I'm Being Taken Seriously as an Author and I'm Scared

[Thumper Forge (Όρκος)]

For awhile now, I've been playing around with the idea of a practical guide to witchcraft from a Discordian perspective. Basically, it's the book I wish existed when I first fell down the Pagan rabbit hole eleventy-thousand years ago. I'd been working under the impression that no one except me would ever want to read it, but through a series of events that are at least partly Eris' fault (THANKS, ERIS), there is now communication with an editor and submission of proposal forms and a slight but tantalizing chance that this will turn into an actual thing.

I am emphatically not trying to Found a New Tradition of Witchcraft of Which I Am the Supreme or anything douchey like that -- this is just my disco, and your disco may vary. But I am very curious as to what other Discordians might want to see in it. What would be of interest or use to you? What would make you want to burn it, or give it as a mean-spirited gift to someone you strongly dislike? What would make you giggle, or be all "FUCK YEAH, DISCO WITCH"? Any and all feedback is welcome, including constructive criticism and eyerolls. At this point, I really just want to see where the project goes.

Thanks muchly!

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

I think it would be wise to acknowledge the existence of kopyleft Discordian materials, and to open up strong with "this is MY Disco, take what you want, leave what you don't, check out other peoples' shit and consult your penial gland."

Discordia is a very DIY tradition, so I think the best way to go would be to introduce examples of how you do it, but also to include "this is the process I used to get where I am" and some examples that are extremely contradictory.  A Discordian who doesn't break their own dogma is definitely not the kind of person I wanna hang out with.

As the author of PS: You're Pope! I authorize its use in your commercial endeavor, with or without the current layout. If you want to change the text I'm gonna ask for approval. Credit to "QGP: Holy Nonsense" if you use it.

[The Wizard Joseph]

Also... What makes it Discordian witchcraft as compared to other mystical practices? Discordian can be applied to almost anything. Is this about how to add a little Eris to the pot or about a pot labeled Discordia all its own? How might Eris and Hecate get along, or not? I like the project concept. I am just asking questions to better understand your intent.

[The Johnny]

Personally, in a sense, Eris is like a rottweiler and we're her chewtoys; so by all means squeak and divert her attention from the rest of us.

And i would recommend never asking her to surprise you.

[chaotic neutral observer]

⚠️ Instruction manuals for power tools have inline warnings; a guide to discordian witchcraft should have the same.  Tell the reader how they can screw this up, and what the potential consequences are.

Break your reader's pre-conceptions, that this is the same-old hippy-dippy witchcraft.

Maybe include a section dedicated to "safety first", "how to know when you're doing it wrong", "how to do it wrong on purpose", and possibly some boilerplate declaring that the author is not responsible for any physical, metaphysical, psychical, or metapsychical injury.

I'm not really your target audience though.  My mental mapping for witchcraft involves molten metal and noxious fumes.

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

⚠️ Instruction manuals for power tools have inline warnings; a guide to discordian witchcraft should have the same.  Tell the reader how they can screw this up, and what the potential consequences are.

Break your reader's pre-conceptions, that this is the same-old hippy-dippy witchcraft.

Maybe include a section dedicated to "safety first", "how to know when you're doing it wrong", "how to do it wrong on purpose", and possibly some boilerplate declaring that the author is not responsible for any physical, metaphysical, psychical, or metapsychical injury.

I'm not really your target audience though.  My mental mapping for witchcraft involves molten metal and noxious fumes.

I would like to subscribe to this newsletter....

[Thumper Forge (Όρκος)]

I think it would be wise to acknowledge the existence of kopyleft Discordian materials, and to open up strong with "this is MY Disco, take what you want, leave what you don't, check out other peoples' shit and consult your penial gland."

Sound advice. I was already planning on mentioning kopyleft and All Rites Reversed in the introduction, but I will definitely make sure to emphasize the DIY aspect of the work, and that it is MY way, not THE way.

A Discordian who doesn't break their own dogma is definitely not the kind of person I wanna hang out with.

Noted.

As the author of PS: You're Pope! I authorize its use in your commercial endeavor, with or without the current layout. If you want to change the text I'm gonna ask for approval. Credit to "QGP: Holy Nonsense" if you use it.

Much obliged! There are some pieces on your website that I would love to include, so I will keep you posted on the project as it develops.

Thanks so much!

[Thumper Forge (Όρκος)]

... so by all means squeak and divert her attention from the rest of us.

I will do my best. I will also work something clever about squeaky toys into the acknowledgements for you.

[Thumper Forge (Όρκος)]

Is this about how to add a little Eris to the pot or about a pot labeled Discordia all its own?

A bit of both, I think. I don't want to reinvent recognizable/workable ritual structure, but I do want to subvert it to an extent. There will be info on how to work with the Discordian Elements instead of the classical Four Elements, notes on the Discordian Apostles and their spheres of influence, etc. (I am 100% convinced that Dr. Van Van Mojo is a cognate of St. Cyprian and will die on this hill.)

How might Eris and Hecate get along, or not?

That is a damn good question. My pineal gland says that they may not be friends per se, but that they do have a solid working relationship. I will keep meditating on this and let you know what I find out.

[Thumper Forge (Όρκος)]

⚠️ Instruction manuals for power tools have inline warnings; a guide to discordian witchcraft should have the same.  Tell the reader how they can screw this up, and what the potential consequences are.

Absolutely. There's a line from Paul Huson's Mastering Witchcraft that I've been keeping in mind as I work on this: "Don't delude yourself. The minute you set foot upon the path of witchcraft, a call rings out in the unseen world announcing the fact of your arrival." While I'm not handing over the keys to a nuclear submarine, I do want my readers to understand that people have effed themselves up pretty spectacularly doing less crazy shit than we're getting into.

Break your reader's pre-conceptions, that this is the same-old hippy-dippy witchcraft.

This is 100% my goal.

"safety first", "how to know when you're doing it wrong", "how to do it wrong on purpose"

"How to do it wrong on purpose" is sheer fucking brilliance, and I am reworking my current outline as we speak.

My mental mapping for witchcraft involves molten metal and noxious fumes.

One of my covenmates is a blacksmith. I will get with him and try to come up with some interesting molten metal/noxious fume spells.

All of your feedback was awesome and sincerely appreciated. Thank you!

[Thumper Forge (Όρκος)]

I would like to subscribe to this newsletter....

SAAAAAME.

[Q. G. Pennyworth]

As the author of PS: You're Pope! I authorize its use in your commercial endeavor, with or without the current layout. If you want to change the text I'm gonna ask for approval. Credit to "QGP: Holy Nonsense" if you use it.

Much obliged! There are some pieces on your website that I would love to include, so I will keep you posted on the project as it develops.

Thanks so much!

There are 90 contributors as of the latest count, some of whom are now completely unreachable, but I'll do my best to put you in contact with the right people.

[The Johnny]

... so by all means squeak and divert her attention from the rest of us.

I will do my best. I will also work something clever about squeaky toys into the acknowledgements for you.

I like this.