115. How to bring magical elements into your contemporary story (Q&A)

“It's very common in the urban fantasy genre for there to be a group of magical beings of various kinds.”

In the latest How To Write the Future episode, host Beth Barany answers a question from a listener on “How to bring magical elements into your contemporary story (Q&A)” and shares what elements to consider. Beth also shares about her gift, the “World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers,” to help you develop compelling story worlds.


ABOUT THE HOW TO WRITE THE FUTURE PODCAST

The How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who want to write positive futures and successfully bring those stories out into the marketplace. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cover tips for fiction writers and get curious about the future of humanity.


ABOUT BETH BARANY

Beth Barany, an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist, teaches novelists how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, teacher, consultant, and developmental editor.

RESOURCES

GET HELP WITH YOUR WORLD BUILDING - START HERE

Free World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/world-building-resources/

Sign up for the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/story-success-clinic/

Get support for your fiction writing by a novelist and writing teacher and coach. Schedule an exploratory call here and see if Beth can support you today: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/discovery-call/

• SHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth Barany
• SHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDade

c. 2024 BETH BARANY

https://bethbarany.com/

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CONNECT
Contact Beth: https://writersfunzone.com/blog/podcast/#tve-jump-185b4422580
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Transcript

115. How to bring magical elements into your contemporary story (Q&A)

Welcome to How To Write The Future podcast. I'm your host, Beth. Barany, I'm a science fiction and fantasy writer and also a writing teacher and creativity coach. I run this podcast to help you fantasy and science fiction writers, and also anyone who cares about the future. My goal is to help you envision positive, optimistic futures so that we can create better tomorrow's for all of us. 

[00:25] This week's question: how to bring fantasy into the contemporary world

Along those lines, I am taking questions and delivering answers in this series. 

So here is another question I got from a reader. They asked me: how do they bring fantasy into the contemporary world? 

What a great question. and this question was sparked because I asked people. after they receive my World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers. 

So if you would like to receive your own copy of that workbook, stay tuned to the end, and I'll tell you how to get your own copy. All right. So how do you bring fantasy into the contemporary world with your story?

[00:59] Consider This: The Fantasy World is Hidden

Now there's a lot of ways to do that. And there are several considerations that you need to have.

The biggest consideration that I would recommend you think about is whether or not the fantasy elements are known to everybody or just a select few. It's very common in the urban fantasy genre for there to be a group of magical beings of various kinds. And what they do is hidden away from everybody else. 

Think Harry Potter, right? You've got the muggle world, the ordinary normal world. And then you've got Harry Potter and the wizards and the wizard school and all the wizarding that you could ever want. And those two worlds rarely collide. And when they do collide, obviously, got a lot of humor, a lot of conflict, but the job of the wizard takes place far away from normal people, from the muggles. And a lot of urban fantasy does this. 

In fact, I was just reading a fabulous series by Sean Cunningham. 

So the name of the series is Hawthorne House. 

It's a five book series with a few short stories and novellas. And in that world, you have your magical beings who are separate from the humans and the two sides hardly cross. A little bit, but not much. 

[02:10] Consider this: Everyone Knows

So you need to decide-- Is it going to be like that urban fantasy? Or is it going to be more like the superhero world, like at Marvel and DC comics with the Green Arrow and Flash and Supergirl and Superman, where everybody knows about these super human people. And, and the conflicts between them take place out in the open. So you've got the superhero type stories where the fantastical elements are known to everyone, or you have the urban fantasy trope main setup where the magical world is separate from the human world, even though they cohabitate in, in, in the same region. 

Although those with magic often can go off to other realms.

All right. So that's the first big consideration that you need to make.

[02:55] Rules of Magic

The second is you want to get clear on your rules of magic. Now, there are so many different ways to look at the rules of magic and any active player of role playing games could probably easily give you some criteria. I actually didn't grow up playing role-playing games very much. So I learned. I learned through reading books, and then working on my own magical systems. 

But there's several key factors that you want to consider in your rules of magic. And if I leave anything out, chime in on the comments and let me know. 

[03:27] How do people acquire magic?

So I would say, how do people acquire magic? Is magic given to you just because of being born? Is magic earned? Is magic learned?

So earned through life experience, maybe money. And learned through school. 

So there's those options. Is it just given like Supergirl? She comes to earth. I just finished watching the series. I adored it. The TV series. 

As soon as she comes into Earth's atmosphere and. Actually as soon as she comes into the solar system and is affected by our yellow sun, she has super powers that she didn't have before and it's all there. She didn't earn it and she didn't learn it, although she has to learn how to master her skills. And how to adapt. Whereas, in, I'm thinking of the Jim Butcher series, he had magic because he was born magic, but he had to learn how to master and strengthen his magic. And he has to learn spells to be able to perform magic. 

[04:23] Cost of Magic

The other thing you want to think about is what is the cost to use magic. Supergirl can use her powers all day long and nothing can stop her, except y'all know, kryptonite.whereas, in some magical systems, you see it all over the place, people use their magic and then they might fall asleep or they might. They could die if they use too much magic. 

So what is the cost of using magic?

[04:47] Purpose of Magic

And also you need to understand is the magic, for a purpose. Are you only supposed to use your magic to fight evil? Or, or hunt? Or sweep the kitchen floor?

What are the actual, what is approved? What are the approved, approved uses of magic. 

[05:05] Is magic desired?

And then I guess another factor: is magic desired or not? When magic arrives in their life, through, through birth or through learning, is it something they want?

Harry Potter: he seemed to really delight in having magic.

I have a character who does not delight in having magic and has to learn how to trust her magic. 

So are people at ease with magic? Is it a world where everyone is okay with it? Is it a world where magic is only for high status people? Or for people who live in a certain area. 

[05:41] Develop Your Rules of Magic

So you can develop all of those rules of magic. Cost to use magic; cost to acquire magic; how magic is acquired; and how people feel about magic. And the purpose of magic. 

Just to reiterate, the very first part you need to decide is: are the fantastical elements in your story known to everybody or only those who are also with those same powers? 

All right. So I hope that was helpful in how you bring fantasy into the contemporary world. You really need to decide, uh, the relationship between, what you might call the mundane world and what you might call the fantasy, fantastical elements. 

[06:18] Get your own world building workbook for fiction writers

That's it. If you would like to get your hands on a World Building Workbook, then check out my World Building Workbook for Fiction Writers, the link to acquire it for yourself, this free workbook is in the description, or just go to how to write the future.com. All right. That's it for this week. Signing off. Write long and prosper.