ReadLight
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2023
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(idk wtf I'm doing when it comes to writing, so take my opinion half seriously cuz I'm just a hobbyist)
I think it's best to think of your story, what you want to write, and what the world building largely might look like, before thinking of names and stuffs.
Begin with something simple:
Thinking about fantasy systems, I guess start with "something convenient". For example
Irl: I want to drink water, walk to table and grab a cup of water.
Fantasy: *waves wand, cup floats to my hand.
Then give it a name: gravity magic. Or something.
Then to build on it.
Building on a system kinda depends on what story you are writing: for fantasy fights, you can try thinking how to atomize opponents into base particles within the premise of your fantasy systems. After that, then give it some cool effects and names.
Bad guy: you've got some nerves bringing a stick to a gun fight!
MC: waves wand/chant/prey/whatever, lightning/wind/laser beam/a falling anvil/whatever defeats bad guy.
At this point in writing/drafting, there are now two choices (that I can see), try out different abilities, or build on the existing one and expand it.
First choice may keep things fresh as your story goes on: Arc 1 is sword fights, Arc 2 is wizardry, Arc 3 is summoning mythical beasts, Arc 4 is necromancy, etc etc.
But I think the second choice can bring depth in the story. An example is (if you have ever watched or read it) Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. Alchemy is basically the primary fantasy superpower there is in the entire series.
Episode one: Alchemy is chemistry, but much cooler.
the last few episodes: Alchemy can make you a literal deity with planetary power.
The show never "added" any brand new fantasy system as it went on, but rather, the one from the beginning, alchemy, evolved as the characters learn more about it throughout their journey.
If you are writing more of a slice of life kind of story, heavier thoughts may have to be put into the environment of the story's settings. What kind of world it is. What can MC do? What does the MC want to do? And how can your fantasy system complement it?
Or, in other words: what problems may exist in that world, and how can the MC use the fantasy system that you have built to solve those problems?
On the top of my head, something random like this: one day MC is coming back home from Rainforest University of Dryads and Druids when he/she/it falls down a hole. There the MC encounters an ancient dragon in needs of a legendary Aurous fruit. Considering that the MC has 69,420 whatever fantasy currency amount of student debts, they agreed to embark on a journey in search of this fruit in exchange for the dragons treasure. Throughout this journey, MC must practice and evolve their forest spiritual power, from picking locks with vines and leaves, to growing peaches that can act as light sources. With each encounter MC learns more about the world, of forest spiritual powers, and that the real treasure is the friends they've made along the way blah blah blah.
Start writing and you'll get some ideas of what you want to write.
In either case, I think it's best to first think of something cool, then think of what kind of world it'd be with said cool stuffs in it.
Then try to integrate your fantasy system into your world building.
What would people living in a world with your fantasy system act like? Do they have well established governmental structures revolving around power levels? Do they have organizations specialized in accepting quests that require people doing fantasy stuffs? Is the world post apocalyptic? And does the fantasy system have anything to do with the end of the world.
I think it's best to think of your story, what you want to write, and what the world building largely might look like, before thinking of names and stuffs.
Begin with something simple:
Thinking about fantasy systems, I guess start with "something convenient". For example
Irl: I want to drink water, walk to table and grab a cup of water.
Fantasy: *waves wand, cup floats to my hand.
Then give it a name: gravity magic. Or something.
Then to build on it.
Building on a system kinda depends on what story you are writing: for fantasy fights, you can try thinking how to atomize opponents into base particles within the premise of your fantasy systems. After that, then give it some cool effects and names.
Bad guy: you've got some nerves bringing a stick to a gun fight!
MC: waves wand/chant/prey/whatever, lightning/wind/laser beam/a falling anvil/whatever defeats bad guy.
At this point in writing/drafting, there are now two choices (that I can see), try out different abilities, or build on the existing one and expand it.
First choice may keep things fresh as your story goes on: Arc 1 is sword fights, Arc 2 is wizardry, Arc 3 is summoning mythical beasts, Arc 4 is necromancy, etc etc.
But I think the second choice can bring depth in the story. An example is (if you have ever watched or read it) Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. Alchemy is basically the primary fantasy superpower there is in the entire series.
Episode one: Alchemy is chemistry, but much cooler.
the last few episodes: Alchemy can make you a literal deity with planetary power.
The show never "added" any brand new fantasy system as it went on, but rather, the one from the beginning, alchemy, evolved as the characters learn more about it throughout their journey.
If you are writing more of a slice of life kind of story, heavier thoughts may have to be put into the environment of the story's settings. What kind of world it is. What can MC do? What does the MC want to do? And how can your fantasy system complement it?
Or, in other words: what problems may exist in that world, and how can the MC use the fantasy system that you have built to solve those problems?
On the top of my head, something random like this: one day MC is coming back home from Rainforest University of Dryads and Druids when he/she/it falls down a hole. There the MC encounters an ancient dragon in needs of a legendary Aurous fruit. Considering that the MC has 69,420 whatever fantasy currency amount of student debts, they agreed to embark on a journey in search of this fruit in exchange for the dragons treasure. Throughout this journey, MC must practice and evolve their forest spiritual power, from picking locks with vines and leaves, to growing peaches that can act as light sources. With each encounter MC learns more about the world, of forest spiritual powers, and that the real treasure is the friends they've made along the way blah blah blah.
Start writing and you'll get some ideas of what you want to write.
In either case, I think it's best to first think of something cool, then think of what kind of world it'd be with said cool stuffs in it.
Then try to integrate your fantasy system into your world building.
What would people living in a world with your fantasy system act like? Do they have well established governmental structures revolving around power levels? Do they have organizations specialized in accepting quests that require people doing fantasy stuffs? Is the world post apocalyptic? And does the fantasy system have anything to do with the end of the world.
