5 Tips For Writing Magic & Superpowers

5 Tips for Writing Magic & Superpowers

Magic/Superpowers are awesome and can be fun to write for, but there is a lot of room for problems if you don’t plan ahead of time. I provided some tips below to help you avoid them.

1. Superpowers/Magic: Yes or No?

When should I include magic or superpowers in my story?

Ask yourself this: Would the story and characters be the same without magic/superpowers?

If you answered yes, then magic/superpowers doesn’t serve a purpose in your story. It should be removed or adjusted to where it furthers the characters or plot. When magic/superpowers doesn’t cause any conflict or affect the characters, it’s like having a pointless fight scene. It’s meant to look cool and keep the reader interested, but guess what, it’s pointless and a waste of effort. Readers will notice that magic/superpowers doesn’t serve a purpose to the story and the author only included it…to include it. If you think you need magic in your story, you DON’T. It’s not always necessary. Don’t try to force it if it doesn’t work.

2. You MUST include how magic/superpowers affects the character(s)

That is if you want your magic/superpowers to be engaging. Show how the character feels when conjuring magic or shapeshifting. Do they feel a rush of energy, adrenaline, or maybe even pain? Though magic and superpowers aren’t real, including how it affects the characters adds realism. I know it sounds strange, but it’s like when you run or…pee. You feel something. It’s a part of you just like a character’s abilities are apart of them. It’s not exactly the same but you get my point. I don’t recommend doing this every time they use magic/superpowers because it can affect the pacing of the story. Too much description is not a good thing.

3. Give your characters weaknesses

What good is magic/superpowers if your character can just snap their fingers and defeat anything? They aren’t. They fucking suck. Characters shouldn’t be untouchable. It’s boring and makes the story predictable. In a video game this might be fun for a while, but it will inevitably get boring to beat anything without a challenge. And that’s what readers want. They want to see your characters be challenged and struggle. It’s relatable, interesting, and it creates tension.

4. Define your character’s limitations

I had discussed this a bit in my earlier post: 8 Ways to Write Better Fight Scenes. There are instances in media where I have seen characters not using their abilities when they could have to get out of a situation or stop the villain. Why? Because it creates suspense without having to put any effort into the character’s abilities. It’s easier but it makes the writer look lazy and it also causes plot holes. To prevent this figure out what your characters can or can’t do. Maybe they can only use an ability if they have a certain potion/object and they ran out. Or whatever you want it to be. Don’t make your characters not use something unless you have a valid reason as to why they can’t. Or just, you know…rethink the magic/superpowers in your book.

5. How are magic/superpowers perceived?

Imagine if magic/superpowers existed in our world. It would be awesome! I mean why wouldn’t you think so? But really think about it, how would people feel about them? Magic/superpowers could be helpful, but they could also be dangerous. Everyone would have different opinions on them, just like the characters should in your book. How are characters with magic/superpowers perceived? Are they hated, feared, or worshipped? If magic/superpowers is widely accepted I assume they would be regulated. What magic spells or powers are legal and which ones are banned? Magic/superpowers has to affect your story in some way. These are things you have to consider otherwise, it will be seen as an afterthought.

Bonus Tip:

Here is something to think about. We all have habits whether good or bad. People bite their nails, play with their hair, or um…pick their nose. Sometimes without even realizing it. It’s habitual. Since magic/superpowers is part of a person consider what kind of habits they might have with them or things they might do with them. A character with telekinesis might unintentionally move objects when they are in thought, or a person with fire powers might accidentally light something on fire when they’re angry. Or they might just play with their abilities when they’re bored. These little tidbits, though they don’t add anything to the plot, can add realism to your characters.

A few questions to ask yourself when developing magic/superpowers

When and how did your character(s) obtain their abilities?

Who can use them?

How often and how long can they use them?

Do your character(s) struggle with them and how?

If there are levels: How long does it take to advance or what do they have to do to advance?

List of Elemental Abilities

Air/Wind

Aerokinesis -manipulate the air, wind, and gas.

Aeroportation - teleport using air/wind currents.

Air Mimicry - transform into a cloud of gas, fog, or mist.

