Before diving into this week's lecture notes, we wanted to give a shout out to Kate Olson for the art piece we're using at the image for this article. She is one of the students in Brandon's class and generously allowed us to show it to all of you! Thanks, Kate!
Welcome back to class! The master of magic systems is back for his signature lecture — Sanderson’s Laws of Magic. This is also the first of our worldbuilding lectures. These three laws encompass ways to craft a hard magic system a la Sanderon-style, yes, but they also touch on principles that would apply to any story. In general, following Sanderson’s Laws of Magic will elevate the level of immersion your world allows for.
Magic systems have become something of a calling card for Sanderson. And, indeed, when you think about modern epic fantasy, there are few who don’t cite a Sanderson novel as having their favorite and most innovative magic system. Whether that’s Allomancy in the Mistborn novels or Surgebinding in the Stormlight Archive, there’s a reason he’s known as “that magic system guy.”
So, we invite you to sit back and relax with the warm beverage of your choice to settle into this week’s lecture. Let’s get into it!
Jump to:
The Origin of “That Magic System Guy”
Brandon Sanderson's journey into developing his Laws of Magic began with a pivotal moment at a science fiction convention. During his first panel on magic systems, he confidently stated that magic "obviously" needs rules—only to be met with passionate disagreement from fellow authors who believed that rules would destroy the sense of wonder inherent in fantasy. “You can’t have rules for your magic, Brandon!” they enthused, “It ruins everything!”
But in that moment, the Brandon Sanderson we know and love was born. That spark of creative tension became the catalyst for Sanderson's deep exploration of his own style of storytelling. As he reflects, "These are observations about what have made my own magic systems better—in the way I like to design them. Therefore, they are laws that I try to follow in my writing."
It makes sense that Sanderson’s opinion was so polarizing. John Campbell, one of the most influential and important editors in the history of science fiction, once argued:
“The major distinction between fantasy and science fiction is, simply, that science fiction uses one, or a very, very few new postulates, and develops the rigidly consistent logical consequences of these limited postulates. Fantasy makes its rules as it goes along...The basic nature of fantasy is “The only rule is, make up a new rule any time you need one!” The basic rule of science fiction is “Set up a basic proposition—then develop its consistent, logical consequences.”
Sanderson disagrees with this take. He says that while this might’ve been somewhat applicable in the early days of modern fantasy (Campbell wrote that statement in the 60s), it doesn’t acknowledge many of the defining works of the genre and the depth of their worldbuilding.
Turning our eyes back to the laws we’ll explore today, Sanderson emphasizes that these are not absolute commandments. "Remember that in writing, nothing is absolute," he notes. "I don't read a book and think to myself, 'I wonder how well this magic system follows Sanderson's Laws!'"
It’s worth noting that with that disclaimer in mind, Sanderson intentionally designed each of these three laws to be widely applicable to a variety of stories, genres, and types of writers. So regardless of if you’re trying to write a Sanderson-style epic fantasy, there’s something here for all writers.
Sanderson's First Law: Understanding Equals Magic
When he sat down to think through his own style of worldbuilding, Sanderson realized that there was a spectrum for fantasy novels. You have soft magic systems, which are perfectly valid (in fact, the founding father of modern fantasy himself, J.R.R. Tolkien, employs a lot of soft magic in The Lord of the Rings novels), and then you have hard magic systems, which leverage some guidelines from science fiction. Hard magic systems are often rooted in real-world science, or at least follow an internal logic system analogous to a sort of science.
Let’s explore this spectrum in a little more detail, and look at why this first law is as fundamental to magic as E = MC² is to physics.
Soft Magic Systems
In a soft magic system, the rules are deliberately obscure. Sanderson points to J.R.R. Tolkien as a quintessential example. In Tolkien's work, magic creates a sense of wonder and mystery. As Sanderson explains, "You rarely understand the capabilities of Wizards and their ilk. You, instead, spend your time identifying with the hobbits, who feel that they've been thrown into something much larger, and more dangerous, than themselves."
