Writers in the Storm

by Janet Forbes

“If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine,” says Obi Wan Kenobi. 

It’s a really cool line. But as someone who writes Science Fiction and Fantasy, a little bell goes off in my head. How powerful? Powerful enough to do ANYTHING?

Because that’s a one-way ticket to a broken story. Overpowered items, superpowers that are just too super, or get-out-of-jail-free technology are easy to create by accident. And suddenly, your main characters have a “Travel-Sized Miracle Device” to solve every problem you throw at them. It’s a conflict killer.

And its not just SFF writers who have to deal with this. Even an everyday cell phone can mess up your story, and give your characters too many options.

When characters are TOO powerful, it’s hard to explain why they fail. But try-fail cycles are critical for story advancement, for keeping the Mary-Sue out of your dramatis personae, and for keeping characters active and stories interesting. 

Enter - the Triangle of Power.

No, it’s not some arcane casting ritual: it’s a tool you can use to balance your worldbuilding, stop abilities becoming too overpowered, and improve your narratives. 

What is the Triangle of Power in worldbuilding?

The Triangle of Power is my model to prevent magic and technology (and other abilities) from unbalancing your worldbuilding and throwing off your story. It consists of three “levers” you can adjust - Abilities, Cost, and Limitations. And for us, as writers and storytellers, these levers don’t just balance our worldbuilding and save our plots: they have SERIOUS storytelling potential too, if we use them right. 

And it’s not just for crazy magic and far-future technologies: everyday technology like cell phones ALSO obey the Triangle of Power, and work better in stories because of it. 

Abilities - what does it do?

It’s often easiest to first describe the core Ability. What does the magic, the technology, the psionics or superpower, do? What effect does it have? What change does it make to the world? Or what information does it reveals? For example:

• A cellphone lets you call someone, look things up, has a flashlight, maps and more
• The One Ring turns the wearer invisible
• The WARP drive allows the Starship Enterprise to travel faster than light
• The D&D spell “Zone of Truth” creates a 15 foot sphere in which everyone must tell the truth
• Superman is a veritable Swiss Army knife of special abilities: flying, cold breath, laser vision and more!

Sometimes abilities are more nebulous than these examples. And that’s OK too. For example, I was helping a writer with their fairy magic system in which pretty much anything is possible. In fact, that’s where costs and limitations become SUPER important. Because when anything is possible, it actually becomes harder to write the story, or explain why a character can’t just magic their way out of a problem.

Traditionally, Abilities are the shiny thing that people remember - it’s the side of the triangle that takes most of the focus. But it’s the one I’ll spend the least time on here because, in many ways, it’s actually the simplest. And funnily enough, although it seems the most exciting, it actually has less storytelling potential than the other two sides. 

Cost: what does it take?

The next side of the triangle is Cost. What kind of input is needed for the Ability to happen?

Going back to our previous examples, here are some costs of well-known abilities:

• A cellphone needs battery and payment to a network to keep it working
• Wearing the One Ring erodes your soul (creepy!) and also reveals your location to Sauron
• Star Trek’s Warp drives require “fuel” to run it. 
• The D&D spell “Zone of Truth” requires a spell slot. Some D&D spells also require material spell ingredients
• Superman needs radiation from our red sun in order for his super powers to work. Otherwise, he’s just Clark Kent in spandex and external underwear.

Costs might be dramatic and visceral - your soul (or someone else’s soul, like The Elder Scrolls soul gems), your blood, a heart or another body part (yours or someone else’s). They could be something less tangible, like energy, life force. The cost might be something that regenerates over time, like mana, spell slots, or stamina (after a good long lie in, you’ll be ready to cast spells again!) But it could also be something finite - like an item that disintegrates once its magic “charge” is used up.

Even a simple cost has story potential - how often did the Star Ship Voyager stall because they were out of deuterium, or have to engage in dodgy dealings to resupply? Or how about the archetypal villain, harvesting souls to power a  doomsday device? Passive characters can be the death of a story, and seeking out the costs needed for an ability is a great way to compel your protagonists and antagonists into action! Whether they have to buy, steal, mine, retrieve, or negotiate for it, a cost can inject action into your story.

