In addition to being the commissioning editor for Compass Books, Suzanne Ruthven is also editor of the popular quarterly creative writing magazine, The New Writer (which she produces in partnership with literary agent, and publisher, Merric Davidson). She lives in County Tipperary, Ireland.

The Pagan Writers’ Guide

Writing for Pagan and MB&S Publications

By Mélusine Draco

John Hunt Publishing Ltd.

Copyright © 2013 Mélusine Draco
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-78279-108-9

Contents

About the Author…………………………………………………..viiiChapter One – In The Beginning There Was The Word……………………..1Chapter Two – Pagan Magazines……………………………………….28Chapter Three – Pagan Book Publishers………………………………..44Chapter Four – The On-Line Pagan Community……………………………55Chapter Five – A Pagan Reference Library……………………………..63Conclusion………………………………………………………..85

CHAPTER 1

In The Beginning There Was The Word

‘I want to be a pagan author and write for the pagan community’ …’Can you tell me how to get published?’

Two separate postings on the Internet suggested that paganwriting has finally moved from the ‘hidden’ into mainstreamwhere readers are becoming more circumspect in their choice ofmaterial; and that it was time to produce a serious guide forwould-be pagan writers. Firstly, in answer to the blog posting,writing for the pagan community is no different from writing forany other readership – so we need to learn the basic rules beforedeciding whether we have any talent worth pursuing. After that,it will depend on the level of our own expertise as to whetheranyone will look favourably on our submissions.

Pagan publishing has now spread across the world and thereis no shortage of opportunities for writers, whether it be in printor on-line. The pagan voice is ‘heard on every wind’ and thereare markets everywhere in the English-speaking world. The onlinecommunity spreads the word to the furthest reaches of theglobe, and book reviews give pagan authors far more coveragethan they could have generated in years of traditional marketing.

One mainstream review was in response to TraditionalWitchcraft for the Seashore and the second posting – on AndyLloyd’s Book Reviews – suggested there might be an opening fora serious guide. ‘The learning is multi-disciplinary, and feelsalmost as if one is studying a textbook written by a poet. Yet thescience collated in these pages is interesting and pragmatic,’wrote the kindly Mr Lloyd. ‘Intermingled with the factual informationis much about rituals, superstitions, beach treasures tocollect for magical means and, of course, spell-casting.’

Generally speaking, today’s paganism falls into four differentelements, which in turn separates the different approaches andlevels of magical practice, and subsequently, the writing. Eachcategory requires that it should be written for, and read by,followers at that level of ‘learning’ to avoid any misunderstandings.A considerable amount of magical writing can beincomprehensible to those who have not been schooled in thatparticular path or tradition – so we begin at the beginning andwork ourselves up through the spheres of Knowledge, Wisdomand Understanding. And we start by accepting that there is adivide between the various approaches to paganism and magicalpractice.

• Animistic: The belief that everything animate andinanimate has its own life force, such as that which formsthe basis of shamanism, Shinto, Aboriginal, NativeAmerican, etc.,

• Eclectic: Selecting or borrowing from a variety of styles,systems, theories, beliefs, etc., as commonly found inmodern paganism and Wicca.

• Syncretic: The attempt to reconcile different systems ofbelief; the fusion or blending of religions, as by identificationof gods, taking over of observances, or selection ofwhatever seems best in each; often producing a seeminglyillogical compromise in belief. This approach is found inmany aspects of Western Ritual Magic, and the initiatorybranches of the European and British esoteric groups.

• Synergetic: Combined or co-ordinated action; increasedeffect of two elements obtained by using them together.The combining of ancient wisdom with modern magicalapplications, as in the case of the Egyptian MysteryTradition, Old Craft, the Norse traditions and Druidism.

Regardless of our own personal levels of esoteric learning, weneed to go back to the basics of creative writing and see whattricks of the trade we can utilise. We will see why editors andpublishers are inundated with submissions of a certain kind – andwhat we can do to give our writing ‘editor appeal’. We willlearn how to develop ideas via lateral thinking, and develop theart of ‘seeing’ through an editor’s eyes, i.e. visualisation.

Back To Basics

How many times do we read (or heed) the advice about hookingan editor’s attention? How many writers fail to appreciate that ifthe editor (or publisher) isn’t hooked right from the start oursubmission will be rejected? And it doesn’t matter whether weare talking about non-fiction or fiction, short stories or novels,poetry or prose – it must have something to make the readerwant to turn the page. If it fails to entice in the openingsentences, then we will be lucky if the professional reader evenbothers to go to the next paragraph.

Exercise

What exactly is a hook?

It is a simple device for introducing our subject with impact,rather than long-winded preamble. That opening line or firstparagraph is the most important part of the whole piece. It maybe a challenging statement. A question. Brilliant use of languageor analogy. Evocative description of a person, place or thing. Andit doesn’t matter how brilliant the rest of our work may be – aneditor isn’t even going to read it unless we’ve hooked theirattention right from the start.

