Leyes de la magia de Sanderson

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Brandon has so far written three articles pertaining to the usage of magic in writing.

Sanderson's First Law

An author's ability to solve conflict with magic is directly proportional to how well the reader understands said magic.

In other words, solutions to story problems should not be the direct result of deus ex machina inventions of the author. Ideally, magic that frees characters from trouble should be established and explained earlier. "Mysterious" magic, should not solve major problems, although it may create them, and be present throughout the story.

• Soft Magic
  • Magic is included in the stories in order to create wonder. The problems presented in the story are CAUSED by magic, but are not often solved by the same magic. Such a use of magic would undermine the plot.
  • Magic doesn't have any set rules and the reader (and even the characters) rarely know the capabilities of the magic.
    • Brandon gives J.R.R. Tolkien and George R.R. Martin as successful writers who use soft magic.
• Hard Magic
  • Magic is a tool that writers can use to enhance plots and characters. The characters solve the problems with magic, based on their own experiences.
  • Magic has specific rules by which the users of the magic are bound.
    • Brandon places Isaac Asimov's three laws on this side of the spectrum, as well as the majority of comic-book superheroes.
• Brandon places J.K. Rowling right in the middle of Soft and Hard magic, noting that her magic has specific rules that are followed, but that the reader is never sure of the full capabilities.

Sanderson's Second Law

Limitations > Power

Here, Brandon Sanderson states that the interest in readers generated by magic systems often comes more from what magic cannot do than from what it can.

• Brandon opens this essay by using Superman as an example.
  • What makes Superman's stories compelling is not his powers, but his weakness, kryptonite, and his code of ethics.
• He further states that most magic systems are not going to be original, but the limitations of the specific magic system is what makes the magic system new and exciting.
• Limitations will do several things.
  • Struggle
    • Force the characters to work harder.
  • Tension
    • Increase tension
      • For example, Superman fighting someone is not very tense. However, Superman fighting an enemy with kryptonite is much more so.
  • Depth
    • Limitations make characters deeper.
• Limitations can be split into different categories.
  • Limitation - what the magic cannot do.
  • Weakness - what the power is vulnerable to.
  • Cost - the inherent cost of using magic.
  • Other
    • Ways to obtain magic.
    • How the magic is powered.

Brandon closes by stating that this principle doesn't apply just to developing magic systems, but is also a great story-telling concept.

Sanderson's Third Law

Expand on what you have already, before you add something new.

This rule is designed to keep systems of magic from sprawling out of control, while ensuring that magic systems are as deeply developed as possible.

"A brilliant magic system for a book is less often one with a thousand different powers and abilities-and is more often a magic system with relatively few powers that the author has considered in depth."

• Extrapolate
  • Think about how the changes you've made to the world will impact the world as a whole.
    • What happens when a wizard converts to Christianity?
    • What happens to warfare when a magic can create food out of thin air, enabling much more mobile armies?
    • What happens to gender dynamics if magic causes all of the men who use it to go insane?
• Interconnect
  • Tie powers, cultures and themes together.
    • How can I connect powers so that they work together?
• Streamline
  • Look at cultures, magics and characters and ask, "Where can I combine these?"
  • It's better to create one magic system with multiple uses or interpretations rather than 10 specific magic systems.

Notes

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