Can't picture the desired setting of my novel

[Tim Murray]

So I am arguing with myself constantly about the setting of my world.

I know it has to be futuristic based on elements in the story. There has to be computers, technology and synthetic lifeforms… But there also is magic… its kind of a twist…

So in my head I automatically took the galaxy route and began to see it as a large world of planets.
I began to think of starships and traveling. Although some magical characters would prefer to teleport with magic… This of course needed to be constrained somehow.

But I wondered if it was all necessary? I would have to make different races and aliens and planets…

Unfortunately if I try to see my book as a futuristic world without a galaxy and starships, I begin to see a medieval landscape with creatures such as elves and dwarves… Especially because there is magic involved.

I cannot seem to picture a world somewhere in between.
How can I get to a place where the setting is right?!
Ive been arguing with myself and felt getting some feedback or ideas usually helps.

Perhaps an inter-dimensional world that can go in and out of 3D at will. If the magic is strong enough, then space ships are not needed, and only used when trying to "look like" the population they are trying to meld into.

 

[Tim Murray]

I'd argue the force is full blown magic. My psi powers in Abendau are pretty magical.

But, here's the thing - it doesn't matter whether it's in other books. If that's what you want, put it in. It's your story and it doesn't need to be like anything or anyone else's.

Like your new icon, Jo. What type of tree's do the Martians decorate?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Like your new icon, Jo. What type of tree's do the Martians decorate?

Gone all Christmassy. They have slime trees and paint em green.

 

[Dan Jones]

I have seen the damned film that features in Jo's avatar.

Do not attempt to watch it.

Do not pretend to watch it.

Do not buy it.

It is accursed.

Edit: although I am massively, hugely impressed that Jo has seen it! I thought I was the only poor soul to be subjected to it...

 

[Loren]

So I am arguing with myself constantly about the setting of my world.

I know it has to be futuristic based on elements in the story. There has to be computers, technology and synthetic lifeforms… But there also is magic… its kind of a twist…

So in my head I automatically took the galaxy route and began to see it as a large world of planets.
I began to think of starships and traveling. Although some magical characters would prefer to teleport with magic… This of course needed to be constrained somehow.

But I wondered if it was all necessary? I would have to make different races and aliens and planets…

Unfortunately if I try to see my book as a futuristic world without a galaxy and starships, I begin to see a medieval landscape with creatures such as elves and dwarves… Especially because there is magic involved.

I cannot seem to picture a world somewhere in between.
How can I get to a place where the setting is right?!
Ive been arguing with myself and felt getting some feedback or ideas usually helps.

Does your story have a plot, yet?

Have you made an outline of where the story goes based on a premise?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I have seen the damned film that features in Jo's avatar.

Do not attempt to watch it.

Do not pretend to watch it.

Do not buy it.

It is accursed.

Edit: although I am massively, hugely impressed that Jo has seen it! I thought I was the only poor soul to be subjected to it...

Hee. I haven't. I just wanted a christmassy sf avatar....

 

[shamguy4]

Yes I have 80% of the first book. I am trying to figure out more in the hopes that it forces the setting on me.

 

[Mirannan]

Hmmm... I think this has something to do with Clarke's Third Law, in a left-handed sort of way.

In Dune, there is at least some hint that the powers of Maud'Dib derive from his mentat training, at least partially. Even a "normal" mentat in that setting would be able to make predictions that would seem magical or at least oracular, to normal people. It's a little like the predictions that someone looking at the output from a "big data" network would be able to make.

So maybe the "magical" powers are derived from transapient thought processes? By which I mean thought processes that are ahead of human for precisely the same reason that humans can think thoughts that are completely beyond (for example) a mouse. Another example of "quantity has a quality all of its own".

 

[Ray McCarthy]

So maybe the "magical" powers are derived from transapient thought processes?

It's just a story You can equally call a lot in Dune as actually real magic, not science that looks like magic. I regarded it as such when I first read it.

