like Mexican food granting magic.
The discussion on how even 'hard' magic systems can feel 'soft' due to the ambiguity of outcomes.
The Lord of the Rings is used as an example of a 'soft' magic system with Gandalf's undefined powers.
The contrast between Gandalf's magic and the 'hard' magic system of the One Ring is highlighted.
The notion that magic systems are never purely at one end of the spectrum is discussed.
The two primary functions of magic in storytelling are identified: to look cool and to solve problems.
The idea that magic should integrate with the world rather than just be a tool is presented.
The impact of a magic system on reader immersion and the creation of a sense of wonder is discussed.
The perspective of characters within a story and how they perceive magic is considered.
The concept of 'Deus ex Machina' is introduced as a potential pitfall of magic systems used for problem-solving.
The importance of internal logic and consistency in magic systems for problem-solving is emphasized.
The role of stakes and cost in the use of magic to solve problems within a narrative is discussed.
The talk concludes by addressing the subjective nature of writing and the importance of adapting ideas to one's own needs.
Transcripts
You’ve probably heard the term hard and soft magic floating around. And if you haven’t,
that’s fantastic as well, because let’s disregard that almost in its entirety, for now.
I believe when it comes to magic systems whether it be spell slinging wizards, shamans accessing
the pantheon, surgebinders inhaling copious amounts of stormlight I see you Kaladin,
flying high above the clouds. But there is one question that needs to be asked above all else.
What is the goal? What is this magic
system trying to do in this story? Why does it even exist in this world?
And when I say that, I’m not talking about it from a lore perspective. No I mean this purely
from a storytelling standpoint. What is the function?
Which is why my favourite system involves eating a metaphysical taco to gain
superpowers. Totally did not just make that up. Before we get to the taco though, the thought
might have occurred to you that that is a very open ended question, and if it did, you’re not
wrong, magic can serve a myriad of functions for storytelling. A staggering amount of use cases.
But why then are there supposedly only two classifications. Magic with clear,
defined rules, something of a science. The other mystical, loose and unrestricted.
And don’t get me wrong, writing is incredibly subjective, if hard and soft is how you
internalise developing magic systems, then by all means, I’m not here to disrupt your process. But I
think there is a way to wrap your head around it that can lead to much more interesting outcomes,
at least it does for me. It goes back to function … and
a certain metaphysical taco. I lied. I did make it up,
but lets say that’s actually how the magic in our world works … for some reason. Eat a taco,
superpowers. If we were to classify that as hard or soft. On the surface, it would look like a hard
system, because the rule is set that Mexican food gives you magic. And an extension of that is the
opposite, no taco, no magic. Okay now I’m hungry.
But if this magic system still feels loose and unrestricted despite it being classified as hard,
that is because it is. Taco gives you superpowers, but what superpowers? What
are you capable of doing? How powerful can you be? Does it stop when you’ve fully digested? Is it the
taco as a whole or a specific ingredient? When is a taco a taco then? Do different
fillings have different effects? I could literally go on for hours.
The point I’m trying to make is that it is a spectrum from hard to soft, not just one end
or the other. A spectrum determined by function which I will get to in a bit.
But our taco magic system would actually probably end up around here. Quite a ways into soft.
Something like the Lord of the Rings sits well into soft, because Gandalf can just
do stuff and it’s never really explained. Like screw you I’m magic, deal with it.
But the ring on its own is actually a pretty hard magic system. You put it
on and you go invisible, but now you have a creepy stalker ex named Sauron and you
start to lose your marbles. Clear, simple rules. However notice how things are never at the very
end of the spectrum and always somewhere along the line. Yeah Gandy’s magic is never truly explained,
but he can’t just magic away a balrog. So there are some rules somewhere, we the
audience just don’t know them. I’ve actually seen a decent amount of systems that try to do
both. They have separate aspects that focus on either side of the spectrum. It’s the Lord of
the Rings example I just gave. Its sympathetic magic and naming magic in The Name of the Wind,
it’s bending and spirituality from Avatar. The good one not blue people.
And it all comes back to function. When I’m writing a magic system,
there are two umbrella functions that I’m trying to achieve in the story.
1. Look really cool, cause you know it’s magic, it’s supposed to be dope stuff.
2. Solve problems in the story. Protagonist in trouble, they eat a taco, wiz bang, they’re good.
Oh my god I can’t get over that stupid taco why am I doing this.
These two are never mutually exclusive. Yeah it’s another arbitrary sliding scale,
but this completely changes the mindset. Hard and soft become results of the function.
When I say “look really cool,” I don’t mean just be flashy. I mean,
I imagine most of your are writing prose, nothing is really flashing at you. But
it’s magic that’s intended to create a sense of wonder. Intended to completely immerse the reader
in it’s setting. It just grabs them and smothers them in its depths with its sheer awesomeness.
Yeah it can be used to solve problems because, once again, it’s a spectrum,
but it mostly isn’t used that way. I usually separate magic from worldbuilding,
even though they’re very interconnected, it’s just how I internalise it. But here
is where they start to merge. Because it’s serving the purpose
of being absolutely fricking cool, it becomes less about what the character can do with it,
it integrates itself with the world as opposed to being more of a tool. Which means the reader
doesn’t need as much of an understanding as they would have otherwise. It’s also a lot easier to
bend this magic to the themes of the story. Align the system to character arcs. That sort of thing.
It’s Alice in Wonderland, pretty much every Studio Ghibli film. Game of Thrones. Where
the character is rarely ever slinging spells to get them out of a situation.
And this function usually leads to a soft system, but there can definitely be a system
with a lot of rules that is there mostly to add a sense of wonder to the world. It’s just going
to be an uphill battle because knowing and understanding everything demystifies it and
mystique is a huge part of sense of wonder. But another thing I want to touch on is
perspective. Every system is hard and soft magic all at once, it all depends on where
you’re looking at it from. There are always rules, whether the audience and the readers know about
them is a different story. Whether the writer knows the rules is a different one all together.
