Tips for writing consistent magic systems
I've been working on my fantasy serial and struggling to keep my magic system internally consistent across 100+ chapters. Sometimes I'll introduce a rule early on, then realize 50 chapters later that it contradicts something I set up. What tools or methods do you use to track your magic system rules? Do you write a separate document? Use the AI tools here? I'd love to hear what works for everyone.
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I use the Worldbuilding Bible approach from the academy course. A separate doc with hard rules, soft rules, and exceptions. Every time I write a scene with magic, I check it against the doc first.
For LitRPG it's easier since the system IS the rules. But for soft magic, I keep a simple spreadsheet: what magic can do, what it can't, and what it costs. Three columns, never breaks.
The AI Magic System Designer tool here is actually really good for this. You can input your existing rules and it'll flag inconsistencies.