But costs can also create really interesting character moments. A cost could be “consequences”. For example what if, as you heal this person in front of you, you’re stealing the life force from someone else? What does it say about the character who uses this magic? 

Or perhaps you’re desperate enough to steal luck from tomorrow so you can win at cards? Just know that you’ll be banging into coffee tables and dropping your toast butter-side-down for the rest of the week.

And a cost may not be immediately obvious to a character. Having them slowly realise the cost of an ability as the story progresses has great character development potential. As a bonus, it’s a great way to pace the learning curve of your worldbuilding exposition.

Limitations: What It Can’t Do? 

Kryptonite was first introduced to comic mythos because Superman's invulnerability was considered "boring". And that’s exactly why you need Limitations.

In the Triangle of Power, Limitations are…. the other stuff. In D&D these are common: something only works within 30 feet, or can be blocked by a dead magic zone. In science fiction, limitations are important too: a dust storm or radiation can block your radars or clog your engines. A piece of tech might only work in earth-like gravity, or a spell might only work during a planetary alignment.

You’ll notice that Limitations are different from Costs. Cost is like an input - souls, mana, blood, spell-slots. Limitations are more like conditions that must either be met (like special circumstances) or must be avoided, like “interference”. 

Going back to our previous examples, here are some Limitations of those well known examples:

• A cellphone can’t work underground, or where there’s no cell service. It’s susceptible to getting wet and can also be damaged fairly easily
• Everything from subspace interference to ion storms disrupts Star Trek’s Warp drive
• The D&D spell “Zone of Truth” takes a few seconds to cast (it doesn’t happen instantly) and only lasts 10 mins. It has range limitations, and not everyone can cast it - only powerful enough magic users of the right class.
• The One Ring has one of the most interesting limitations - it makes its own decisions about who it wants to carry it. To quote Gandalf: “It was not Gollum, Frodo, but the Ring itself that decided things. The Ring left him.” (from Fellowship of the Ring).
• The presence of Kryptonite, in its various hues, can remove Superman’s powers, memory or his inhibitions

Limitations can include “nerf” zones, like dead magic zones or specific environmental conditions, like gravity, temperature or altitude. Bloodlines - or being the chosen one - is a common limitation for magic users. Limitations can be duration specific - an item might only work for a certain amount of time before overheating - or time specific (a magic that only works at night, for example).

So why bother introducing Limitations to the Triangle of Power? Well, limitations force characters to try something new, even when they’ve already got their hands on the ALL POWERFUL ARTIFACT. This guards against your characters repeating the same actions, and using the same Ability (read: magic or tech) to solve every problem. It makes them get creative, which makes for more interesting stories! 

Of course, you have to be careful. Using the same limitation too often can feel cliche, like the old “cell phone with no signal”. But, having your characters bump up against limitations can be a powerful start to a try-fail cycle.

Theme and Balance in the Triangle of Power

So ability, cost, limitations are the fundamental building blocks of your magic items, spells, powers and technology. But there’s one more thing: your ingredients have to work together.

To start with, your ingredients - that is, the sides of your triangle - should be about the same “size”. If the item with WORLD ENDING POWER only demands a drop of blood as a cost, and has no meaningful limitations, then it’s going to be pretty world breaking. Literally anyone who gets their mitts on is going to derail your story pretty quickly. Apocalypses everywhere.

But if your ABILITY is to Summon Cthulhu (a pretty mighty worldending power), then a good COST should also be hefty - maybe the immortal soul of an angel, something significant and difficult to source. And the LIMITATION might be something just as rare, like “when the planets align” (it’s a classic for a reason, just sayin’).

And if your ability is something small, like “manifest a single drop of holy water,” then the costs and limitations should be small - or no one will use it! For example, one drop of holy water (power)  costs a single drop of blood, and you can do it once an hour - that’s the only limitation. It’s a small power, with small costs and limitations. 

