Magic System Development the Ariele Way

Something you might not know about me is that, despite having written more science fiction novels than fantasy, I’ve always been a bigger fantasy reader at heart.

Map of Vantera, the kingdom in the Sablewood series by Ariele Sieling.

Fantasy worlds, with their epic quests and magical creatures, have always captured my imagination. But when it came to writing my own stories, I was hesitant, particularly when it came to developing a unique magic system.

I found the idea of designing magic rules for fantasy intimidating. There’s so much out there already—systems based on elements like fire, water, earth, and air; those that rely on spell work or wands; or even magic that’s rooted in ancient languages and incantations. And don’t get me started on the magical creatures! It all felt a bit overwhelming, so I stuck to sci-fi for a long time.

I didn’t make a serious attempt at a fantasy novel until I had already written over twenty books. In hindsight, this was probably a good move because it gave me time to hone my basic writing skills before jumping into the deep end of magic world-building.

But when I finally dove into fantasy, I realized a few things: first, developing a magic system wasn’t as hard as I thought. Second, it wasn’t nearly as rigid as I had assumed. And third, I didn’t have to follow anyone else’s rules.

I could do it all my own way.

Starting Small with Magic System Development

The first thing I learned is that the easiest way to approach magic system development for me—especially because I’m a pantser and typically write by the seat of my pants—was to start with just one feature of the system.

Monstrous creature in a magical fantasy world.

Maybe a type of spell, a magical ability, or even a unique magical creature—but the key for me was to start small. Then, that single feature would become the seed the rest of the magic grew from.

I let it interact with my characters and the world naturally, observing how it influenced everything around it. True to pantser form.

As I wrote, I took notes, piecing together the rules and laws of the magic system as I went. I didn’t worry about getting it perfect from the start because, honestly, nothing kills creativity faster than overplanning.

I kept it loose, and whenever things seemed to go too far, I’d simply give the magic some limitations. And if it felt too limiting? I’d think of it like chemistry and add a “catalyst” to break my own rules.

And it didn’t take long for the shape of the magic system to develop in front of me.

Drawing Inspiration from Other Fantasy Works

Reading tons of fantasy also gave me a solid head start.

I was familiar with common magic system types: the elemental magic systems, spellcasting through wands, and more, because I’d spent my childhood, teenage, and adult years devouring fantasy literature.

I’ve read everything from classics like Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Terry Pratchett, and Madeline l’Engle, to works more contemporary to my youth like Neil Gaiman, Cordelia Funke, Tamora Pierce, Gail Carson Levine, Diana Wynne Jones, and yes the now-disgraced JK Rowling—just to name a few. I’ve continued to read as well, trying to broaden my scope to include historical literature, such as Geoffrey of Monmouth (fantasy or history?), modern authors like N.K Jemison, Marissa Meyer, and Sarah J Maass. And I’ve read myriad indie authors who have written everything from fairytale retellings to high fantasy to fantasy romance to cozy fantasy to completely new and unique fantasy that’s completely different than anything I’d read before.

A fantasy scene with a woman gazing up at a looming castle deep in a dark forest.

Having this background knowledge made it easier for me to recognize when I was treading familiar ground and when I was exploring something new. I was constantly on the lookout for new angles and ways to develop magic that I hadn’t seen before—at least, not in the books I’d read.

At the same time, I was familiar with the patterns and the tropes within the genre, so I could attempt to both give my reader something new and interesting, while also blending in some of the tried and true storytelling elements that everyone loves so much.

Lessons Learned from Magic System Development

One thing that stood out to me during this process was how much character interactions with magic reveal about both the magic system and the world. How my characters reacted to, used, or felt about the magic told me a lot about its place in my story.

Another that starting small made it easier for me, yes, But it also had the added benefit of making my story stronger. Keeping the magic system simple at first and then expanding it naturally through the characters’ experiences created inherent conflict and tension that strengthened the narrative, offering layers and complexity I hadn’t even considered when I first started drafting the tale.

Overall, I have found writing fantasy and developing these magical systems incredibly rewarding.

I’ve never enjoyed writing a series as much as I have with my fantasy works like Aria's Song (future fantasy), Sablewood (high fantasy), and Ariele's Fairy Tales (a collection of original fairy tales). These stories have allowed me to explore magic in ways I never thought possible, and I can’t wait to continue delving into this genre.

My newest book, Wilt & Wane, is going to be released in hardcover shortly, and I’m deep into the edits for book 2, so stay tuned! There is more on the way and I’m loving every second of it.

