How Brandon Sanderson Writes Fantasy
What writers can learn from the best-selling author
If one had to come up with the face of high fantasy in the current era of SFF publishing, it would be hard not to think of Brandon Sanderson. A prolific wordsmith, Brandon has crafted twelve books that are all around or at least 200 thousand words long. He also has been very successful, as he’s passed 11 million physical book sales by 2018 (confirmed by one of his coworkers on Reddit). Mistborn, Stormlight Archive, and Warbreaker are some examples of what he’s written.
The most interesting aspect of Brandon as a writer is that he’s also a teacher. Working at Bringham Young University, Brandon has a special class he teaches to aspiring writers. Not only that, but he posts videos of those lectures onto youtube. I’ve watched all of these lectures, but there’s one lecture that stuck out to me.
Brandon’s Laws of Magic
Named after special laws of physics like thermodynamics or motion, Brandon lays out four specific rules that he uses for all of his novels:
First Law
The author’s ability to resolve conflicts in a satisfying way with magic is directly proportional to how the reader understands said magic.
A reader who knows what the magic is capable of will enjoy how the magic is used far better than the opposite, especially when the magic is used to answer problems the plot raises. This leads to hard magic and soft magic, where the former uses stories with well-defined rules, and the latter does not give the reader any information at all. Brandon himself usually goes by hard magic, but a good example of soft magic is Lord of the Rings. Everything Gandalf does is not explained, but at the same time, Gandalf also never directly influences the plot. He only helps.
The key here is that a reader can understand why and how the magic is being used. Not doing so feels like a cop-out or a deus ex machina.
Second Law
Weaknesses are more interesting than powers.
A magic system brings more intrigue when its limitations are known. A character who can’t solve a problem within the story then has to come up with a creative solution. The more limitations the more chances the writer has to flex their creative muscles.
This is also related to power dynamics. A plot that does not challenge the protagonist is not an interesting story. This is why Superman has three main weaknesses: kryptonite, his human attachments (like Lois), and magic. The best Superman stories are the ones that challenge him, which forces him to find solutions to problems without using his heat vision or super strength.
Third Law
Expand, don’t add.
When writing a series, it’s common to add new elements to the story to keep it fresh. However, this can lead to problems when new ideas aren’t very well connected to the established world already built. Streamlining new ideas and fitting them into existing paradigms will seem more natural to the reader, and make them feel less overwhelmed.
Brandon does this by connecting different magical abilities to the same magic system, and even having more than one magic system. In Mistborn, Allomancy creates abilities by ingesting specific metals. Consuming Tin will enhance an individual’s primary senses (like sight or hearing) while consuming pewter will give them enhanced strength and vitality. These seem like different magical abilities but they are tied to the same base.
Zeroth Law
Always err on the side of what is awesome.
The most important law of the four. In essence, your story and world should be awesome. The other three rules are nice, but they’re not what writing fantasy is all about.
The Takeaway
What’s great about writing fantasy is that it is, after all, a fantasy. A writer can express their deepest wonders in the most creative ways possible. Nothing should get in the way of that. Brandon wants all aspiring writers to know that the rules are not for creation but refinement.
Ultimately, a writer should write what they want to write. Make it awesome. Then worry about how it’s going to work afterward. How much excitement you put into your world will be detectable by the reader when they pick it up.
Originally published at facetsoffantasy.net.