For more advanced worldbuilders there are ways around a totally equal Triangle of Power: like doubling limitations and removing costs. You can also tweak the weight of costs and limitations to make magic easier or harder in your world. Low magic worlds might have extreme costs and limitations, which only the desperate would bother negotiating. And that brings me to mood and theme.

Because, as with everything else in worldbuilding, it’s important that your Triangle of Power fits your story’s mood and themes. That’s critical for creating the atmosphere you want, and making it feel real and connected.

If your magic’s cost is the blood of a hundred virgins, but your power is bringing back the marshmallow fairies, then you need to take a long, hard look at your worldbuilding. This item is balanced, but it’s still broken – it betrays the spirit of whatever you’re trying to tell the audience. That is, unless your marshmallow fairies are really freaking scary. In which case, keep them away from me. 

Keep things balanced and themed, and your abilities will be as memorable as the One Ring, the Warp Drive, an iconic D&D spell or even Superman. 

As always with Worldbuilding - write it down!

Even the best ideas get forgotten! If you’ve gone to the trouble of creating awesome Abilities, fascinating Costs and rich, world-based Limitations, make sure you keep a note of them, and link them to the people, places and things in your world. A worldbuilding software like World Anvil is the perfect place to keep them, and it integrates seamlessly with manuscripts, the novel writing software! 

I really hope the Triangle of Power inspires you to create - and balance - some fascinating new things in your world. If you want more, I’ve created a Triangle of Power video with more examples. 

Do you already use costs and limitations in your stories? How have they helped… and have they ever gotten in your way?

About Janet

Janet Forbes (she/her) is not just a multi-lingual, multi-cultural mongrel, but a published fantasy author, professional worldbuilding consultant, and game developer. In 2017 she co-founded World Anvil (https://www.worldanvil.com), the award-winning worldbuilding, writing and tabletop RPG platform which boasts a community of over 3 million users. 

Top image created by Janet Forbes in Canva.

Writers read because they love experiencing the “trip to another place in someone else’s head” but also to expand their vocabulary, learn diverse writing styles and techniques, and gain a deeper understanding of storytelling and reader expectations, ultimately improving their own craft. 

If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” - Stephen King, On Writing

What We can Learn from Reading Different Genres

Horror stories build dread more consistently than any other genre. These stories express and explore fear in big and small ways.

Need help with dialog? Romance fiction features engaging banter between people and explores passion (and not just in a sexual way.)

Good science fiction creates a level of suspension of disbelief and explores big questions about humanity, science and technology.

If you have concerns about your world building skills, read fantasy. Well-written fantasy novels have systems maintaining realism in their worlds, societies, and magic systems that readers willingly accept.

Need to improve your plotting skills? Read Mysteries. Mysteries feature intricate story structures that weave clues and red herrings with thought and detail.

And of course, there are or on subjects you might wish to explore in your writing. 

We're asking each other what is on our reading list but we don't limit it to physical books. Fiction and non-fiction come in lots of formats these days: visual, audio, digital, and physical. So feel free to include blogs, audiobooks, YouTube channels, or podcasts. It's all part of your reading list.

What WITS Authors are Reading

Jenn

Currently I am reading the new Hunger Games novel, Sunrise on the Reaping but Suzanne Collins. Before that I worked my way through the Gild series by Raven Kennedy.

My TBR list is long and I am trying my best to chip away at it these days, but so many good books keeping coming out!

Jenny

I'm often reading multiple books at once, and they're always in different genres. My day job books are usually non-fiction, and focus on necessary skills. Which means my leisure book at that same time will be much lighter. Below are my current reads.

Non-fiction

The Storyteller's Secret by Carmine Gallo. He also wrote, "Talk Like TED." From the blurb: "..communication expert Carmine Gallo reveals the keys to telling powerful stories that inspire, motivate, educate, build brands, launch movements, and change lives." I'm several chapters in, and taking notes like crazy. He is totally living up to the hype.

