Today, in Caithness, the sun is shining and the air is clear. I'm sure it will come as no surprise to anyone reading this blog that, certain weathers and certain times of the year ignite certain music in me. And, on late winter days which are filled with sunshine, I am usually to be found singing the songs of The Spinners . Inevitably, I start humming different ones of their songs (and of course adapting them to be about Orlando and Jess) as I go around doing different things. But I remember almost all the words to them. I haven't heard a lot of them in years, but they are all there, rooted in my memory. It is truly fascinating to think about how these songs have passed through history. They are part of my own nostalgia, which is why crisp sunny mornings make me incapable of ignoring the temptation to sing them, but they are part of something much bigger. There are songs amongst them which are a newer step in the folk music movement. Songs like Silver in the Stubble are amongs...
Firstly, I apologise for not posting a Middle Grade Monday blog last week. It was quite a crazy time, with my exam on the Monday and the Music Festival all week. But I wanted to make sure I got this blog up on the right day!
Today, I'll be discussing how to put magic into a setting, particularly for middle grade books.
One of the key points to make is that magic is not unusual for children. It is quite normal for a class of children to believe that magic exists, and this has both benefits and drawbacks.
The benefit is that you don't have to spend as long persuading the reader that a magical place is relatable.
The drawback is they already have a set idea as to what magic is like and, if you want to go outside the box as many authors do, it can cause problems.
When planning how to put magic into your setting, you can ask yourself some questions:
Is the whole world magic, or just select places?
Perhaps there is an underwater kingdom of magic, while the folk on shore are just like us, and have no idea that it exists. Or, perhaps, everyone knows about magic and it's unusual if you're not magical.
How does society view magic?
At various points in history, magical people have been revered or persecuted. What happens in your world? Perhaps magical people are the ruling class, or perhaps they're outcasts? Perhaps only women, or only men are allowed to be magical? Make sure you plan it out before you start writing, as it will certainly affect the plot.
Can animals and places be magical?
Magic isn't just for humans. Maybe you have a magical house with its own personality. Remember, this is your imagination so the sky's the limit!
How does a character hone their magic, and is it something you're born with?
Magic can come about in multiple ways. The classic is that they're born with it, but the main issue with this is that it is less relatable. By middle grade, children would likely understand they aren't born magic, and so 'found magic' is more likely to be exciting. They can still aspire to be like the character.
For Freya in Taking Wing, it's inferred she was born with a magical ability, but is never explained for definite. Her ability only comes to light when she meets the tribes, so perhaps everyone has the same ability but it is never allowed to develop. In Heartstone, Jeremy is certainly not born with magic, but learns through his grandfather's old journals. I think, personally, I prefer the Heartstone version of magic.
What does magic look like?
In Taking Wing, and the sequels, magic is through something called the Blue Light which, you've guessed it... looks like blue light, specifically blue fire. In Doorway to the Sunset, it becomes clear there is another, more powerful form of the same magic in the Red Light. This, of course, ups the stakes for my main characters and makes things a little more dangerous and tense.
But maybe your magic could be in words or using music, or scientific-like potions. The possibilities are endless.
What are the risks with magic?
There has to be some risks, or magic would solve everything. For Freya, it is that, to access her strongest magic, she has to communicate with her shadow which makes her out of control and dangerous. The risk is that she'll hurt the people around her.
What are the limitations?
Character has died? Don't worry. Bring them back with magic!
It doesn't really work. Magic needs limits or there would be no story to write.
So, there's a few questions to be asking yourself, if you'd like to include magic in your middle grade story. I love writing about magic, and in each of my books, my answers to these questions change. Can you think of any more key questions to ask? Write them in the comments!
What's New With Crowvus?
Right now, we are all systems go to get Doorway to the Sunset bookshelf-ready! The release date is the 4th July, and we have to upload the final manuscript by the 30th June, so it's busy busy busy!
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