Writing a story about witches need help?

im writing a story about witches and i need help with spells and things like that, i want to have the family like be witches from the time of the mayflower, i want to also have voodoo and hoodoo in it please help.

Writing a story about witches need help?
Saint Toad's answer is good. Do some research into herbal healing. Alot of the "wise woman" traditions were real. Science has finally figured out that the "folklore" had to have some basis in fact, and are finding that many plants do live up to their "witchy reputation."

My personal favorite is lemon balm. Used for centuries, at least, as an herb in healing spells, it has now been found to contain strong antibiotic and anti-viral compounds. As an added bonus, the anti-viral compounds survive the drying process.

If you use any of this type of lore in your story, try to find the "old names" for the herbs. Using lemon balm as an example again, it was known as melissa, bee balm, sweet balm, sweet melissa, and lemon balsam.
Reply:If it's a family tradition, it might be less structured. Focusing on your intention (what you want to happen), and reciting a quantrain or poem is a method some family trads use. This is more about shaping the world around you. Hoodon is more involved in spirits, which usually reside within the land and plants, rocks, lakes and stuff. It can involve trance work and can use alcohol and drugs to help the trance. If things go right, the trancer might get 'ridden' by a loah, or spirit, and 'possessed' for a short period. This usually involves ecstatic dancing, extremely high leaps, healings, sometimes prophecy and the person won't remember anything about it the next day. Have you read Ann Rice's books about the Mayfair family of witches? They involved a spirit called Lasher.
Reply:The best thing you can do it your own research. I cannot outline the whole practice of witchcraft here, but there are books you can look at. Go to the new age section of your local bookstore and browse in the witchcraft section. You may feel silly, but hey. Google witchcraft/voodoo/hoodoo as well, that will bring up a lot of info, as well as googling different witchcraft traditions. If you're writing about witches, be creative. Don't just recite someone's Wiccan ritual out of a book. Like the person above me said, respect other religions.



Read other fantasy novels on magic and witches, and this will also help. Don't copy obviously, but this will give you a starting ground to create your own witch characters.



Hope I helped, good luck!
Reply:If you would like to read a story I wrote about witches, send me an email (Put "witch story" in the subject) and I will send you a copy of the story. The story is called The Good Witch.

It is kind of long and may offend some people.

I put a lot of research into it. I even spoke with some of the local witches about it. It's a very interesting subject. For instance, did you know most witches claim to be good witches. They worship nature much like the Native Americans do.

Good luck with your project.
Reply:look into herblore for that is what they would have used for many spells.



also look at old books such as 'the discoverie of witchcraft" by reginald scot as it has a lot of the superstition and anti witch hysteria of those times.
Reply:"Drawing Down the Moon" by Shakti Gawain
Reply:on google type in witches spells
Reply:Be considrate of us Wiccans while doing this....,thanks

Ren

larry