HP fanfiction: where is the magic?

[valis2]

Writing in a fandom has its perks.


Every fandom has its own set of canon rules, its own clichés, its own unique set of challenges and strengths. Those writing for X-Men get the chance to write origins for new superheroes. Those writing for Star Wars get to throw down with Jedi.

Harry Potter?

We get magic.

With just a length of wood and a few key words (or none at all, in some cases) we can destroy solid matter. We can force another to our will. We can produce a bouquet of flowers.

The possibilities are exhilarating.

I was reading a fic by one of my favorite HP fanfic writers, and it occurred to me that one of the things that draws me to her version of the HPverse is not just the exotic settings she explores. It's her use of magic. Magic for her is something to be explored and explained, something organic and fluid.

Which brings me to the reason for this entry. We have a tremendous source of inspiration for our fanfics; it's the open-ended magic system that JKR created. Many of us bring this world to life, creating a version of the HPverse where magic is an integral part of the world.

And then some of us barely scratch the surface of it.

I can't count the number of HP fanfics I've read where magic is secondary to everything else. Certainly, spells figure into the narrative flow. The plots call for someone to be under the Cruciatus Curse, for someone to hold another at wandpoint, for someone to use the Killing Curse. But once the narrative flow does not implicitly require those actions, magic takes a step back, and the characters behave almost as if there is no magic.

In writing, plot matters. Characterization matters. Language matters. And details matter.

Sometimes after I've read a fic I can't remember the OC's name. But a tiny, throwaway detail--a garden full of octupus plants--will linger with me for a long, long time. These details remind us that we have left our reality behind and brought out our imagination to play in a magical world. These tiny moments matter to the overall fic. They make the fic live and breathe.

I just re-read a passage in PoA, and in it Lupin makes tea by touching his wand to a battered teakettle, which immediately begins to whistle. Those tiny little details deepen and enrich JKR's world. I remember being absolutely delighted while reading HBP, loving that feeling of excitement as we turned corners and found new bits and pieces of magic.

How many fanfics out there have taken the time to invent new spells? And not just a spell to further the plot's flow. What I mean is a small spell, not central to the plot, something unique and interesting. How many fanfics contain a new Weasley twins invention? A new and amusing candy? A magical plant? A canon spell, used in a creative new manner?

The point is that taking shortcuts in writing sometimes robs your writing of what it needs to make an impression on a reader. I've talked before about taking shortcuts in characterization. In this case, I'm specifically talking about taking shortcuts in atmosphere. Many of the characters in HP are witches and wizards. Some of them have grown up in an almost entirely magical world. Though there are many parallels to the Muggle world, the fact remains that they only need to wave a wand to bring about many of the things they want. Yes, children aren't allowed to use wands outside of school, but they are still living in a magical environment, and that shapes them in a different manner than a Muggle child. To render this world in a convincing manner, we as writers need to place ourselves within the magical world, and think about their environment thoroughly.

One of the best things about HP fandom is how much room there is in it. Though we may be more constricted in our narratives concerning certain canon characters since HBP, we still have so much to explore in terms of world and environment. We can do so many things easily that other fandoms have to bend over backwards to accomplish.

Here's to hoping for more great, truly magical fanfic.

ETA: I apparently haven't made my point clear here. I'm not saying that people should invent incredibly powerful spells, or spells that somehow reach past the obvious bounds of canon. I'm not saying that characters should do everything with spells. I'm not even saying that characters should be All Magic All The Time. I'm just saying that writers should remember that this is first and foremost a magical world, and that many of the characters who are in it (especially the adult characters!) have known and used magic their entire lives, and that we should try to make certain that we include small, magical details that will ring true. I was simply pointing out the lack of details such as new kinds of candy and tile floors that heat themselves. Easy things that people who can do magic would invent and/or do to make their lives more pleasant. These are the things I love in JKR's writing, and these things are all too often missing from fanfiction.