Magic is fun in a story, as is speculative science. I read it and write it and enjoy it all, reading or writing. But I don't believe in it.

 

[pambaddeley]

The difference between magical and technological ways of doing things might be that with the first, the energy to do it comes from the person themselves and it is therefore exhausting to do everything that way. So technology would provide a practical alternative. Over time, most people would take the easy way and forget how to use magic and might even come to view it as superstition and something that only ignorant and 'uneducated' people would believe in. Those with magic might need to go underground or at least keep quiet that they are using it. They might be prosecuted as the real life Helen Duncan was in WW2 for being an alleged fraud though your characters would be genuine - Helen Duncan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[shamguy4]

The difference between magical and technological ways of doing things might be that with the first, the energy to do it comes from the person themselves and it is therefore exhausting to do everything that way. So technology would provide a practical alternative. Over time, most people would take the easy way and forget how to use magic and might even come to view it as superstition and something that only ignorant and 'uneducated' people would believe in. Those with magic might need to go underground or at least keep quiet that they are using it. They might be prosecuted as the real life Helen Duncan was in WW2 for being an alleged fraud though your characters would be genuine - Helen Duncan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

you know too much about my book. Go away!
Yes this is how magic is in my book. Its easier to use elctricity and magic is mysterious and poeple feel they would be better off without it…
Yet still the setting in my head keeps twisting, but I'm getting there....

I'm actually wokring on the rules of magic because I think thats where some issues lie…
In my book when magic is used, you basically can bring forth pure magic/energy and it can be shaped and made into whatever you want, but it cannot take on any real physical form. It also fades when you stop focusing on it. It's temporary.
So you can make a fire out of pure magic and it can look like fire, and it can be hot like fire, but it wont get put out by water, because it's not really a fire.

But I also have certain er… modifications that can make it permanent or give it real attributes. This is advanced and comes into play later. Is that confusing for readers?

 

[pambaddeley]

Well, the rules need to be consistent; if magical energy comes from people, how could something be made permanent without being a serious drain on the person's vitality? Can they tap into another energy source and somehow switch the magical object over to that, for instance? Maybe it can be done and it would certainly be advanced magic. As long as you keep things consistent and logical it shouldn't confuse the reader.

 

[shamguy4]

Yes, there is a modification of some sort.... So in the end everyone in my book can learn to use and draw the magic and with advanced special modifications that are not easy to come by, it can be more permanent.
But on top of all this I wanted to have people who were gifted. Like I have a character who can see the future. This isn't something that can be drawn from magic or anything. Its unique.

I am trying to find other unique abilities, because saying a character has the unique ability of creating fire wont work when everyone can sort of make a small fire using the magic as described in my post above. (although it isnt a real fire, and this one is, but it would be too confusing on readers I think…)

 

[Tim Murray]

Well, the rules need to be consistent; if magical energy comes from people, how could something be made permanent without being a serious drain on the person's vitality? Can they tap into another energy source and somehow switch the magical object over to that, for instance? Maybe it can be done and it would certainly be advanced magic. As long as you keep things consistent and logical it shouldn't confuse the reader.

In the metaphysical healing realm, a Reiki practitioner draws their energy from a universal energy force. (for real) They are the conduits of the energy, magic. This might be construed as "The Force" from Star Wars in Sci fi. I'm sure you can re-engineer the concept with your magical voice!

 

[shamguy4]

I think many magic systems are like this. Not just Star Wars. I hope not...
I thought Star Wars was about some force that permeated everything and you can connect to it.
You can't create or conjure anything... Except lightning. Bad guys can make lightning...
But who knows... They might change the rules in the new movies...

 

[Tim Murray]

I think many magic systems are like this. Not just Star Wars. I hope not...
I thought Star Wars was about some force that permeated everything and you can connect to it.
You can't create or conjure anything... Except lightning. Bad guys can make lightning...
But who knows... They might change the rules in the new movies...

It isn't called science fiction for nothing! Create, Create, Create!