Fiction

Look on the Bright Side by Kristan Higgins. I just started this book, and it is already making me laugh. It's definitely a good summer beach read, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the love story develops between "Dr. Satan" (the super-repressed hero) and Dr. Smith, the new resident whose tender heart and quick-to-cry compassion just got her kicked out of oncology.

Lynette

I'm obsessed with Karin Nordin, a behavior change expert and CEO of Body Brain Alliance. I've found her YouTube videos helpful in identifying ways to improve my behaviors so I can be healthier in mind and body and that makes me a more productive writer.

The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey is my guilty pleasure reading and an inspiration and illustration of relationship and tension building in another world.

Lisa

Reading isn't just my passion, it also falls into my job description. I have the best job.

Non-fiction

Experience Jesus. Really: Finding Refuge, Strength, and Wonder through Everyday Encounters with God by John Eldredge. I'm a big fan of anything John or Stacy Eldredge write. While these are Christianity focused, they often have hugely applicable real-world themes. In this one, he proposes that we may have become disciples of the internet, losing our sense of wonder and replacing it with the need to know everything right away. He then goes into how this impacts our lives.

Fiction

Tentative title: Empire (forthcoming) by Victoria Bley. We're doing final prep on this historical fiction before publication and I get to spend my time with Borte and Temujen (better known as Ghenghis Khan), delighting in their romance while trying to remember that I'm supposed to be watching for errors.

Reading with Your Writer Hat On

Sometimes a writer cannot help but read with her writer hat on and analyze the story as she reads. Other times the reader in her won't let go of an engaging character or story line. Neither is wrong or right. We read for many reasons and no matter what we read, it feeds our writer brain.

Inspire us with your choices. Please share what's on your reading list in the comments.

by Andrea Grigg

I entered the writing world reasonably late in life – the year I turned fifty. I came home from work one day (I taught fifth graders) and decided it was time to start writing the story that had been rumbling around in my head for a few years. I had no training, no notion how I was supposed to go about it other than I needed a beginning, a middle and an end, and that my book was a romance, my favorite genre to read. 

With a mental oh well, here goes nothing, I opened my laptop and typed ‘Chapter One’.

First words led to...

The words poured out of me. Tripped over themselves. Fought to get onto that Word document as fast as humanly possible. And then, as if that wasn’t a big enough rush, I had a moment. A spooky moment. One I’ll never, ever forget. 

I was typing a bunch of dialogue for my two main characters, Nick and Lainey. I’d had this scene in my head for a long time. Knew what needed to be said, the way it would be said, how the whole convo would go. 

Except it didn’t.

My fingers started typing words I hadn’t thought of. The conversation shot off in a different direction. And then the goosebumps started. I was Nick. I was Lainey. 

I had been hijacked. 

By my own characters. 

From then on, every night after dinner, I escaped to my room with my laptop for a couple of hours. It took me sixteen months to finish my first draft, but that’s because it was massive. Stupid big. I’d written my characters’ story from the moment they met at eight, until they had their HEA at twenty-seven.  But size didn’t matter. The whole thing flowed like the Orinoco.

Once I’d learned the meaning of ‘in media res', I cut my book in half. Countless drafts later, I submitted it, and A Simple Mistake was picked up by a small press. Two years later, my second book came out. It had been much harder to write, but with a lot of help from my critique partner (love you, Catherine!) I made my deadline. Two years after that, I was part of an indie novella collection. Writing that first draft was like pushing a peanut across the floor with my nose, worn down to the cartilage by the time I sprawled over the line just in time. 

Why was it so hard to finish a draft? I could still come up with characters, work out their wounds and flaws and wants and needs, come up with ideas for scenes. I could even get up to twenty thousand words per story, but after that? 

Crickets. Cicadas. Grasshoppers. And locusts. Don’t forget the locusts. Hordes of them. Non-stop and loud. 

What was wrong with me? 

Why couldn’t I write?

I refused to give up. I read craft books. Read blogs, tried everything they suggested. Made myself open my laptop most days only to get disappointed again and again and again when my brain would throw up its hands, saying, ‘Nuh-uh. Not doing this today, baby’. 

