ChezzyEm: Added references paragraph heading
The idea of hard magic and soft magic was created by [[Brandon Sanderson]] for world building and creating magic systems in fictional writing.<ref name=":0"> Brandon Sanderson|date=2007-02-20|access-date=2018-11-29|language=en-US}}</ref> The terminology of hard and soft originate from [[Hard and soft science|hard and soft sciences]], [[hard science fiction]], [[hard fantasy]] and [[soft science fiction]] and both terms are approximate ways of characterising two ends of a spectrum. Hard magic systems follow specific rules, the magic is controlled and explained to the reader and can be used for building interesting worlds that revolve around the magic system. Soft magic systems do not have clearly defined rules or limitations and are used to create a sense of wonder to the reader.
Brandon Sanderson created Sanderson’s Three Laws of Magic which are more so guidelines, in lieu of actual laws, that can be used to create interesting magic systems and world building for fantasy writing.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1"> Brandon Sanderson|date=2012-01-16|access-date=2018-11-29|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2"> Brandon Sanderson|date=2013-09-25|access-date=2018-11-29|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Soft Magic ==
A soft magic system is vague and undefined with a mysterious list of rules and limitations that is never explained.<ref name=":3">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> It creates a sense of awe and deepens the fantastical setting<ref name=":4"></ref>. The focus of these types of stories is not usually on the magic itself and the main character usually isn't a magic user.<ref name=":0" /> The main conflict is not solved by magic, instead it's solved by valuable lessons the main character learns throughout the course of the story. Often when magic is used to solve a problem, it will actually make the problem worse. In these types of stories, the reader is never certain of the dangers and wonders that the characters will encounter and the characters themselves never truly know what can and can't happen.<ref name=":5">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
Stories with soft magic systems include:
* Lord of the Rings
* Chronicles of Narnia
* Song of Ice and Fire
== Hard Magic ==
A hard magic system has specific rules surrounding its use and can be used for creating very interesting world building by effecting the culture, government or society at large within the fictional world. Clear costs and limitations are outlined for when magic is used and throughout the story, the reader eventually understands what they are and how they work.<ref name=":5" /> This allows the magic to feel much more realistic; in some stories the magic may even be considered a type of science within the world and on some occasions may not even be called magic, such as bending in [[Avatar: The Last Airbender]] and alchemy in [[Fullmetal Alchemist|Full Metal Alchemist]]. This allows the characters to use magic to solve problems while avoiding the cliche of magic mysteriously making everything better. Instead it is the characters' experience, intelligence and ingenuity that solves conflicts by learning how to use the magic in unique ways which still abide by the magic's rules. Hard magic needs predictability and consistency, when magic goes wrong it's from the characters' lack of knowledge, misuse, or mistake when using magic, not because the magic is inherently unpredictable.<ref name=":3" /> Hard magic is a useful writing tool and careful application can enhance the character, world building and story plot.<ref name=":4" />
Hard magic does not have to follow the laws of science and there does not have to be an explanation as to why people are able to use magic in the first place. Hard magic is categorised by the reader's understanding of what the magic can do.<ref name=":0" />
Stories with hard magic systems include:
* [[Superhero]] stories (how the super powers work and their limitations are always explained even if the reason why is unexplained or impossible<ref name=":0" />)
* [[Doctor Who|Doctor who]]
* [[Fullmetal Alchemist|Full Metal Alchemist]]
* [[Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood|Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood]]
* [[Robot series (Asimov)]]
== Hybrid Magic Systems ==
Most magic systems in popular fantasy books fall somewhere between the spectrum of hard and soft magic.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" />
Stories with hybrid magic systems include:
* [[Harry Potter]] (falls about halfway) — students learn rules around magic however there are many unexplained spells, abilities and aspects in the rest of the magical world that is left unexplained. Spells rarely draw from the strength of the caster so it focuses more on limitations rather than costs of using magic.
* [[avatar: The Last Airbender|Avatar: The Last Airbender]] (falls about halfway) — the bending is a type of magic and there are very little costs to the use of it other than exhaustion due to the physical exercise of the martial arts aspect.
* [[The Wheel of Time]] series — mostly technical magic and is it fairly clear to the reader what the magic is able to do however there are many loose ends that imply something unknown or new around the corner.
== Sanderson's Laws of Magic ==
Brandon Sanderson is an American fantasy author who has written three articles that are relevant to the use of magic in writing. Sanderson’s Three Laws of Magic are NOT laws to follow when creating magic or a magic system for a story, they are guidelines that can be used to help create interesting world building and magic systems for fantasy stories. These three guidelines used when writing a hard or soft magic system.