Comments

[furiosity.livejournal.com]

Yes times infinity, yes. Magic is SO under-used and under-appreciated in most HP fic. I always try to come up with new devices/potions/spells but I try to write them in unobtrusively, because when a fic has four paragraphs of dry prose explaining how a spell or device works, it's pretty distracting. But I love reading about new magic, writing it, yes. It's one of the best parts of HP. :D

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I always try to come up with new devices/potions/spells but I try to write them in unobtrusively

*applauds* Too awesome. You're right, lengthy explanations can definitely take away some of the "magic".

A tiny, throwaway detail in the background...I love those. I love it when a writer really does her homework.

[rexluscus.livejournal.com]

I think most of my favorite HP fics include a lot of atmospheric magical details - not big stuff, not plot-driving stuff (though the ones that DO use magic to drive the plot and do it well are often incredible) but just details that make the story come to life. Just as in non-fantasy stories, it matters to your characterization whether someone drinks Twinings Earl Grey or loose tea of some special blend or warm, flat beer in a coffee mug, the little magical details are a large part of your available resources for defining your characters.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

the little magical details are a large part of your available resources for defining your characters.

Oh, exactly! That extra time you take putting a bit of thought into something nearly always pays off. Readers love those little moments.

I remember reading about Ice Mice in canon for the first time and thinking it was one of the most interesting candies...

[ziasudra-fic.livejournal.com]

I find myself agreeing, but only vis-à-vis my own limited exposure to stories other than slash and the occasional het. I don't read many gen fics, and I wonder if gen ficcers tend to incorporate more magic into their stories, since romance between two (or more) major characters isn't the central focus in gen fics.

I also wonder if there are authors who purposely decide not to use magic if doing so appears to be taking the "easy way out" to solving problems. I know I've debated with myself the merit of writing the characters using lubrication spells vs. doing it the Muggle way.

That said, it'd be neat to see more magical details like new twins inventions or a garden full of octopus plants. I'm not one to say no to the magical :)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Hmm...that's very true, I should have mentioned that I only read adult character!fic, and that perhaps Trio!fic has more magical invention in it.

Gen!fic, too. Very good point!

You're right...it could look like the easy way out, but still, it's a magical world, and magic is so easily called upon...

And I am now suddenly obsessed with an octopus's garden. hee!

[topaz-eyes.livejournal.com]

Here from the Snitch... and may I say *word*. How can there be HP fanfic without the magic? The characters can and should wield magic like breathing in fanfic but I often don't see it. I think, in the slash circles where I hang out, the romance/sex takes precedence over the magic. At least that's what I tend to read.

OTOH, I've written fics where I've tried to invent new spells, and it's actually quite hard to do in a convincing manner. My grasp of Latin is non-existent, for one. *g*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I think, in the slash circles where I hang out, the romance/sex takes precedence over the magic.

Hmm...that could be true as well. When the writer is wrapped up in the hawt sex...magic could get neglected, as there is magic of a different kind happening. *grins*

Yeah, it is difficult to come up with a convincing spell! I agree. Usually it takes a bit of effort.

[jen-deben.livejournal.com]

I have a few thoughts on this, although I don't have much of a point to make. :-)

1) Magic is a bit of a dangerous thing to have in a story, because you can literally do anything with it - which means you can suck the tension right out of your story by making every problem solvable with the flick of a wand. It can't be too easy for your protagonist to solve his or her problems with magic, or the story becomes dull and your protagonist becomes a Mary/Gary Sue.

JKR set up certain rules when she invented her world, and a fanfic writer that invents too much magic beyond what JKR did might end up with a flat uninteresting fanfic. Small things, like a new Weasley invention, aren't a problem, but restraint is the key.

2) There's no consensus about why people read and write fanfic, but I think that it's simply because the original world and characters in canon were so convincing that they "came to life" inside the reader's head. If the reader is herself a creative individual, then she might start coming up with her own stories for these very vivid characters that run about inside her skull. Fanfic and fanart result.