Our first exercise is to study a selection of pagan magazines.

We may already subscribe to one or more; in which case we willbe familiar with the differences in house-style. Begin by readingthe editorial and any submission guidelines – these are includedin the magazine, or found on the website – and make notes aboutthe type of material in each publication. Into which categories dothe majority of these subjects fall? Divination … herb craft …Tarot … astrology … healing … crystals … witchcraft … magic?Which of these are your favourite subjects – and the one youknow most about?

Now check the opening lines of each article and see how eachwriter has introduced their subject. Is it with a bang – or awhimper? Are the title and sub-title eye-catching? Do they makestrong, bold statements to introduce the topic, or paint a subtlerpicture? Is there a clear indication of what the article is about?Make a note of those beginnings you find striking … and thosethat don’t raise any interest at all. Now try writing a few introductions– one or two sentences – to your favourite subject, whilewe have a quick look how pagan publishing has evolved.

In The Beginning …

Things were in the past a lot different with pagan or esotericpublishing. There were no glossy subscription magazines,although Psychic News (1932) and Prediction (1936) magazinescould be found on the top shelf at the larger newsagents. The1960s and 70s saw an embryonic sub-culture of esotericmagazines and newsletters begin to flourish as undergroundpresses, including The Wiccan (1969), which later became PaganDawn (journal of the Pagan Federation), with The Cauldron, editedby Michael Howard, and the Fortean Times seeing the light of dayin 1976.

But it was the Lamp of Thoth, edited by Chris Bray of theSorcerer’s Apprentice that for me conjures up fond memories andnostalgia for those ‘bad old days’. LOT was publishedthroughout the 1980s and it was via its pages many of us ‘gainedaccess to the wider world of the British occult scene’ as Phil Hinewrote recently – he later began publishing Pagan News in the late1980s.

There are a few of us who can remember the Gestetner, astencil-duplicating machine; the first piece of office equipment toproduce numerous copies of documents quickly and inexpensively… and barely decipherably. The majority of pagan publicationswere produced by this means, which probably accountsfor the defective eyesight of the old brigade! There were dozensof different publications produced at secret addresses, and it wasa magical quest in itself tracking down those we wanted to read.As the era of desk-top publishing dawned, the productionmethods improved and, by the mid 1990s, the remaining titlesevolved into professionally produced independent magazinessuch as Pentacle and The Cauldron.

One thing that has never changed, however, is these havealways been non-paying markets, with individual contributorssupporting them because of their commitment to the Old Ways,and the preservation of esoteric knowledge and traditions. As faras the would-be pagan writer is concerned, this is hardly likelyto change – simply because the most well known authors areperfectly willing to submit material without a fee and willcontinue to do so. Because these magazines are non-paying, itshould not be thought they are in any way inferior since thoselong-standing members of the pagan community judge thecontent more critically than would a more commercialreadership.

For new writers, Pagan Dawn and Pentacle are the places to’cut the writing teeth’ because they offer the best introduction tothe world of publishing that often straddles the pagan and’mind, body and spirit’ genres. Read these magazines regularlyand it helps us discover what’s what and who’s who in the paganbook and magazine world – and this exercise should be viewedas serving an apprenticeship before attempting to move topaying outlets.

Positive Mental Attitude

Once a writer crosses that great divide between writing for profitrather than pleasure, there are certain realities that need to betaken into account. Twenty years ago, the world of pagan writingprovided hundreds of outlets for writers with varying levels oftalent. There were opportunities galore for even the mostmediocre. All this has changed and even the amateur freelancenow needs a highly professional approach if they wish to succeedin an extremely competitive industry.

In other words, we need to develop PMA (positive mentalattitude) when it comes to writing because this re quires a processof conditioning. Unfor tunately, many tutors still foster the myththat everyone can be taught to write professionally and profitably– this is not so. As a parallel, you might manage a nifty round ofgolf, but it doesn’t mean you’re des tined for the Ryder Cup; youmay achieve something in the local club event – but it’s notGleneagles. PMA demands that we analyse our own abilities andwhat we can realistically achieve. Reading about writing,attending workshops and subscribing to magazines does notmake you a writer. Publication does – especially if it’s paid andon a regular basis.

Having confidence in our own ability helps. So does understandingthe basics of researching the markets; to grasp where wesee ourselves fitting into the scheme of things. We also discoverthat those writing for fun and those writing for financial rewardspeak a different language, viewing the situation from a differentperspective. People write for all sorts of reasons – and all of themvalid – but the process of developing PMA towards the craft ofwriting means that we’ve got to choose between competing withthe winners – or just talking with the also-rans.

The point often made about those ‘scratching a living’ fromwriting isn’t exaggeration. Most freelances waste more timetrying to drum up living expenses than they do writing. In fact,they need a stronger sense of PMA than those writing purely forpleasure. A serious writer cannot afford not to develop PMA ifthey are to survive in a competitive environment.

How can we define PMA?

