Exploring the Power of Storytelling, Cultural Representation, and the Consequences of Human Ambition
Award-winning author T.N. Baldwin delves into the origins of magicium, the challenges of blending fantasy with dystopian fiction, and the deeper societal themes embedded within The Magicium Series.
T.N. Baldwin is a storyteller whose journey from childhood aspirations to award-winning authorship is as compelling as the narratives he crafts. Growing up in outback Australia, his passion for writing began early, but it was only years later, after a dream ignited his imagination, that he found the idea that would define his literary career. The Magicium Series, a fusion of dystopian fiction and fantasy, showcases his ability to blend the real and the fantastical, creating a world that is both immersive and thought-provoking.
With a background in English and Drama teaching across three continents, Baldwin brings a unique perspective to his writing, drawing from diverse cultures and landscapes to enrich his storytelling. His experiences in theatre and education have honed his ability to craft emotionally resonant narratives, ensuring that his readers are both entertained and challenged. Through The Magicium Series, he explores themes of power, history, and the consequences of human ambition, offering a critical lens on society while delivering gripping, character-driven tales.
In this exclusive interview, Baldwin shares the origins of magicium, the challenges of world-building, and the deeper messages woven into his work. His insights into the creative process, cultural representation, and the power of storytelling offer invaluable inspiration to aspiring writers and avid readers alike.
A masterful storyteller, T.N. Baldwin crafts a gripping world that challenges perceptions, immerses readers in intricate narratives, and leaves them questioning the balance of power and history.
What inspired you to create the unique concept of magicium in The Magicium Series?
The Magicium Series actually came about through a dream while I was living and teaching in the UK. I had long hoped to write a novel but had never manufactured an idea that made my heart sing. In the dream, I imagined a dystopian world where humankind became victims of their own hubris through the discovery of the chemical element for magic. Having also dreamt of mythical creatures, which have always fascinated me, I dubbed the element ‘magicium’ and developed a reason why these creatures were now in charge. I wanted to write a novel from the age of six, and for the first time in my life, I had an idea that would get people excited. The properties and reasons for magicium’s existence developed from there.
How did your experiences as an English and Drama teacher influence the development of your novels?
Teaching gave me amazing opportunities to travel. I’ve taught in both Canada and the UK for a year and took every opportunity to immerse myself in new experiences. This exposure heightened an interest in different physical landscapes and cultures, which inspired me to set the novels in our world rather than creating a new fantasy one.
The other benefit of English and Drama teaching is the opportunities for creativity. Exposure to great literature, a long-held passion for reading, and experiencing and directing theatre, all fed my belief that little is impossible if you dream big enough.
Could you elaborate on the role of Abominations in your series and their significance to the overarching narrative?
Abominations wasn’t their original name – but I think it works! A-boms is the general name humans gave to the mythical creatures created through magicium – an insult, as is often our wont for those we perceive as less than human. They reflect our society’s, and especially our leaders’, need to control and oppress the marginalised. And so often, in our arrogance, we as humans become complacent with the status quo and don’t realise when events are spinning beyond our control. That was the moment history was rewritten, when the Abominations banded together and turned on us, driving humankind underground. They make the Open a dangerous and unpredictable place. Each species has quirks and behaviours that add colour and depth to the narrative, especially as humanity attempts to redeem itself.
What challenges did you face in blending elements of fantasy and dystopian fiction within your work?
One of the toughest challenges was finding the right pitch! So many elements contributed to how the series was realised and what it’s about, making it difficult to nail it down in 1-2 sentences. I still don’t think I have quite hit it.
The other challenge has been representing cultures accurately. Despite exposure to many cultures, despite endless hours of research, I have relied on sensitivity readers and others’ brains to depict cultures without swathing them in stereotypes. Add the idiosyncrasies of the different Abominations and it becomes challenging to blend interactions across culture and species.
How do you approach world-building to create the immersive settings found in your novels?
A lot of my immersion has been through visiting so many countries. Like most authors, I also spend a lot of time in research, whether that be through reading, images, videos or personal encounters. At the same time, because humankind lives underground in the series, I find myself conducting geological research and considering how the geology of a region might influence specific cultures’ tendencies. The one advantage I have is that the novels are set in real places, however transformed they might be.
What themes do you aim to explore through the events and characters in The Magicium Series?
Like many authors, I’m interested in focusing on the human experience through a critical lens. One key idea is how quickly we forget the mistakes of history. I remember in 2012, when living in Canada, the abuses of children by Joseph Kony through his Lord’s Resistance Army made waves in the Western world. Like many such campaigns, this one amounted to little and we quickly moved on to the next ‘cause’. A single death is a tragedy on our news – and it should be – but mainstream media barely reports when dozens and hundreds are killed in African or South American or Middle Eastern nations. We forget the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and civil wars in Africa the moment we become distracted by the next shiny object. Where are our moral compasses in a world like this?
“A single death is a tragedy on our news – and it should be – but mainstream media barely reports when dozens and hundreds are killed elsewhere.” – T.N. Baldwin
How has your background in teaching and directing plays informed your storytelling techniques?
Everyone loves an anecdote. Delivering a lecture can make a person think, it might make them feel, it can inspire – but a story immerses them so they have no choice. My background has helped me think about the emotional journey, how I want my readers to respond, and to write to that. And despite this goal, one of the best parts is that sometimes you don’t realise how or who your scene will hit!
What advice would you offer to aspiring authors looking to develop their own unique worlds and narratives?
You’ll know the moment the right idea strikes you. After decades of believing the chance to write a novel had passed me by, the moment that bolt from the blue ran through my body, I knew I’d never be the same. So keep searching. Live the human experience. Seek to know others’ stories. Seek to understand your own. And then get those words down on paper, no matter how terrible they look in the first draft. You can edit a terrible sentence, page, chapter – but you can’t edit a blank page.