Atmokinesis - manipulate the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.

Deoxygenation - suck up all the oxygen from a place.

Lung Adaptation - breath anywhere

Wind Generation - create blasts of air.

Divine Winds Manipulation - create and control heavenly winds.

Dark Wind Manipulation - create and control eerie winds.

Earth

Geokinesis - control, manipulate, and reshape the earth at will.

Atmokinesis - control and manipulate the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.

Crystallokinesis - manipulate minerals and crystals.

Ferrokinesis… manipulate metal at will.

Fraxikinesis - manipulate burnt matter.

Geo-Thermokinesis - manipulate, control, and create lava, magma and volcanoes.

Golem Creation - make golems out of inanimate materials like rocks, wood, plants, magma, etc.

Granulation… can turn things into sand.

Halokinesis - control and manipulate salt.

Hyalokinesis - control and manipulate glass.

Koniokinesis - manipulate and control dust particles.

Plassikinesis - manipulate and control all forms of plastic.

Psammokinesis - can control and manipulate sand.

Terrakinesis - control, manipulate and alter/reshape the surrounding terrain and landscape at will.

Terraportation - teleport via the earth and earth-based materials.

Sacred Earth Manipulation - Create, manipulate, control, reshape divine earth minerals.

Black Earth Manipulation - Create, manipulate and control tainted and evil earth minerals.

Fire

Pyrokinesis - create, control and manipulate fire, flame and heat.

Atmokinesis - control and manipulate the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.

Fire Breath - breathe out flames.

Geo-Thermokinesis - manipulate lava, magma and volcanoes.

Heliokinesis - manipulate and control the sun and sunlight.

Hell-Fire Manipulation - Generate and control flames of hell.

Holy Fire Manipulation - Generate and control flames of Heaven.

Inflammation - burn things.

Melting - heat molecules to melt things.

Plasmakinesis - can control plasma.

Pyrotechnics - create fireworks.

Self-Detonation - explode self and reform.

Thermokinesis - create, control and manipulate heat.

Water

Hydrokinesis - manipulate and control liquid water and mold it into any desired shape or form.

Aquatic Adaptation - adapted to underwater living.

Aquatic Respiration - breathe underwater.

Atmokinesis- control and manipulate the various aspects of the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.

Dehydration - absorb water.

Hydroportation - teleport across short or long distances through liquid water.

Water Mimicry - turn into liquid water.

Holy Water Manipulation - create, manipulate and control graceful waters.

Dark Water Manipulation - create, manipulate and control evil and dangerous waters.

Darkness

Umbrakinesis - can manipulate and control darkness or shadows.

Animated Shadow - Animate one’s shadow.

Light Absorption - block out light in an area.

Night Vision - see in the dark.

Sacred Darkness - create holy darkness.

Shadow Camouflage - be unseen in shadows.

Shadow Mimicry - become a shadow.

Umbrageous Teleportation - teleport via the shadows and darkness.

Electricity/Lightning

Quintessence Force -Can generate whitish-blue lightning that also contains pure life energy.

Electrokinesis - control, generate or absorb electric fields and shoot lightning bolts.

Activation & Deactivation - turn stuff on and off.

Positron Manipulation - control positrons, the antimatter counterpart to electrons.

Electrical Absorption - absorb electricity.

Electric Mimicry -transform entire body into a lightning-like being of pure electrical energy

Electrical Transportation - teleport with lightning.

Divine Lightning Manipulation - create and control the brightest lightning.

Black Lightning Manipulation - create and control the darkest lightning.

Energy

Dynamokinesis - manipulate existing energy.

Energy Blast - create blasts of energy.

Energy Emission - release energy.

Quintessence Force - create and manipulate unique form of electrical and life energy.

Mana Manipulation

Chi Manipulation

Electricity Manipulation

Energy Manipulation

Ice

Cryokinesis - control ice, snow and other forms of frozen water.

Freeze Breath - freeze things in solid ice.

Freezing - lower the temperature in kinetic atoms to freezing temperatures.

Frigokinesis - control snow either as precipitation or already on the ground.