Ambition or aspiration, perhaps. For either the writer still needsan extra ingredient – which can be more accurately described as’the strength to dream’. As we get older, we lose the ability tohold onto a dream; life’s disappointments knock the stuffing outof us, and our dreams turn to dust. Without ambition, without adream, without positive mental attitude, any writer will struggleagainst the tide.

The majority of writers experience their first successes amongwhat was at one time referred to as the ‘small presses’ – independent,sole-participant publications, but again the valueof this marketplace should never be undervalued. But the daywill come when you have to make the decision to break out andaim for mainstream pub lication. If you are content to remainwith the ‘one man and his dog’ operation, fine, but don’t criticisethose who decide to aim higher. Over the years there have beensome exceptional writers whose capabilities suggested greaterthings but because of a lack of PMA, they remained within thesmall presses, rather than risk rejection in a more challengingarena.

• Positive mental attitude gives us the ability to access ourown strengths and weaknesses.

• It refuses to allow us to be precious about our own writingbecause if it’s that good why isn’t it selling?

• It prevents us from convincing ourselves that an editor isan idiot because they haven’t seen the point. If the editorhasn’t seen it, it’s because we haven’t made it clearlyenough.

• It encourages us to compare our writing to that publishedin the various magazines where we would like to see ourby-line appear.

• It prevents us from setting our goals too high because thiscan quickly lead to disillusionment.

• And it helps us to face the fact that rejection slips will come.

The bulk of pagan writing is non-fiction and everyone has someaspect of their life that can be worked into a publishable article,so let’s see if we can learn a few of those tricks of the trade. Nonfictionisn’t an easy way out; it has all the quirks of fiction writingand then some … What it does provide is the discipline forwriting, economy of language, the cut and thrust of submissionand rejection, a higher rate of acceptances – and it pays better,too. And, while this is going on, you can still work on your novel,short stories and poetry, because mastering fiction writing canadd that extra zest to brighten up the dullest fact in non-fiction.The best way of developing PMA is to get to know and understandourselves – and who knows where it will lead if we retainthe strength to dream.

Fiction and Verse – Earth, Air, Fire and Water

There is a dearth of outlets for pagan fiction, but hopefully this isgradually changing. If we go to the Moon Books Facebook page,we can see that there has been a long-running debate about thepossibility of including pagan fiction and poetry despite the factthat this will probably not be a money-spinner for the publisher.As a compromise, publisher Trevor Greenfield has introduced’subsidy’ fiction (see Interview in Chapter Four) along the lines ofthe highly successful Troubador/Matador scheme; and is consideringthe addition of a ‘poetry page’ to the Moon Books blog.

Esoteric fiction has been around for a long time and is responsiblefor encouraging further exploration into the (then) hiddenrealms of witchcraft and ritual magic by genuine seekers afterenlightenment. The most popular author being Dion Fortune,whose series of novels managed to impart sufficient informationto set thousands on the quest for The Demon Lover, The WingedBull, The Sea-Priestess, Moon Magic and The Goat-Foot God. Just asintriguing but less known were Aleister Crowley’s Moon Child(originally The Butterfly Net) and The Scrutinies of Simon Iff.

Esoteric fiction differs from horror and fantasy in that it isbased on genuine magical ‘truths’. It shouldn’t just ‘suspenddisbelief’ – it needs to draw the reader into the ‘hidden’ world tosuch a degree that there is realisation of what genuine magic isall about – if we can only find the key. The fiction of Americanauthor H P Lovecraft, for example, gave birth to a whole newcult, based on some ‘fifty-three stories and assorted fragments …all of which are based upon a bizarre and terrifying occultmythology.’ Originally written for the cheap pulp horrormagazines of his time (1890-1937), they have subsequentlygained a reputation for having genuinely powerful occult significance.

By contrast, Arthur Machen, regarded as one of the finest ofWelsh mystical writers, was for a short time a member of theOrder of the Golden Dawn, although most of his best storieshave a ‘hint of pantheist mystery about them, and are far awayfrom the theatre of ritual’. His most popular works include TheGreat God Pan (1890), The Hill of Dreams (1895) and The ThreeImposters (1895).

Good esoteric fiction doesn’t rely on shock tactics to enthralthe reader; it is the dripping of genuine occult lore into the story,so that the lines become blurred between fact and fiction, thatmatters. If the pagan reader is aware of glaring errors, then thestory loses its power, although non-pagans will hardly be awareof the underlying occult significance. For example, this shortstory was originally written for the Canongate Prize with thetheme of ‘Sinning’, but as that publishing house has more than alittle Christian bias, it’s not surprising it didn’t find favour withthe judges. The story was later accepted for publication by DarkFiction magazine and The New Writer … and contains quite a few’truths’ for the unsuspecting reader.
(Continues…)Excerpted from The Pagan Writers’ Guide by Mélusine Draco. Copyright © 2013 Mélusine Draco. Excerpted by permission of John Hunt Publishing Ltd..
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