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How to write an enchantress?



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Mon Aug 11, 2014 2:54 pm
TheAvengingArcher says...



Hello, everyone!
My story revolves around Syn. She is the duty-bound Guardian of a mysterious orb with the power to turn the tide on the forces that are invading the Kingdom. Problem is, she can only allow the worthy to take the Orb. She is an enchantress, but I'm really struggling how not to outright tell the readers "she can use magic!"
Help, please?
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Mon Aug 11, 2014 3:06 pm
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Caesar says...



you have to define what magic is in your novel. Once you've done that, you could place her in a situation where she has to use it. It all falls down to showing as opposed to telling.
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Tue Aug 12, 2014 3:39 am
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Rosendorn says...



Just to add onto Judas' advice of show, don't tell

You do not, by any stretch of the imagination, have to explain how magic works at any given point. Trust me on this. Taking long time to explain magic in the world will hurt more than help. It's much better to leave readers slightly confused about how magic works then spend too much time explaining every single aspect. Especially if you don't explain anything that's not plot relevant. You'd be surprised what isn't plot relevant. Like, if you do not need the mechanics of a magic spell to understand what's going on around you, you do not need to include the mechanics at all.

You also don't have to shove magic in our face as the very first thing. One novel I'm reading now doesn't even hint at magic until about fifty pages into the story, because the political aspect of the story is more important. When you're writing fantasy, the "fantastic" part doesn't have to be magic. It can be a unique world, the politics, odd creatures, odd tales.

If magic isn't the most important part of the plot immediately, then wait for it to come up later. I introduce magic quickly in my fantasy world because 97% of the population has it therefore it is very much built into day to day life. But if magic is less important, it's less important, and you introduce it later.
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