The thing is, if it's the characters, more than the world, that captured that reader's imagination, then she might be more interested in writing stories about the characters than about magic. That can be quite interesting, but I agree with you that the writer has to keep in mind that this is still JKR's world, and the existence of magic alters how these characters think and react. Magic is an essential part of who the characters are.

Basically I'm saying that a writer can go too far in either direction. Too much magic and the story becomes a wish-fulfillment fantasy, and too little magic leaves you with an original story that inexplicably has characters answering to HP names.

3) One of my favourite magic-moments in canon is when Harry tosses something at a garbage bin in Grimmauld Place and the garbage bin eats it (and burps). No bells or whistles; there's nothing malevolent about it - that's just what this garbage bin does.

If you put too much description in a fantasy or science fiction story, it becomes boring, so some writers try to hint at how their world works using the "edges" of ideas. Rather than explaining how it all functions, they just show a few little things - enough that your brain can fill in the blanks. This is the way JKR handles her world-building, with things like animate garbage cans and talking mirrors.

If I read you correctly, you're advocating that fanfic writers do this also - add a few hints of magic to their stories, to keep JKR's atmosphere intact. I would consider that very good advice, but it can be a tricky thing for an inexperienced writer to pull off well. As I said, you can go too far in both directions, and wind up with a weaker story because of it.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

1) Yes, if magic is going past the usual boundaries of canon, then it does become unbelievable, exactly.

2) Oh, yes, there is definitely a balance involved.

3) One of the other commenters mentioned that taking too long to describe the magical innovations is a sure way to defeat the purpose, absolutely.

It is a tricky thing, definitely, but worth doing well, in the end. Er, at least I think so. :)

The same could be said about HP fan art!

[ook.livejournal.com]

I see so much HP fan art (especially the adult art) that could come from ANY fandom. So many times, I see artwork that depicts a couple of naked people having sex with nothing to make it obvious that it's the HP universe (or even that they are even HP characters). I see a lot of artwork that could belong to ANY fandom and I only know it's HP because it is labelled as such.

It's the magic, background details, costumes, settings, and distinctive characterizations that make a piece of artwork (or a story) belong to the HP fan universe. Sure...the extra effort and detail make a piece of artwork more difficult to create, but that's just part of the challenge. :)

Re: The same could be said about HP fan art!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Y'know, I had never even thought about fanart. Funny, huh? Though in adult art, they do seem a bit more preoccupied with each other than with the workings of magic...*grins*

Oh yes, the background details would be nice, to help the piece stand out as a HP piece, I think you're right.

[mariannelee.livejournal.com]

Something I always love to see in a fanfic -- the author adding to JKR's universe with spells and magical creatures. It brings the story to life.

When I first started writing LLP, I did a lot of that. It was creative and fun. Since the story is growing deeper into the relationships, I'm glad to have this reminder to keep it up.

I have to agree with one of your other commenters -- with magic you have to be careful not to let it take care of everything. I find that in using the magic in the story that I often have to explain why they can't use magic, for some plot reason that necessitates its absence. With the magic it would have been too easy, and there would be less drama. It also helps to keep your characters from coming across as Sues.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with one of your other commenters -- with magic you have to be careful not to let it take care of everything.

Oh, of course. There has to be a balance, somehow. It has to be plausible and also fit in with the characters and the canon universe. Only too true!

[cruisedirector]

I go back and forth on the use of magic, because I've seen spells themselves act as Mary Sues, facilitating things that would NEVER happen in the real world and therefore make it hard to relate to the characters in some ways, and because Rowling's magic is so damnably vague -- she has the whole history of magical Britain to explore and she hasn't, and I sometimes feel like *I* am Mary Sueing when I work it in. I also get hairy when magic is used for things like raising the dead; it starts to frustrate me in the same way Star Trek frustrates me, where no death can ever really move me because the character will be back by some phenomenal means eventually. I too love the casual magic, the teapots, the daily life conveniences that make wizards otherworldly yet still people we can relate to.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I too love the casual magic, the teapots, the daily life conveniences that make wizards otherworldly yet still people we can relate to.

