Essentials of Worldbuilding

Readers will judge your story largely on aesthetics. First they will consider how many apostrophes your names have, and second they will judge how cool your mages are when they cast spells. Wands are mega dorky, fit only for schoolchildren, which makes them the best choice for 96% of fantasy and 134% of YA fantasy. Staves are for old people, suitable for elderly mentors. Using your hands alone or creating luminescent magic circles out of nothing is what brash go-getters do. Using your mind or internal magical processes makes an adaptation less appealing. Casting from a big book is the ultimate in arcane coolness. Bookmark this post and keep it in mind when sculpting your setting.