Introduction
Hey all!! Sorry for the day-late article… *coughs* Last night was the final night for Crazy Writing Week and let me tell you, it was HECTIC. (Plus side: I got over 4,000 words in in only 2 hours. XD) So! Yell at me all you want, and I will give you chocolate to console you. 😉
Today I’m honored to feature a writing friend of mine on The Pen Inspired. His views caught my attention when some writers decided to debate the use of magic in our works: is it Christian? Does God approve? Is magic good or evil, or both? What even is magic? I asked him to write a post for me on the topic, and he agreed.
So please join me in welcoming Mr. Noah Cochran!! *round of applause and cheers*
Magic vs. Fantasy by Noah Cochran
Magic. Fantasy. These are words we all use often when discussing fiction, and the more I take in writing or reading media, the more it bothers me how people use the words almost interchangeably. These two words are very different things, and I would like to show these differences, as well as the main reasons for why I want these differences to be explicitly clear.
Definitions
Before I go on, I would like to get some definitions of these words clear and a few other related words clear to show the most basic differences between Fantasy and Magic.
Definition of Fantasy According to Molding Minds (333k views on youtube): Imaginary, Pretend, or Make Believe, but it isn’t just fiction, it contains unreal things that could not be real in our world, or are very much speculative and conjectured and not based in reality
My qualifying words: Granted, a book in the real world with made up fantastical things is also technically a type of low fantasy. Some people take the fantasy universe or world aspect of the word fantasy so far as to make up a world, but have no fantastical elements in it, such as The Ranger’s Apprentice or The False Prince.
Magic Wiki Definition : the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious (in the magician sense) or supernatural forces.
More qualifying words: People throw around word magic in card tricks and the things that good ol’ David Blaine does, but to be technically correct, those are illusions–seeing that they do not harness supernatural power. If they did harness supernatural power of course, then it would be magic/witchcraft.
Webster Definition of Magic: the use of means (such as charms or spells) believed to have supernatural power over natural forces. In other words, harnessing or using supernatural power from a spiritual or sub-natural realm.
According to Wiki: Most fantasy uses magic or other supernatural elements as a main plot element, theme, or setting.
Magic System According to Wiki: A magic system, which might also be referred to as a magical system, is a set of rules that regulate the magical effects that can be produced in a fictional setting.
Supernatural: Anything that is not in the natural realm of that world, things from a spiritual or sub-natural realm, such as demons, angels, little g gods, witchcraft, sorcery (or of course, anything that uses the word magic)
Magic in Fantasy
Now that I’ve covered the definitions and uses, it should be clear that if the word magic is used, it means supernatural, not just fantastical – it means supernatural or demonic. Let me elucidate further.
If I write a fantasy book, that means there are fantastical elements in that book, and it is set in a world or universe (almost always anyway) that I invented. On the other hand, what it does not mean is that magic or supernatural elements are inherently an aspect of that world or book.
As for magic, if I use the word magic or magic system in a book, that means there must be some supernatural element at play. Somebody or someone in that fantasy world is harnessing power from the spiritual or sub-natural realm.
So, if I write a fantasy book, and in that fantasy world people with a certain blood line can move rocks with their minds, that is not magic or supernatural, unless I make it that way by using the word magic, and/or making it seem like dark arts or demonic powers are at play. If I write a fantasy book where all men can pick up mountains with super-strength, and I call it magic, that means I intend for a supernatural element to be at play, and that those men are harnessing power from a non-natural realm. To state my point one more time: if I make a fantasy world, and in that world there are fantastical abilities (such as shooting lightning from your hands), fantastical animals, or fantastical objects, those fantastical elements are natural (not supernatural or sub-natural) to that world unless I make them supernatural (power from the spiritual realm) by using the word magic, or witchcraft, or sorcery.
With those examples, the differences should be clear, but you might be asking, “Noah, why are you making this distinction with such avid vigor?” Here’s why: most fantasy books use the word magic, or even if they don’t, the readers still say that there is a magic system in that book. Because of this fact, I am trying to say two things, one to the authors, one to the readers:
To the Authors
Only use the word magic in your book if you mean for the elements in your book to be from the spiritual realm, to be supernatural, to not be part of that fantasy world’s natural world building. If you want your special elements to be part of the natural world, and to just be fantastical without being demonic/spiritual/supernatural, then do not use the word magic.
