My favourite magic system is one that relies on exchange and utilises both innate power and complimentary conduits. I love love LOVE systems that allow individuals to find ways that best work for them.

When it comes down to the complexity of the system, my favourite system comes from Eragon. As a kid, I became enamoured by the idea that simplifying the intention and incantation of the magic could make it more “efficient”. The idea of “improved” magic was incredibly interesting and gave so much room for exploring magical systems and how characters interact with them. I absolutely loved the idea that two different people could do magic to the same result but the differences between how the two approach the situation could completely change how the magic is used for the same effect. It was totally different from other magical systems when all the spells worked the same for everyone.

I grew up in the age of Eragon, Merlin, Supernatural, Lord of the Rings, Deltora Quest, Worst Witch, Avatar: the Last Airbender (ATLA) etc. when it comes to my knowledge of magic systems (we’ll consider ATLA’s bending as “magic” for the purpose of the discussion). Really only Eragon and ATLA have a defined magic system out of those but they are the magical fantasies I grew up with.

The more recent media that’s influenced and refined my approach to magic systems include The Wheel of Time, The Children of Blood and Bone and anime. A lot of anime. Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate Stay Series, Lord of Mysteries, Frieren etc. I watched a whole bunch of magical girl anime just after high school because Sailor Moon was the first anime I watched and it consumed me in my teen years.

Magical girl anime aren’t great for helping build rigid magic systems because they’re often more “poetic” in form … or “jazzy”. There’s some structure but often the magic works for the sake of the plot rather than to a system in place. I will say, however, that one of my favourite ideas of magic is how [SPOILER] Homura, from Puella Magi Madoka Magica, accidentally makes Madoka the most powerful magical girl/potential witch in all existence because of how often she’s gone back in time to save her. The repeated timelines causes magical energy to point towards Madoka as Homura tries desperately to save her and it’s such a great concept and provides a consequence for Homura’s love for Madoka and unwillingness to stop trying to save her.

Dungeons and Dragons has also introduced me to different ideas of magic that all have their own systems attached: warlocks, sorcerers, wizards, innate magical beings and paladins. Divine magic, arcane magic, infernal magic etc. It was one of the first places that I saw diverse and identified schools of magic all existing in the same space and adhering to different rules or ways of wielding. This I loved a lot because I was brought up in a multi-cultural household and have a love for how different culture interpret the same concepts of life. Seeing that diverse systems could exist in the form of magic systems was something I’d never considered before. It was also separate schools of the same system.

Magic exist in a lot of my writing. There’s a rigid system in my Dual Wielding series but I have experimented with a broader idea of magic in my Puppet series, which I started writing as a way of exploring my cultural heritage and how that might look in it’s own version of magic. I was intrigued by magic systems that overlap cultures, it’s effectiveness best against those who are also part of the system. Is it a Polynesian curse? Then use Polynesian magic to resolve it. And what happens when you have a child who’s father is of Polynesian magic and mother is of European magic?

I have come to love magic circles and implementations of magic into devices that non-magical people can use. I love to see the “science” of magic. But I will always keep the presence of natural magic in my work, power that is innate. It can never be without consequence. I don’t mind an over powered character every now and then but no one gets to use magic for no cost in my work. Not even the gods.