The Art of Blending Reality And Fantasy
A Guide to Writing Magical Realism
What would it take to join the ranks of well-known magical realism authors like:
- Neil Gaiman
- Toni Morrison
- Alice Hoffman
- Salmon Rushdie
- Franz Kafka?
I love reading Nora Roberts’ magical trilogies, which are also magical realism. In my quest to learn to write magical realism, I’ve studied many of these authors, and read countless articles and posts on the subject.
The current series that I’m writing involves magic, but it also involves witches and werewolves. Drilling down to the exact genre sometimes is difficult.
Yes, my series takes place in the real world. Present day, Gig Harbor, Washington. I visited Gig Harbor last year to get the layout of the town, talk to people, and get a feel for the small community.
My series falls somewhere between Urban Fantasy and Magical Realism. My main elements are relationships, romance, and personal growth, along with a hefty helping of suspense.
The key to magical realism is that magic is interwoven with ordinary realism. It fits in the world and what’s already happening. The magic becomes part of everyday reality. For the characters, there’s nothing surprising at all about it.
Here, magic is an integral part of the character, plot, and theme.
Magical realism weaves threads of fantasy into a depiction of everyday life. Its heroes aren’t fairies or sorcerers, they’re ordinary people — whose lives happen to incorporate the extraordinary.
Three main elements of Magical Realism:
- Real-world setting.
- Supernatural happenings.
- A literary tone.
In short, “magical realism” is fiction where fantasy slips into everyday life. However, the focus isn’t on the magical elements of the story, so much as on what those elements mean for the characters.
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Your friend, fellow writer, and lover of all things magical,
Sherry Briscoe
Reader, Writer, Wordsmith Advisor — navigating the universe of fiction and fantasy, sharing words of wisdom and inspiration. Send coffee.