To the Readers
Don’t call the fantastical elements of that world the magic system, unless the stuff in that world is clearly supernatural (i.e, the author uses the word magic, or it feels very much like demonic arts are at work–more on the latter point later). This leads me into the phrase “magic system.” When a person says this, no matter what they think they are saying, what they are actually saying is there are supernatural and spiritual abilities or objects at work in the book. As a person who does not want supernatural elements in a book he is reading or writing, this is more exasperating to me than I can communicate. So, final word to readers: please don’t use the phrase magic system or the word magic unless supernatural or spiritual abilities are taking place within the book.
Reasons for Claims
Now, having clearly shown the differences in these words and how it would behoove people to recognize these differences, I would like to make two claims here: first, I think that many times authors (and definitely readers) use the word magic when all they mean is the fantastical element or ability they created as a natural part of their world. I do not think they mean it is supernatural. Second, I think that using words like magic, sorcery, wizards, witchcraft, or the like, make the book trite, cliche, and somewhat cheesy.
Obviously this is just my opinion and I have no real evidence for them, but from a purely taste point of view, I think these words and concepts are run into the ground and nearly to the point of being banal.
Before I conclude, I would like to briefly go into the actual reason I don’t take in entertainment or media that has magic, sorcery, witchcraft and the such. That reason is simple: the Bible. God’s Word clearly states that messing with magic, witchcraft, or the spiritual realm of angels and demons is a sin, and because of this, we should most definitely not be writing books or reading books that present magic as a good thing, as a thing to be used by the protagonist to win the day.
In case you haven’t read them or are curious, here are several verses: 2 Chronicles 33:6, 1 Samuel 15:23, Galatians 5:20, Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 19:26 (those OT verse are backed up by NT verses such as the one in Galatians). The Bible also discusses not messing with the spiritual realm or angels and demons.
This is my main and true reason. I think that it goes against God and what he teaches to enjoy magic or the supernatural in entertainment, and, even worse, to write about it. If it is a sin in real life, then it is a sin to enjoy it in entertainment or write protagonists who use it as a way to entertain the readers and win the day.
Now, I should mention that I have talked to some who say that they agree with me for the most part, but they think that it is okay to have magic in books as long as it is portrayed as sin and something the protagonists should not do. This is a very dangerous thing to do because magic and the supernatural have been ingrained into people nowadays as a good and fine thing. This is so ingrained in people’s mindset’s that they probably will not view the magic in your book as a truly sinful thing, they will probably just view it as a thing that has bad side effects. However, if a author truly wants to present this sin in the same way they would present murder or a sexual sin, then that is their call. I personally will not be doing it, and not only because I think it is dangerous. As I said, I also think the words magic, sorcery, witchcraft, necromancy are banal and usually corny. Again, that latter point is a very personal opinion that most disagree with, but I have seen some big name fantasy authors totally remove those words from their books, probably for that reason (and maybe because they knew that magic meant supernatural and they didn’t want that).
A Call for Action
To finish this off, I would like to state a call for action: writers, please stop using the word magic, sorcery, witchcraft, or wizardry in your book unless you truly intend for the fantastical abilities, objects, and element you created in your world to be supernatural, and to be harnessing power from the non-natural realms. But if the supernatural fantasy is your goal, I would recommend you reconsider. I believe it goes directly against the Bible, and besides that, it is not at all an auspicious decision for your book.
As for you readers, please stop using the phrase “magic system” in regard to books unless they clearly use magic and supernatural elements. If some guy is shooting fire out of his eyes, but it is because some natural part of that world and the word magic is not used in the book, then please don’t call it the magic system, because it’s not – it’s a fantastical element or ability of that world that the author has created as a part of that world.
Hopefully I have made my points coherent enough. I appreciate you reading, and I encourage you to consider this carefully, and to study the Bible to see what it says.
About the Author
Noah Cochran dwells in the state of Missouri where he spends his days writing, studying business and entrepreneurship, and reading medieval history.
He is an avid lover of music, and immensely enjoys singing. His favorite activity is talking with others and making new friends, and he is always looking forward to more chances to do so. He endeavors to put his Christian beliefs above all else, and loves to attend Church and discuss theology.
His passions for medieval history and reading have led him to love medieval historical fiction and grounded fantasy, and he is currently working on his first medieval adventure series.
Wrap Up
There you have it!! Thanks, Noah, for being willing to share. 😉 Y’all can find Noah over at Story Embers and connect with him there if you want to discuss it in more depth. Thanks for reading, and (again) sorry this is so late! 😀
(BTW, in case you’re interested, registration for the Young Writer’s Workshop is open for a limited time!! I highly recommend this course if you’re serious about your writing career. ;))
Take courage, pursue God, and smile while you still have teeth!! 🙂
~Joelle
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