=== Sanderson's First Law ===
* ''An author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is DIRECTLY'' ''PROPORTIONAL to how well the reader understands said magic.''<ref name=":0" />
=== Sanderson's Second Law ===
* ''Weaknesses are more interesting than powers''
* ''Limitations, Power, Weaknesses and Costs''<ref name=":1" />
=== Sanderson’s Thirds Law ===
* ''Expand on what you have already, before you add something new.'' ''If you change one thing, you change the world.''<ref name=":2" />
== See also ==
* [[Brandon Sanderson]]
* [[Hard fantasy]]
* [[Hard and soft science]]
* [[Hard science fiction]]
* [[Soft science fiction]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMJQb5bGu_g On writing: hard magic systems in fantasy]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVrnfniQiS8 On writing: soft magic systems in fantasy]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fUKBrkDsOw On writing: magic systems and storytelling]
== References ==
Brandon Sanderson created Sanderson’s Three Laws of Magic which are more so guidelines, in lieu of actual laws, that can be used to create interesting magic systems and world building for fantasy writing.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1"> Brandon Sanderson|date=2012-01-16|access-date=2018-11-29|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2"> Brandon Sanderson|date=2013-09-25|access-date=2018-11-29|language=en-US}}</ref>
== Soft Magic ==
A soft magic system is vague and undefined with a mysterious list of rules and limitations that is never explained.<ref name=":3">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> It creates a sense of awe and deepens the fantastical setting<ref name=":4"></ref>. The focus of these types of stories is not usually on the magic itself and the main character usually isn't a magic user.<ref name=":0" /> The main conflict is not solved by magic, instead it's solved by valuable lessons the main character learns throughout the course of the story. Often when magic is used to solve a problem, it will actually make the problem worse. In these types of stories, the reader is never certain of the dangers and wonders that the characters will encounter and the characters themselves never truly know what can and can't happen.<ref name=":5">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
Stories with soft magic systems include:
* Lord of the Rings
* Chronicles of Narnia
* Song of Ice and Fire
== Hard Magic ==
A hard magic system has specific rules surrounding its use and can be used for creating very interesting world building by effecting the culture, government or society at large within the fictional world. Clear costs and limitations are outlined for when magic is used and throughout the story, the reader eventually understands what they are and how they work.<ref name=":5" /> This allows the magic to feel much more realistic; in some stories the magic may even be considered a type of science within the world and on some occasions may not even be called magic, such as bending in [[Avatar: The Last Airbender]] and alchemy in [[Fullmetal Alchemist|Full Metal Alchemist]]. This allows the characters to use magic to solve problems while avoiding the cliche of magic mysteriously making everything better. Instead it is the characters' experience, intelligence and ingenuity that solves conflicts by learning how to use the magic in unique ways which still abide by the magic's rules. Hard magic needs predictability and consistency, when magic goes wrong it's from the characters' lack of knowledge, misuse, or mistake when using magic, not because the magic is inherently unpredictable.<ref name=":3" /> Hard magic is a useful writing tool and careful application can enhance the character, world building and story plot.<ref name=":4" />
Hard magic does not have to follow the laws of science and there does not have to be an explanation as to why people are able to use magic in the first place. Hard magic is categorised by the reader's understanding of what the magic can do.<ref name=":0" />
Stories with hard magic systems include:
* [[Superhero]] stories (how the super powers work and their limitations are always explained even if the reason why is unexplained or impossible<ref name=":0" />)
* [[Doctor Who|Doctor who]]
* [[Fullmetal Alchemist|Full Metal Alchemist]]
* [[Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood|Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood]]
* [[Robot series (Asimov)]]
== Hybrid Magic Systems ==
Most magic systems in popular fantasy books fall somewhere between the spectrum of hard and soft magic.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" />
Stories with hybrid magic systems include:
* [[Harry Potter]] (falls about halfway) — students learn rules around magic however there are many unexplained spells, abilities and aspects in the rest of the magical world that is left unexplained. Spells rarely draw from the strength of the caster so it focuses more on limitations rather than costs of using magic.
* [[avatar: The Last Airbender|Avatar: The Last Airbender]] (falls about halfway) — the bending is a type of magic and there are very little costs to the use of it other than exhaustion due to the physical exercise of the martial arts aspect.
* [[The Wheel of Time]] series — mostly technical magic and is it fairly clear to the reader what the magic is able to do however there are many loose ends that imply something unknown or new around the corner.
== Sanderson's Laws of Magic ==
Brandon Sanderson is an American fantasy author who has written three articles that are relevant to the use of magic in writing. Sanderson’s Three Laws of Magic are NOT laws to follow when creating magic or a magic system for a story, they are guidelines that can be used to help create interesting world building and magic systems for fantasy stories. These three guidelines used when writing a hard or soft magic system.
=== Sanderson's First Law ===
* ''An author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is DIRECTLY'' ''PROPORTIONAL to how well the reader understands said magic.''<ref name=":0" />
=== Sanderson's Second Law ===
* ''Weaknesses are more interesting than powers''
* ''Limitations, Power, Weaknesses and Costs''<ref name=":1" />
=== Sanderson’s Thirds Law ===
* ''Expand on what you have already, before you add something new.'' ''If you change one thing, you change the world.''<ref name=":2" />
== See also ==
* [[Brandon Sanderson]]
* [[Hard fantasy]]
* [[Hard and soft science]]
* [[Hard science fiction]]
* [[Soft science fiction]]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMJQb5bGu_g On writing: hard magic systems in fantasy]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVrnfniQiS8 On writing: soft magic systems in fantasy]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fUKBrkDsOw On writing: magic systems and storytelling]
== References ==
from Wikipedia - New pages [en] https://ift.tt/2TVSgAf
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