I'm trying to write about a protagonist during their daily life attending a magic school. But I can't fathom a way to do that without making it boring. Whenever I think of my time at school I can only remember it being boring. The six classes they will have are: 1. Evocation - example: fireballs abjuration - example: force fields 2. Conjuration - example: summoning illusion - example: invisibility 3. Transmutation - example: turn bronze to steel enchantment - example: turn sword into fire sword 4. Divination - example: future sight 5. Physical Education - some kind of wizard sport that includes fireballs, force fields, flying, illusion, and divination 6. Foreign language - fiendish/demonic; it's the fifth most common language in this world I saw a video on youtube about the subject from the channel terrible writing advice that said focusing on building on the world/magic system, and show the protagonist practicing their craft, showing the schools rules for magic safety would be good. But that doesn't sound very fun, does it? It seems like a fun thing to add for flavor or context, but not the thing that should be the main focus. Should I make it slice of life? How do I write slice of life without making it boring? Also should I make it more of a high school or university? Or should I just have the school be a backdrop to the actual thing that's going on? I'm very lost as to how to make a school life story seem interesting. Should I make the doings with the romanticnisses? Or perhaps comedy!? ORRR make it focused on the school sport!??!?! Ohhh, I think I might do that! Orrr I could make it like my hero aca and shoukugeki no soma where there are basically regular occurrences of students facing off each other in one on one deathbattles! Hmmm, much to think about. Eh, I think I'd rather have it be slice of life/comedy rather than a shounen battle. But, ah, how to make slice of life interesting/entertaining/good?
Read "A Returner's Magic Should Be Special" for reference, it has some slice of life elements, but it has a weak writing, though it's one of the hottest webtoons right now.
Good advice but i dont think it really builds up to what the op needs as op wants to define the school and education system where as returners magic tends to build up more towards the shadow world and less towards the more school life op is kinda aiming for
Personally, I'd focus on what the main character plans to learn in the school. Have it be something unusual, come up with some conflict over it, perhaps have too much obsession over it, and make sure you don't dump the specifics of the magic on the reader. I'll be taking whatever you do as a point of reference for the school arc in my book whatever you choose to do.
Advice: just do it. Write it. Boring or not is not for you to decide. Your skill will improve over time
If there's anything I noticed at magic school setting, most of them doesn't really focus on the 'learning' but on how they'll use it, and most of the time it involves competition. Edit: Unless academic performance is important, like "Baka & Test - Summon the Beasts" in which the characters have to rely on their test scores which would become the basis of their damage. You can also watch/read "Akashic Records of Bastard Magic Instructor" for incantation system. Ah, I forgot the Class hierarchy and the Student hierarchy, where class and student ranking matters.
Maybe try putting yourself in place of the school's headmaster and from there build the school? And then maybe think about what freedom of action you want your character to have access of. Afterwards you could just bend what needs to be bended, little bits of exposition can fill the holes assuming you haven't settled on the (world) setting entirely— which seems to be the case. At least this is what I would probably do if I was semi-serious about writing anything. Edit: This is in regards to setting. ofc.
I've found the best way to make something not boring is to make it funny. So if you're worried that what they're learning in class is boring, then show what happens when someone screws it up. It's been a while since I read it, but I'm pretty sure that was how Harry Potter handled things in its first book.
I would make the learning interesting by adding interaction and drama. People don't remember class they remember what happened in class, use it add some humor or flush out. I would say do what you like for the setting and focus, but high school is overdone, and teenagers are a pain. Examples: Foreign language Professor blablabla: "fiendish is an emotional language, powerful emotion transmitted through directly to the soul. Therefore the first phrase you will learn is 'I AM FU*KING UGLY' (Fiendish) it means hello remember to yell it out. " records the whole thing Enchantment: making a golem for out of dirt out of to clean house process takes time, so I left the room for a bit. In that time Phill threw up in the magic circle, Jessica tip over a trash can and Dave released the smelliest fart ever. I came back to see the abomination named it bob and use it to scare away kids instead.
I would go for an University it sound less stiff and boring than plain old high school but that just what i think I kinda like a school setting if it is not 100% of the story
Some magic novels that would probably give you some inspiration on what you want to do are. mahouka koukou no rettousei Book eating magician Antimagic Academy 35th Test Platoon
^ I agree; just be careful to avoid the distasteful kind. As in the one that makes you want to stop reading.
Try to look at Devine throne of primordial blood. The school arc isn't just about tournament,fighting,slapping and killing so maybe that would help.
I finally remembered, the route to slice of life magic school is the "misunderstood protagonist" trope, a story that focuses about the life of a glorified weak mc.
Ai-chan has several questions: 1) How many days in a week? What are the names of the days? 2) Do all the subjects get taught every day? If so, which days are the holidays? 3) Does the protagonist take all the subjects? 4) What kind of magic school is it? Is it merit-based (ability matters) or class-based (social status matters)? 5) Where is the magic school located? Smack-dab in the middle of the city, on its own land outside cities or beside dangerous areas such as wasteland or monster forest? Alternatively, you can try take some pointers from Academagia: The Making of Mages. It's a visual novel about your entire year as a student at a magic school.
Alright. *cracks knuckles* 1) I haven't thought about that. Maybe I'll have it something to do with their gods or maybe I'll just copy the ones in real life. I know it adds a layer of immersion and backstory for the world, but I dislike it when a fantasy series has a different made up name for everything. But really I haven't thought about it that much. 2) Yes, all of the subjects get taught every school day. I haven't thought about that. 3) Yes, she does. 4) It will be merit based. But I am going to have elitism with social rank, races, and who is devoted to which gods. But I don't think it'll be focused on. Maybe a comment here or there. 5) It's in the noble district of the city, so in the inner layer. and within that layer at its center will be the castle. I've given some thought on the actual layout of the city like the market district, housing district, specialty stores, and government buildings. But I haven't drawn it out.
I've started it like this: Spoiler: First page A blackboard that still had visible smudge marks from leftover chalk. Written on it and underlined was: Evocation’s Elemental Effects. And under that in smaller letters read: Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Acid. A gnome wearing a robe was pacing in front of the board and said, “Can anyone tell me the aftereffects that would occur to individuals subjected to a strong enough evocation of hail for an extended period of time?” Facing the chalkboard were six rows of of long desks, each row situated five people, and were more elevated the further back in the classroom that the desk was. Under these desks were separated compartments that stored books, pencils and erasers. A human girl with chestnut hair and lively eyes raised her hand. The gnome - professor Raulnor looked at her, gave her an affirming nod and said, “Yes, Margaret?” She answered, “They would be covered in an ice layer of varying thickness, depending on the strength of the evocation. And the ice layer itself would cause stiffness of the limbs to complete inability to move them at all, again, depending on the strength of the evocation.” “Well done, “ said professor Raulnor in a cheerful tone. This is Domenarum, the magic university of Eldrina, a city originally built by human hands. But those who reside are of all eight races; humans, elves, dwarves, demidragons, tieflings, halfings, half-orcs, and gnomes. Half the other civilizations in Homend are distrustful of the other races for some reason or another, making Eldrina a hotspot of differing cultures and trade. Margaret Masterson, a student attending Domenarum, is in her Evocation class. Evocation was a branch of magic that focused on how to use offense-based magic. Most who specialized in it went on to join the military or adventurer’s league. I think what I'll do next is have the bell ring and introduce her friends.