1. katina

    katina Banned Contributor

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    sorcery in writing

    Discussion in 'Fantasy' started by katina, Sep 27, 2019.

    Ever written sorcery in your writing?
    How easy is it to tackle in a story?
     
  2. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    How do you mean? As in, included magic in your fictional world?

    I imagine a lot of us have, if that's what you're asking, but I'm not sure if it is.
     
  3. SpokenSilence

    SpokenSilence Member

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    I have written it as included magic many times. And so have others, I guess.
    However I have tried only once to actually involve phrased spells. It was really hard ans I thought it sounded really strange in the end.
     
  4. katina

    katina Banned Contributor

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    Do you associate magic with sorcery?
    May I ask what context did you include it with?
    For what motives I mean?
     
  5. katina

    katina Banned Contributor

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    Hi there yes.
    However I am unsure about associating magic with sorcery?
     
  6. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    Sorcery is another word for magic.

    Unless I'm misunderstanding you - what do you consider "sorcery" and what do you consider "magic"?

    My current novel has lots of magic in it.
     
  7. katina

    katina Banned Contributor

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    Ok well for me sorcery is bad. It is practised to put
    a spell on something or someone so it is not a good thing.
    Magic is a positive thing it has good powers it is supposed to
    add or turn something or someone for the better.
    This how I understand it.
     
  8. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    Whatever labels you put on it, "magic" is ultimately a tool. It's the motivation of the character using it that makes it good or bad.

    Voldemort and Sauron both had their reasons.

    A spell to levitate rocks could be used to build bridges (good) or drop rocks on people (bad). A witch might be able to cast a spell to make cows go dry. She might also be able to cast a spell that makes them produce more milk, but she simply chooses not to use that spell.
     
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  9. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    sorcery is magic carried out by a sorcerer just like witchcraft is magic carried out by a witch... whether its good or bad depends on the motivations of the character

    as to how you address it in a story - that's a huge question - you need to be a lot more specific
     
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  10. IHaveNoName

    IHaveNoName Senior Member Community Volunteer

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    My first thought was define "sorcery", but since you've already done so... :)

    Sorcery is typically portrayed as dark or evil magic (Conan the Barbarian, e.g.), wherein practitioners make deals with demons, spirits, etc. in exchange for power. Likewise with witchcraft (centuries of real-world prejudice thanks to the Catholic church). It can be defined as simply another method of using magic - I've seen good sorcerers too.

    Getting back to the original question: Since you're looking at "evil sorcery", I haven't done it myself. It usually appears in low-magic settings (Conan, Game of Thrones), which are also usually grim/gritty. I love those settings (especially urban fantasy - I like cyberpunk too), but I don't have the mindset to pull it off.
     
  11. Storysmith

    Storysmith Senior Member

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    If you're going to have magic of any kind, one question is whether the rules are explained. For something like Conan or Game of Thrones, they aren't and the protagonists (who tend not to have any magical powers) fight sorcery as an unknown, mysterious threat.

    On the other hand, in things like Harry Potter or Star Wars (pre The Last Jedi) we learn what the magic can and can't do, and I don't think it's a coincidence that the protagonists are often students of that magic.
     
  12. SpokenSilence

    SpokenSilence Member

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    I've tried "Bad magic" as well - but in the end I figured that my "good magicians" were kind of as evil as the bad ones... their motives really kind of fitted together and I came to find the good ones were probably even nastier than the bad ones when it came to normal life.
     
  13. J.T. Woody

    J.T. Woody Book Witch Contributor

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    Whats an example of sorcery to you?
    Personally, I believe "sorcery" is just one of the many spectrums of magic in general. I think sorcery can be good AND bad... like witchcraft. like religion. I also associate witchcraft with "natural" magic, like using herbs and other facets of nature. I associate sorcery with communication with spirits and dealing with spirits and body parts to create magic.
    If I were using Disney as my examples... even though Ursula is a "sea witch," I call her type of magic sorcery because she feeds off of the souls of others. I would call Jafar, Dr. Facilier, and Maleficent as sorcerers because they get their magic from the "otherworld." I'd classify Elsa as witchcraft because she uses natural magic (which can be used for good and bad), the Evil Queen in Snow White used witchcraft (herbs and potions). Her witchcraft was used for bad.
    likewise, Mamma Odie from Princess and the Frog is a mix of the two; she uses herbs but also voodoo, but used her "sorcery" for good (vanquish the Shadow Man's demons, for example). She is a good sorcerer, Facilier is a bad one.
    Elsa is a good witch, Evil Queen is....evil.

    but really... magic is magic and personally, i dont believe in any of it. I like reading and writing it, though:superwink:
     
  14. SpokenSilence

    SpokenSilence Member

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    I can totally relate to that :D
     
  15. RobinLC

    RobinLC Active Member

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    I write about witches and magic, but that's because I am Wiccan. My characters tend to be a mix of real witchcraft and fantasy.
    As for good or evil, it's the intent of the person doing the witchcraft. You can find an example of my writing here.
     
  16. JLT

    JLT Contributor Contributor

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    Nobody's mentioned this so far, but when you use magic or sorcery in your writing, there's a great temptation to use it as a sort of deus ex machina, where plot complications are resolved with a simple wave of a wand.

    What makes magic work for me is when there are some consequences that must be suffered for the use of that magic, and the sorcerer/magician/shaman must face the decision about whether the results justify those consequences.

    And, of course, the magic/sorcery must be consistent with the way the rest of the fictive world is constructed, but that pretty much goes without saying, and there are plenty of other threads about that.
     

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