That fish-out-of-water feeling the hobbits experience is enhanced by the soft magic Gandalf displays in the books. (Now, you Tolkien nerds can’t hold us to the extra knowledge you gain about Gandalf in the supplementary texts, we’re just talking about what’s on the page in the main trilogy here. We’re keeping our eyes on you. 👀) That sense of wonder, intrigue, and even wariness is passed on to us as the readers.
Key characteristics of soft magic include:
- Maintaining a sense of wonder
- Creating narrative tension through uncertainty
- Using magic to complicate rather than solve problems (not always, but it can be a great use case)
Hard Magic Systems
In contrast, hard magic systems provide clear, understandable rules. Sanderson uses superhero narratives as a prime example. Take Spider-Man: readers know exactly what he can do—sense danger, possess superhuman strength, shoot webs, cling to walls.
As Sanderson notes, "We generally know exactly which powers Spider-man has and what they do." This clarity allows for more strategic and satisfying magical problem-solving.
Sanderson's Second Law: Limitations > Powers
This law challenges writers to focus on what characters cannot do, rather than what they can. Sanderson argues that a character's constraints are far more interesting than their abilities.
He illustrates this with Superman: "What makes Superman interesting? Two things: his code of ethics and his weakness to kryptonite."
Types of Magical Limitations
- Limitations: Fundamental constraints on magical abilities
- Weaknesses: Exploitable vulnerabilities
- Costs: Negative consequences of magical use
The Wheel of Time provides a compelling example. Male magic users gradually go insane—a cost that creates profound narrative tension and character depth.
Sanderson advises writers to view limitations as narrative opportunities: "An excellent limitation on a magic system will do several things:
- Force characters to work harder
- Increase narrative tension
- Add depth to worldbuilding
Sanderson's Third Law: Expand, Don't Add
In this law, Sanderson is looking out for you, ensuring you don’t catch "worldbuilder's disease"—the tendency to create increasingly complex magical systems without depth.
Sanderson cautions that "a brilliant magic system for a book is less often one with a thousand different powers and abilities—and is more often a magic system with relatively few powers that the author has considered in depth."
Strategies for Magical Depth
1. Extrapolate: Explore broader implications of magical abilities.
- Ask "What happens when..." questions.
- Examine how magic impacts society, economics, and cultures
2. Interconnect: Tie magical systems to broader themes. Connect powers thematically
- Connect powers thematically
- Ensure magical elements serve the story's core narrative
3. Streamline: Consolidate magical elements
- Combine existing magical concepts
- Avoid unnecessary complexity
The Philosophical Underpinnings
Sanderson emphasizes that these laws transcend magic systems. They are fundamentally about storytelling. To make our case, here are three ways that the philosophy of these laws apply beyond magic systems or fantastical abilities:
- Limitations make characters more compelling
- Depth matters more than breadth
- Understanding systemic constraints creates more engaging narratives
And, at the core of each of Sanderson’s laws, the goal is to do exactly the above. Make characters more compelling, add depth, and create more engaging narratives. They’re just incredibly applicable for new writers and veterans alike.
Practical Advice for Writers
In parting, we’d like to share a few bits of practical advice that you can start tinkering with in your story.
- Determine the emotional core of your magical system
- Create clear internal logic
- Avoid using magic as a convenient plot device
- Make characters work within their magical constraints
- Consider the broader implications of magical abilities
The Art of Deep Storytelling
Brandon Sanderson's laws are not rigid rules, but flexible guidelines. They encourage writers to think deeply about magical systems, viewing them as integral parts of storytelling rather than mere decorative elements.
As Sanderson eloquently puts it: "It's okay to go big. It's okay to go epic. But be sure to go deep as well."
Brandon laughs at himself a little to acknowledge that he did, in fact, name these laws after himself—but it’s not for a lack of humility. It’s because fundamentally these are Sanderson’s laws, they’re the rules he’s created for himself to guide his storytelling. Even Brandon breaks these laws on occasion!
The ultimate goal is not to create the most complex magic possible, but to use magic as a tool for deeper narrative exploration—to serve the story, illuminate characters, and create meaningful narrative tension.
