Tips for Writing Magical Realism
If you’ve ever read a story where strange and surreal events happen without any of the characters batting an eye or giving any explanation then you were probably reading a magical realism story.
A story is considered magical realism when the “magical” events appear as commonplace in the story’s world. Strange happenings occur but no one stops to question them. This genre is quite popular in Latin American literature and Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude is usually named as a prime example.
While One Hundred Years of Solitude is on the extreme end of the magical realism spectrum, there are other novels that employ this technique of storytelling in a much milder way, such as V.E. Shwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue or Zoraida Córdova’s The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina.
If you’ve ever found yourself interested in learning how to write magical realism, then read on for some tips to get you started!
Ground the magic in reality
In magical realism, magical elements are accepted as part of the real world. Strange and supernatural things happen without raising eyebrows. Don’t over-explain the magic; instead, integrate it seamlessly into ordinary life. The magical should be treated as ordinary by the characters.
Example: A character might casually grow wings or talk to ghosts, but no one finds it unusual.
Focus on sensory details
Magical realism is full of vivid, sensory descriptions that incorporate both the real and the magical seamlessly as one. Bring focus to how the magic feels, smells, sounds, and looks, without making it the center of attention.
Example: Focus on a character feeling the warmth of sunlight on their skin while floating in the air, but the floating is less important than the sensation of warmth.
Explore themes of culture and identity
Magical realism often plays with larger themes such as cultural identity or social issues. It’s a genre frequently used to express the richness and complexity of a culture or to highlight tensions between modernity and tradition. Incorporate folklore, myths, or the history of a place as natural parts of the narrative.
Example: In a Latinx story, a character may claim they stood in the welfare line beside La Llorona – a popular mythological figure in Latinx culture – and remarks on it like it’s commonplace.
Subtle and symbolic magic
The magic in magical realism is often subtle, symbolic, or metaphorical. It might represent emotions, societal changes, cultural identity, or personal transformations. Use magical elements to express deeper meanings or truths.
Example: A town where it always rains might represent the ongoing sadness of the people who live there. Flowers blooming from a person’s chest might symbolize love or growth.
Maintain a dreamlike quality
There’s often a surreal, dreamlike tone in magical realism. The lines between reality and fantasy become blurred. Events might happen that seem out of the ordinary, yet the characters don’t question them. Embrace this element to create an atmosphere that feels both familiar and yet strange.
Example: Don’t hold back from experimenting and allowing your narrative to follow unexpected paths or sudden shifts in logic like it would happen in a dream.
Mix the ordinary with the extraordinary
Keep your magical elements small and matter-of-fact, especially in contrast to a mundane or darker setting. This contrast is what makes magical realism so engaging.
Example: Think of ordinary people doing ordinary things but with an extraordinary twist (a baker who whispers spells into bread dough, a seamstress who sews a large blanket to cover an entire town during winter).
Let go of traditional plot structures
Magical realism often disregards traditional plot arcs in favor of a more circular or episodic structure. The story might meander, focus more on character or theme, and end ambiguously.
Example: The story might focus less on resolution and more on presenting a world where magical elements simply coexist with everyday life, the focus of the story remaining with the metaphors presented to make a greater statement.
Use metaphors as reality
In magical realism, metaphors can become literal. If you describe someone as having a heavy heart, they may physically carry a heavy artifact on their chest (picture a character who has an anvil embedded on their chest). This allows you to explore emotions and themes in an unconventional and creative way.
Stepping into writing magical realism can seem a bit daunting at first. But with a bit of determination, it doesn’t have to be! These few tips should be able to get you started. Once you have a full manuscript written, an editor can help guide you so that your magical realism story is one your intended audience won’t be able to put down!