Unified, All Of Me: A Poem

This poem is about The Zone, the state of being totally and utterly focused on your work. The whole world fades away and it’s just you and your writing (or art or music or whatever). They say the endorphin rush you get from a runner’s high is the same endorphin rush as being in the zone.

I love the zone. I don’t always get it. It requires the ability to concentrate for long enough to get in the zone, and there are plenty of things that can draw me out of that state—dogs, for example. Cats. Weather. Pain. The Spouse. Etc.

But, it’s great, regardless.

I wrote this poem when I wanted to get in the zone and couldn’t. It was a memory of what it was like being in the zone, with the hope that focusing on achieving that sensation would allow me to get to it again.

Unified, All of Me

It’s like being whole
for the first time again.
The perfect balance of
calm and tension.
The ache and relief
The pain and the peace
Like my true self has awakened
for the first time again.

Bird on the wing
Wind rushing free
A broken dance

It’s like being whole
for the firs time again.

Unified, all of me.

Writing Tips (Sometimes): When Your Characters Hijack The Plot

Imagine this. You’re writing a story. Putting down the words. Feeling good about the plot.

Then, suddenly, your main character talks back! 

“No!” they say. “I don’t want to do that. I want to do this!”

Has this ever happened to you?

I’ll be honest with you: my brain doesn’t really work like this. I’ve never had my characters talk back.

But I’m very familiar with the story going in a different direction than I thought it would.

This is essentially what intuitive drafting is—whether it happens during your outline phase or during your drafting phase, some deeper part of your brain knows how the story should take shape and wants you to follow its lead.

This process can be really fun—but it can also be really stressful.

So how do you manage it? How do you tell the story you want to tell when the characters keep hijacking the plot?

First of all, embrace it!

Allow yourself the freedom and flexibility to follow where the characters or story want to lead. It’s kind of like reading your book as its being written. It can be rewarding and exciting, even when it deviates from your original plan. In addition, sometimes these unexpected turns can enrich your story, and make the story more authentically you. 

Secondly, if you’re an outliner, try using a flexible outline model.

This can look a few different ways. For example, perhaps your outline only contains the most key, high level plot points. Everything else, you pants. Alternatively, you can write a detailed outline, but adjust the plot points on the outline when they change during the drafting process. Or, writing your outline at the same time as drafting and see what emerges from that process.

This might be considered “plantsing” to some people, a combination of planning and pantsing. Regardless, a flexible outline will keep you moving in the right direction, but allow you the ability to embrace the characters as they learn who they are alongside you.

Thirdly, have a chat with your characters.

This can take many forms. Perhaps you sit down and write a journal entry from their perspective that explores why they’re doing what they’re doing. Not only could this reveal some interesting plot points or character development, it can also make great marketing fodder once you’ve published the book.

You could also have the conversation out loud with the character. Pretend they’re sitting in front of you and nag them to explain why they’re doing what they’re doing. This works great for writers who solve problems verbally.

Alternatively, role play might work. Ask a friend to be you, and give them a list of things you want to know about the character. Then, respond to them in real time as they have a conversation with you. Let the character take over your brain. If you’re comfortable doing so, you could record it! Either for future reference, or as social media content.

There’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to wrangle your characters back into place. But you can also try to work with them instead. Whatever you need to do to keep moving forward is the right choice for you. But being willing to experiment with different methods is crucial to figuring out your process and getting that story onto the page.

Time: A Poem

I’ve been obsessed with time for a long … time (see what I did there?) and I’ve spent a lot of … time … trying to visualize what “time” would look like if it were a 3D object.

Most of my thoughts come down to… a sphere. In space.

Because I could, I asked MidJourney to make me a sphere in space, and…

This was the closest I could get. It’s a cool image, but not exactly what I see in my mind.

I also asked ChatGPT/Dalle3 to imagine what time would look like as a 3D object, and I have to admit, this is pretty cool:

Anyway, here is what I wrote a couple years ago—time envisioned in poetry.

Time

She is young, wrinkles, joints
patience
She is old, tight curls and excitement
At once a child and a mother and a grandmother
At once renewed and running out
At once beautiful
worn grace hope fatigue
scarred growth weakness
strength fear fierce
She is all of her at once

Writing Tips (Sometimes): What If I Do It Wrong?

You’ve probably heard a few horror stories in the last few years of writers getting called out for various choices they made in their stories. Words like “sexist” and “racist” and “problematic” get thrown around like rice at a wedding. Authors get canceled. Doxed. They quit writing.

