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Question: Would you be interested in a wizard novel that!.!.!.!?
actually explained how the magic worked in detail!? It's always bothered me that "magic" is such an easy answer that never has to be explained!. Even the things that are just natural parts of wizard stories aren't really explained in the least!. For example, the need to say magic words or whatever for a spell to work, or the weird hand motions, or what exactly a wand/staff does!.
Anyway, back to my original inquiry!. I have a very well thought out, physics based explanation for what I mentioned and much more!. The problem is, were I to include them in the novel I am writing, the explanations would take up several pages!. So, am I appealing to an audience with this idea or would the pages be a bore!? I just need to know if this bothers other people!. A final question; If you enjoyed the novel and a friend asked you to list some good points, and I provided an explanation that pleased you, would you tell that friend about it!?
By the way I realize that it is really the story and characters that make the novel good!. I also realize that this question could be very poorly worded, so please forgive me!. I appear to be suffering from insomnia as I am now in my 38th hour without sleep!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I definitely like a well-defined magic system!. I think it would take a lot of work for you to find a balance between explaining how the magic works and having most people both understand and be interested in it, but if you can manage it, it will be awesome!. Maybe you could explain it gradually as you go, rather than all at once!?
Yes, characters and plot are integral to a novel, but world-building can be just as important (I'm counting creating a magic system as world-building)!. It gives depth to the story and makes the reader believe there is a whole world out there, not just a little place created just for this story!. ^^
You should look into Brandon Sanderson's work!. He defines his magic a great deal more than most fantasy writers, and he does an amazing job!.
http://www!.brandonsanderson!.com/Www@QuestionHome@Com
Yes I think I would be interested!. It kind of annoys me how they just do magic without much explaining!.!.
maybe if you narrow it down a little to like 5 pages instead of 7 for the explaining part!.!.!.
wow 38 hours without sleep!? gee!.!.!. i could never really do that
soo!.!.!. i would be interested in a story like that with good characters, plot and descriptive magicWww@QuestionHome@Com
Not unless the explanations were simple, several pages does not sound simple!. That's the beauty of magic, most readers will accept it for what it is without question!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
No!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
My personal opinion is that it doesn't really matter much to me whether the magic is explained or not, and it won't really affect my interest in the book!.
Why don't you add it at the back!? After the ending, add a chapter with the title of, 'The Theory of Magic' or 'The Dummies' Guide To Magic!.' Then put in your explanation, that way it won't ruin the flow of the story and people who think its boring can just skip it!. Unless of course its important to the story, then you can have a character explain bits of pieces of the magic thing throughout the novel, if its important to the storyline!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
They'd be a bore!.
Nothing is as boring as someone explaining for pages how a mythical magic system works!. Anything over a page will just get skipped or worse yet the book gets set down!.
One of the skills that sets a sci-fi writer above the crowd is his ability to integrate his explanations of the science into the plot, so it doesn't seem like homework!. I mention sci-fi rather than fantasy as this genre almost requires that the science behind the "magic" is explained!. Plenty of books will have a point where a character stops and explains at length the inventions that shape the world of the storyline!. A good author will make these explanations a seamless part of the book, intrinsic to the plot!.
As to why fantasy usually skips this part, well it is just magic so whatever pseudo-scholarly gloss gets put on it, it isn't going to be as interesting as something that is true or at least half true!. Nobody is going to lose out on the story line if they can't follow the logic!. In the end most of it is just double talk!. also fantasy tends to lend itself to copycats, who don't see the genre as a font of unlimited possibilities, but merely as one more background, a generic backdrop to insert in a story line to sell books, this week British school boy wizards are selling, next week vampire stories, and then westerns!.
However, I can think of a number of novels where understanding the "logic" of the magic system was necessary to enjoying the book!. The Larry Niven series "The Magic Goes Away" does a fine job of explaining the "science" behind its magic!. A world where magic is drained from the surrounding area!. In fact, I'd say the magic system is the focus for the series and provides many fo the plot twists!. Ursala Le Guin's Earthsea trilogy also goes into good detail about the foundations of her system, which is based upon knowing the true name of an item to control it!. It's a necessary part of the story!.
So integrate and keep the explanations short!.
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