The worst was when I went to a workshop held by a relatively successful Australian author, hoping to get help, only to be told in a very stern tone, ‘There’s no such thing as writer’s block. It’s just a lack of self-discipline.’ I already had one of her books at home. I threw it out.

This went on for seven years. Seven. Long. Years. 

It seemed to me I was doing everything I could to claw my way out of my deep dark bunker. I had tons of support so what was wrong with me? The frustration was epic.

My Journey

Let me preface the next bit by saying this is my journey. It may not be anyone else’s. But I have the utmost empathy for anyone who experiences what I have been going through. And if my story can help even one writer, I will be over-the-moon-and-around-the-stars happy. 

And then … I read Becca Syme’s book, ‘Dear Writer You Need to Quit.’ 

Sounds a tad alarming, doesn’t it? But, under the title it lists three things: What to keep, what to quit, what to question. And I needed to know.

I’d been told this book was right up my alley, and it absolutely was. It gave me hope and encouragement and a light at the end of the tunnel I knew wasn’t an oncoming train. Many things spoke to me, but the one that grabbed me was the one giving me permission to question the old adage ‘You can’t edit a blank page.’ 

This mantra had taken over my brain and was not helpful. Then Becca explained how some people need time to think about their story and have it all in their head, even do a bunch of editing before they type Chapter One. 

Wait. That was how I’d written my first book, right? I’d dreamed up scenes, then adjusted and adjusted and adjusted some more before I’d put anything onto a word document. And it was okay to be this way? Huh. 

The way I was wired.

Then I came across Becca’s ‘The Author Stuck List’, where she describes the six most common reasons writers get stuck. And for two of them, all I could think was wow-wow-wow! 

I learned: 

• It’s okay to have a whole book in my head before I start writing.
• It’s okay not to be able to write if I can’t visualise a scene like a movie in front of me. 
• It’s okay to take time to research the details rather than leave markers to come back to.
• It’s understandable for me not to be able to create if I’m all peopled out.
• It’s understandable for me not to be able to create if I’ve been busy taking care of others. 

Becca got me! She understood how I was wired.  She knew why I’d got stuck! 

And finally, so did I. 

When I look back over the last few years, I can see why my creativity dried up. I’m not going to go into more detail than that because some of the reasons for my stuckness are personal. 

But that’s precisely the point. 

Writer’s block is personal. 

It’s true that sometimes the answer to writer’s block is a matter of exercising self-discipline, like sticking to a writing routine or restricting time spent doom scrolling. It’s also true that sometimes the answer is to go psychologically deeper.

So, after my plethora of light bulb moments, would the words start coming now? 

No, not necessarily, because some of the reasons for my lack of creativity are still to be navigated. However, there are some very positive signs. The load of guilt for not getting words on a page has lessened significantly. My imagination is flowing more freely. My PhD in procrastination is getting a little dusty.

I’ve also been giving myself permission to do whatever writerly thing I want. Mostly I’ve been outlining and researching and working on characterisation on several books. Some people would think that’s crazy, but I’ve loved it! And if that’s getting me back in the game, then why not? The upside is, it’s helped me put on my brave, open my laptop and add several hundred fresh words to a WIP. Twice! 

Early days yet, but I think I might be on to something <wink>

Has anyone else experienced writer’s block for this long? Is anyone like me, still emerging? I’d love to hear tips and thoughts from those who’ve made it to the other side. 

About Andrea

Andrea Grigg has been a reader of romance novels forever although she never expected to end up writing them!

Born in New Zealand, Andrea moved to Australia where she promptly met her husband.(Good move, wasn't it?)

As well as raising three children - all now adults - Andrea taught ten-year-olds for a number of years but has now retired in order to write. Because she loves it.

Her first book, 'A Simple Mistake', a contemporary Christian romance, was published in 2012, and 'Too Pretty' followed in 2014. However, she is now re-writing those and transforming them into sweet rom-coms.

In the meantime, please enjoy reading her novella, 'All is Bright', a Christmas story you can read all year round.

AndreaGrigg.com • Amazon • Twitter • Facebook