Yes, this is precisely what I'm referring to! I love the teeny details that make stories really breathe.

I'm not certain if I made my original point clearly enough now. This is the third comment in a row that suggests that we restrain ourselves while writing about magic. *worries*

Y'know, talking about deaths on Star Trek makes me so grateful that JKR has not seen fit to resurrect Sirius. I hope she doesn't, either. It really is a truly brave thing to have a magical world where one cannot come back from the dead.

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

One of the most fun things about the canon potterverse is that magic is so routine. I mean, you never know when someone's going to use it for the most mundane of tasks such as the above example featuring Lupin's kettle or Molly's legendary "cream sauce"--then you turn around and someone's talking about killing curses, houses held up by magic and mind-bending spells like the fidelius.

When I wrote my fics (100 years ago) I tried very hard to keep in mind I was dealing with people who'd lived with magic in their day-to-day lives all their lives. It wasn't a novelty to them so if it was just as easy to do something like open a door by turning a knob as casting a spell they were far more likely to turn the knob.

However, magic was deeply instilled in them and a constant presence around them. The "tools of the trade" were ever present. My character regularly used specific objects that are recognizable to anyone interested in divination, but also a kind of magical planetarium sort of device she used for teaching astrology. I think what valis2 is thinking about are fics that go on and on without a thought or mention of magic at all. Now this is not to say these are bad stories, but they might as well be about someone's next door neighbors excpet that occassionaly someone Apparates or takes a birth-control "potion".

Yes, we've all read about Ravvyn Sapphire Goldenhair Sparklypoo who is an animagus, human torch and has xray vision when she arrives at Hogwarts, but aside from our beloved Sues, is it really that hard to keep the magic alive?

[valis2.livejournal.com]

It wasn't a novelty to them so if it was just as easy to do something like open a door by turning a knob as casting a spell they were far more likely to turn the knob.

Oh, exactly! Spells (most likely) fit pretty cohesively into their universe.

My character regularly used specific objects that are recognizable to anyone interested in divination, but also a kind of magical planetarium sort of device she used for teaching astrology.

Oh, very very cool! I love that. I'm certain the teachers have a few spells and items to help them contend with the students.

Stories where the characters only cast a spell or two at most, and seem to spend most of their time engaged in mostly unmagical behavior, somehow seem to me to waste the engagingly creative potential that is the HPverse. I just wish more people would spend time trying to inhabit the world from a magical person's perspective.

[(Anonymous)]

This is so true and one of the things that really bugs me about way too much HP fanfic. Because that is one of the loveliest things about HP, is the magic that permeates the world - as someone said, from the mundanity of cooking through two pages later the weirdest most esoteric mind-reading spells, and so on. I think this is where JKR's imagination really shines through. It's a special kind of fantasy, it's not the fantasy tropes of magic horses & enchanted daggers & all that crap we're all used to, it comes up with new things all the time. And - I don't want to be mean, but I think in a number of cases, the fanfic writers just don't have the creativity to use magic that way. Or they're not putting in the effort to. Most annoyingly to me is when they appear to just give up even trying & announce that the characters are living as Muggles. The hell? Why even write in the HP universe then?

[gillieweed.livejournal.com]

Oh, the "lving as muggles" thing is a classic. This is a tough one in some cases, we know that the ministry can 'detect' the use of magic, but are they monitoring everyone, everywhere all the time? (Every time I think about this, my mind gets full up with that Monty Python sketch about the "cat detector van") I suppose someone could make a good argument as to why someone can't use any magic at all for whatever reason, but to my mind, that would be a constant sourse of irritation to a character used to living in the WW and would certainly pop up in the course of the story somewhere! Alternately you have the writers who confuse living among muggles as living as muggles. Just because a witch/wizard has a flat in "muggle London" and wears muggle clothes doesn't mean he/she never uses any magic. Perhaps it's something as subtle as that character's "muggle" flat being a cool, comfortable 68 degrees (F) during a scorching heat wave. Or managing to step inside from the pouring rain completely dry. Magic doesn't always have to be WHIZBANG!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Just because a witch/wizard has a flat in "muggle London" and wears muggle clothes doesn't mean he/she never uses any magic.