In nearly every instance I’ve seen, the responses are severely overblown. Writers are human and they f up. There are very few instances in which doxing, canceling, or public humiliation is necessary. Most writers don’t mean to, and if they did, well, they probably don’t give a shit what you think of them. And their families certainly don't deserve the impact of mob justice.

Recently, I received my first review in which someone disagreed with me ideologically.

It was three stars and it read:

“Well written, but DROP THE WOKE PRONOUN GARBAGE!🤮🤮🤮🤮 That is what kept it from getting a five star.”
(You can find this review on Google Play.)

My reaction? To laugh.

I’m going to keep up my woke pronoun garbage because I think it’s important. It normalizes treating people with respect.

Now, a review like this is of course far from being doxed or publicly humiliated. And while I’ve made the choice to keep writing and publishing despite this potential risk, it doesn’t mean I don’t occasionally become afraid that something terrible could happen, if someone took enough offense to my work that they roused a mob to punish me for the things I wrote.

It’s a real fear. And I don’t think it’s completely unreasonable.

It’s also a common fear. I’ve been to a lot of workshops on writing diverse characters, and this fear inevitably gets brought up. 

“What if I do it wrong?”

Most facilitators carefully sidestep this question. But I have some thoughts.

Thought #1:

You might do it wrong.

But I think part of a writer is being brave. It means recognizing that we are making our art and our ideas out available for other people to read and consume. And sometimes we have to push forward, even when it scares us. So be brave.

Thought #2:

If you’re afraid of something you’re writing, then why are you writing it? This is a super important question. If you’re white and want to write Black characters, why? If you’re able-bodied and want to include disabled characters, why? If you’re cisgender and want to write transgender characters, why?

Then assess your reasons.

A few things to be wary of:

• Saviorism. Feeling like you are responsible for “saving” or “rescuing” people who have less privilege than you is dangerous and problematic.

• Obligation. If you are doing it because you feel like you have to, this is inauthentic and you risk writing characters and situations that do more harm than good.

• Moral superiority. If you are doing it because it makes you feel like a better person… you’re probably not the better person you think you are.

A few good reasons:

• Because you want to. Maybe you think a particular identity or ideology is interesting and you want to learn about it. Cool. Do your research. Explore the concept. Learn.

• Because it’s accurate. People are diverse! Ideas are complex! Black & white isn’t real! If you want your world and your characters to reflect that, awesome. Do your research. Write inclusively.

• Because you give a shit about making a difference. Great. Do your research. Make a difference—but make sure you’re making the difference you want to make!

Thought #3:

Build a process. If you think that your reasons for exploring difficult and diverse perspectives and concepts are authentic and good, then the next step is to build a process. Research. Learn. Explore. Revise. Be willing to take feedback. Be willing to change your mind about things.

Build a process to help you ensure you've taken the necessary steps to the best job you can. And, if it still ends up wrong, be willing to apologize honestly and with true remorse.

I remember (this is embarrassing to admit, btw; please forgive me for my past idiocy) a few years ago, I was working really hard to expand the representation of my characters. And I wanted to start including non-binary and trans characters in my work. I didn’t really know how, so I created a character who was referred to as he/him but had a female name. Unfortunately, this character was a sort of villain. When someone pointed this out to me, I changed it immediately. Their point was that I had unintentionally framed trans people as “bad” through this representation. Which was exactly the opposite of what I wanted.

So I fixed it. That character became cisgender and I found other ways to include positive representations of nonbinary and trans characters in my work.

Luckily, I hadn’t published yet, so fixing it was easy, and I didn’t perpetuate the harm I could have.

If you mess up, fix it! And listen when others tell you their thoughts. You don’t have to agree, but hearing them will help you expand your understanding of the world.

Which leads me to my last thought (well, technically, I have a million more thoughts, but I think this email is long enough lol).

Thought #4:

Don’t be a silo.

One of the biggest traps, in my opinion, is never bothering to seek opinions or learn about the experiences of others.

Read widely. Meet new people, IRL and virtually. Think about stuff. Take online classes. Learn. However learning works for you. And not just stuff you’re already interested in, but try to find ways to expand your knowledge of the world and others.

The more we understand about the way other people live and experience the world, the more we know about the wide range of thoughts and beliefs held by others, the better our characters, situations, concepts, and representations can be.

Don’t be afraid. You got this.