Designing magic systems is an essential part of fantasy stories, and I wrote a detailed description of how to go about this, starting with genre and thematic questions, moving to hard versus soft magic, and then into the magic itself: where does it come from and how do you control it? Since this is published the same week as the third book in my Imperial Saga, Heart of the Guardian, Vivian asked me to talk about my magic system, which I was happy to do. So if you’re looking for some behind-the-scenes looks at Tamarud’s magic or some sneak previews of what magic is like on the other continents, you’ll find it scattered among this post! I offer some advice on things you can try, why you might use that system, and also some things to avoid. If you’re writing fantasy, be deliberate about your magic systems!