Yes, and we have the GoF illustration of the tent that looks ordinary, but is larger inside than out!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

It's almost as if it's practical magic. You know, magic that can do some pretty awesome things, but also magic that can be put to use unlocking a door or cutting hair. I really love this magic system, and I agree, it's a special kind of fantasy.

Sometimes the wizards-as-Muggles fics just amaze me. When you've gone through so much effort to divorce a character from his natural surroundings it just begs the question...why? I mean, some writers can really pull it off brilliantly, but sometimes it's just a train wreck.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Here via the daily_snitch.

Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes. I've harped about this forever -- Writing Magic In HP Fanfiction (http://www.lumosdissendium.org/essays/HowToWriteMagic.htm).

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Icarus

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, I think I've read your essay before! *applauds enthusiastically*

I love how you break magic down into the different categories that JKR uses. So interesting.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Thank you for eloquent explanation of the importance of magic in HP. I think we need to form a club, or a... society or something. One dripping with spells and convenient charms.

Icarus

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Formicus Clubicus!

hee. ;)

[grey-fuzzy.livejournal.com]

I agree. Even in canon-- Imagine all of the things that the muggle world has made without magic! Shouldn't the magical world have absolutely amazing stuff, due to the magical resource that they have? It seems like they merely steal muggle inventions, and add magical touches.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

It seems like they merely steal muggle inventions, and add magical touches.

It does seem like that, sometimes, doesn't it? They seem like they're stuck in a different time period, as well. Quills, parchment, scrolls, candlelight, fireplaces...even gaslights...I always wonder how much influence the Muggle world exerts on the Wizarding world.

[aramintasnape.livejournal.com]

Interesting topic! I always find it difficult to get a good balance when writing - on the one hand, I'm trying to avoid describing every single action as a 'flick of the wand and it was done' or whatever, and on the other, sometimes I notice I've written pages and pages with only the merest hint that this is a magical universe at all! It's definitely something to think about and I'll be trying to keep it in mind when I'm writing :)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yes, you're absolutely right, there does have to be a balance in there. But I do think that leaving out magic is the other extreme! :)

[pojypojy.livejournal.com]

Just a quick comment...

I basically agree with you - many fanfic writers seem to simply forget about the *world* JKR created, its rules and peculiarities... On the other hand, Iìm not a great fan of "HP magic" either, since most of the times it seems just like a substitute for technology. Sure, Harry can have his arm bone grow back overnight, while in Muggle world this would have required massive surgery... But basically, magic most of the time appears to me just as an alternative - sometimes funny, sometimes inventive, other times uneffective or just uninteresting. There is a certain lack of mystery in most of the magic we've known so far. I know that having magic as soemthing that belongs to everyday life is one of HP's peculiarity, but I find more interesting to explore the cultural differences it implies than the magic itself. Do you remember the second Potterpals cartoon, where the Trio defeated Voldemort shooting him with an Uzi? It's a joke, but it's not that stupid in terms of logic. Are we sure that magic is the best way to do everything? Like, taking rid of Voldemort? On the other hand, we have Molly Weasley being mad at Arthur just because he wanted to try stitches... This is the kind of implication i'd like to see explored more often, rather than having magic just as a background element.

Just my two cents ;-)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

where the Trio defeated Voldemort shooting him with an Uzi? It's a joke, but it's not that stupid in terms of logic. Are we sure that magic is the best way to do everything?

Hmm...very interesting!

I like magic in fanfiction when it does what it's supposed to do in a logical manner, and when it's used creatively and thoughtfully. Though I am complaining about the lack of magic in this entry, its absence does certainly generate some interesting stories. Some of the most harrowing fics I've read have dealt with a wizard losing their powers, yet remaining alive, and having to deal with life without magic.