The magic works somehow, how deep the writer gets into the specifics determines how hard or soft it
is to them, and how much they reveal to the reader guides the function while determining how hard or
soft the reader perceives the system to be. I might have just made absolutely no sense.
Hi it’s me, I’m editing, there’s another layer this idiot forgot to add, which is the characters.
Arcane is a perfect example of when the characters perceive the magic as hard, yet
the audience perceives it as a softer one. Jayce, Viktor, and Jinx are sciencing it up, yet we don’t
know what a single rune does. Cool gauntles do the cool punch thing. Alright back to the idiot.
But Allomancy from Mistborn would be a lot softer of a system if you didn’t know how it worked. You
don’t see Vin swallow some steel or throw a coin on the ground and she just takes off into
the sky. You probably think, “Why she flying.” It’s the million questions we were asking about
our taco, whether filling makes a difference, or how powerful can you be? This freaking taco, man.
ALL HAIL THE TACO But the more the writer chooses
to know about the ins and outs of … magic Mexican food, the more they can choose to show the reader.
But it also means, the easier it becomes to make the function a problem-solving one.
The other side of the coin, is where it starts to get a bit complicated. Like cool-looking magic,
this is eliciting a reaction from the readers, but instead of awe, it’s tickling the part
of their brain that likes solving problems. The part that looks at a situation and goes,
“How can I use what I already know to get out of this.” Almost like a mystery.
This magic starts to carve itself from the world and enters the hand of the characters.
But I wanna focus on the phrase I just said which is “use what I already know.” There is
an inherent acquisition of knowledge that comes with this function. I’ve found it doesn’t have
to be a hard leaning magic system, it usually is, just like cool-looking is usually soft.
But we just need a little smidgen, a tiny sprinkling of internal logic and consistency,
a perspective of higher understand that is not zero and the rest can
go wherever the heck it wants too. Now you certainly can write a story
where the readers know absolutely nothing about the magic system yet it’s used to solve problems
the characters are facing. It’s just that it would be considered a Deus ex Machina.
The phrase loosely translates to “god from the machinery” how epic is that phrase. But it means
the gods would descend from the sky at the climax of pretty much every Ancient Greek play where
the characters couldn’t solve the problem and be like, “it’s aiit fam.” And everything was a-okay.
Now that was fantastic if you were going to see the latest Euripides play at your local theatre
420BC. But audiences have dramatically evolved from then. Just something to keep in mind,
but I will say there are always excellent exceptions, it all depends on the story.
The keyphrase here is ‘solving problems’ and there can be multiple solutions to a problem.
But without that sprinkling of internal logic and consistency, it removes the
problem rather than provides a solution. That difference is everything. And knowledge can
be just as important as the lack of knowledge. Let’s hop back to Lord of the Rings. Spoilers
but it’s been decades what are you doing. We don’t know everything Gandle can do,
but at this moment we do know he can’t magic away a balrog. Even before he faces it head on. Fear
shows on his face, he starts to hurry the group. At the very least, subconsciously, we gain the
knowledge that this might not be something that Gandaddy is capable of handling.
That’s where the problem solving begins. I can’t magic away a balrog, so we run,
we can’t run fast enough, so I stay behind. Once again I can’t magic away a balrog,
but I can magic enough to go down with it. At no point do we ever understand “Hey
he’s casting a 4th level intimidate balrog spell.” It’s not needed to solve the problem,
the only things we do need is Gandledore is a badass and he can’t magic away a balrog.
It’s the same thing with One Piece. The only tidbits of knowledge that we know is devil fruits
give you powers and takes away your ability to float, the sea rejecting you blah blah blah. But
apart from that, everything else is up for grabs. It is literally limited by your imagination,
the softest magic and if you have a counter argument, I present to you the soap soap fruit.
It doesn’t have to be the thickest of rule based magic for Luffy to demolish
his opponents and then throw a dance party on their graves. We know he’s a rubber man,
but the extents of that are never really defined. Eat the fruit, get the powers. Wait have the
tacos been an analogy for devil fruits this entire time? One piece is great by the way, check it out.
I do want to note though, that stakes is also a factor in all this. When it’s a
problem solving magic, it’s ideal that more knowledge is revealed the higher the stakes
of the problem being solved. If not, Deus ex Machina. Another one is cost, Gandoddle turning
off the bridge might not have been so easily acceptable if the balrog didn’t snatch him down
straight to the dephths of hell with it, even though the magic is sufficiently explained. In
fact when the magic not sufficiently explained, more cost, something abominable for magicking
away the problem is usually the way to go. Defining the magic by problem solving and
wonder-based allows it to work with the story yet still be as wild or as logical as possible.
And this is where I can’t go on without addressing the Sanderson shaped elephant
in the room. I’m not sure if he coined the terms hard and soft magic, but he definitely
popularised them with his 3 laws of magic. Which I will probably discuss about in a future video
even though I just paraphrased the first two, but you know, hit the buttons and all that.
The things I’m saying aren’t laws or rules to follow, please I’m not Sanderson, I don’t have
a cheeky WIRED article written about me. And even being him, he is not the end
all be all of magic and worldbuilding he’s said it himself numerous times. Roll clip.
These are not necessary laws that I think everyone needs to follow because rule number
one of this class and writing instruction is: try it out, if it works for you keep using it,
if it doesn’t work for you, throw it away. Most likely you will adapt it to your own needs.
And there it is right there. Writing is subjective. Feel free to try it. If it
works for you and/or your story, fantastic keep it, if it doesn’t straight to the trash. K bye.
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