Ice Beam - shoot beams of freezing energy.

Ice Generation

Light

Dark Light Manipulation - create the darkest light in existence.

White Light Manipulation- create sacred light from the divine.

Photokinesis - create and manipulate pure light.

Force-Field Generation - create protective shields of solid photons.

Invisibility - be unseen.

Laser Emission - bend light wavelengths to create lasers.

Light Absorption -absorb the light around you.

Light Generation - emit blinding light or glow in the dark.

Light Mimicry - take on the traits of light.

Photoportation - Teleport by using photons.

Projective Invisibility - turn other things invisible.

Evil Banish - Rid and banish all spirits of evil and black magic.

Light Manipulation

Weather

Atmokinesis - manipulate the various aspects of the weather by using water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.

Atmokinetic Resistance - immunity to all weather-based abilities and effects.

Atmokinetic Sensing - sense the future weather patterns.

Other

Aether Manipulation

Cosmic Manipulation

Gravity Manipulation

Nether Manipulation

Space-Time Manipulation

From Superpower Wikia. See their complete list of superpowers HERE.

Are there any lies that your OC has told that they didn’t want to tell? If so, did they ever reveal the truth?

Resources For Describing Characters

Physical Appearance

Arms

Athletic Build

Back

Butts

Cheeks

Chest

Chins

Curvy Build

Ears

Eyebrows

Eyes

Faces

Facial Hair

Feet

Fingernails

Fingers

Hair

Hands

Head

Hips

Jaws

Knees

Legs

Lips

Muscular Build

Neck

Noses

Shoulders

Slender Build

Sickly Build

Skin

Stocky Build

Stomach

Teeth

Toenails

Toes

Underweight Build

Character Traits

Affectionate

Ambitious

Bossy

Brave

Calm

Cautious

Charismatic

Clever

Conceited

Courageous

Creative

Critical

Curious

Determined

Diplomatic

Dishonest

Disorganized

Eccentric

Excitable

Friendly

Funny

Generous

Glamorous

Guarded

Honest

Impulsive

Independent

Intelligent

Just

Kind

Loyal

Manipulative

Mature

Modest

Mysterious

Naïve

Optimistic

Prejudiced

Persistent

Proper

Responsible

Sensitive

Sentimental

Serious

Shy

Reckless

Stingy

Stubborn

Talented

Thoughtful

Thrifty

Visionary

Wise

Witty

Worry Wart

Wounded

Talents & Skills

A Knack for Languages

A Knack for Making Money

A Way with Animals

Archery

Astral Projection

Astrological Divination

Baking

Basic First Aid

Blending In

Carpentry

Charm

ESP (Clairvoyance)

Empathy

Enhanced Hearing

Enhanced Sense of Smell

Enhanced Taste Buds

Farming

Fishing

Foraging

Gaining the Trust of Others

Gaming

Gardening

Good Listening Skills

Haggling

Herbalism

Hospitality

Hot-Wiring a Car

High Pain Tolerance

Knife Throwing

Knowledge of Explosives

Lip-Reading

Lying

Making People Laugh

Mechanically Inclined

Mentalism

Mimicking

Multitasking

Musicality

Organization

Parkour

Photographic Memory

Predicting the Weather

Promotion

Psychokinesis

Reading People

Regeneration

Repurposing

Sculpting

Self-Defense

Sewing

Sharpshooting

Sleight-of-Hand

Strategic Thinking

Strong Breath Control

Super Strength

Survival Skills

Swift-footedness

Talking With The Dead

Throwing One’s Voice

Whittling

Wilderness Navigation

Wrestling

Elemental Abilities

Miscellaneous

Voices

Voice Types

Speech Patterns

Speech Impediment

List of Character Flaws

List of Archetypes

Hairstyles

Describing Body Types & How They Move Around

Secrets To Give Your Character

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A Soft Morning.. (by lmc 5/69)

Body Language Cheat Sheet for Writers

As described by Selnick’s article:

Author and doctor of clinical psychology Carolyn Kaufman has released a one-page body language cheat sheet of psychological “tells” (PDF link) fiction writers can use to dress their characters.