Thread by @Joannechocolat

This one's interesting, and I've never tried it. Follow #TenThingsAboutMagicRealism to collect them all!

https://twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1434477522524286982

1. Magic realism has many forms. I'm using the term in its loosest form, which is, as I see it, the inclusion of fantasy or magical elements in an otherwise "realistic", real-world narrative. #TenThingsAboutMagicRealism

2. The first thing is to ensure the reader's suspension of disbelief. That means making the "realistic" aspects of your real-world scenario as familiar and relatable as possible. That way your fantasy will have a solid background on which to play. #TenThingsAboutMagicRealism

3. I find that sense-impressions help a lot here: so do universal experiences. That's why so much magic realism is set against a background of food and domesticity. Readers are more likely to accept a new idea if it accompanies something familiar. #TenThingsAboutMagicRealism

4. The more immersive, the better the suspension of disbelief. That means using tastes, smells and physical sensations. #TenThingsAboutMagicRealism

5. I find that it's much easier to write magical realism from the protagonist's POV, that is, first-person or close third. That way, anyone who doesn't buy into the magical aspects can be allowed to believe that it's a unique character perspective. #TenThingsAboutMagicRealism

6. The more characters share in the magical perspective, the less easy it is to keep the magic-realism plates spinning. Because real-world magic is subjective, you'll need to work out how the different characters see or relate to it. #TenThingsAboutMagicRealism

7. Whatever your perspective, remember that magic always has rules. Whether you're using an existing magical system (eg, runes, divination, High Magic, etc) or one of your own invention, you need to know and establish the rules (and stick to them). #TenThingsAboutMagicRealism

8. Be careful when doing this: no-one likes an infodump. It's better to feed information gradually to your reader throughout your story. #TenThingsAboutMagicRealism

9. Example: imagine your protagonist has a cat, invisible to other characters. In three scenes: 1: Show that no-one else can see the cat. 2: Show that the cat can communicate information to the protagonist. 3: Reveal that the cat sees dead people. #TenThingsAboutMagicRealism

10. Of course it's up to you which magical elements you want to use in your narrative. They can be as small as a talking cat, or as large as a whole expanded fantasy world. But keep your real world close at all times, and as tangible as possible. #TenThingsAboutMagicRealism

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