Word: noun: a single distinct meaningful element of speech or writing, used with others (or sometimes alone) to form a sentence and typically shown with space on either side when written or printed.
“Alone and out of context, the words held little power.”
Witch: noun: a follower or practitioner of modern witchcraft.
“The witch couldn’t help but notice how certain words empowered one another.”
Craft: verb: to make or produce with care, skill, or ingenuity.
“She used these words to craft entire worlds that brought her stories to life.”
Wait, Witchcraft??
Words can be a powerful thing. They can be used to express, explain, comfort, console, describe, announce, prevent, remind, and heal, among other things. As many know all too well, they can also be used as a weapon, even when the word itself is harmless. The definition of witchcraft is far too broad to be laid out with a simple definition, which is why I chose to define the word craft instead.
The word witch brings about different feelings and imagery for everyone. For some, a puckered-faced Bette Midler hollering, “sisteeeeeers!” is what comes to mind. For others, it may be the extensive and ongoing (yes, ongoing) persecution of men, women, and children assumed to practice witchcraft. Some believe that witches dance with the devil in the moonlight wearing nothing but a wicked smile (typically, these are the persecutors). Then, there are others who think back to the quiet girl in high school who wore all black and got bullied by the dickheads that eventually grew up to be shady salesmen and seedy heroin addicts. No, not me, but she was a friend of mine and actually quite nice once you got to know her.
Of course, much like any other religion or spiritual belief, witchcraft is still a broad term even for those who observe or practice it. Now, research into most of these other religions will typically deliver many resources for how to practice by traditional and modern standards. Unfortunately, the war on witches is not quite over in certain parts of the world and many religious communities still keep to the hysterical stigma spawned by politics and spread by fear. Throughout history, the teachings of the witch have been incinerated. Turned to ash along with the practitioner and even by the practitioner for fear of the former.
Ever since I was a little girl, witches and their history have been fascinating to me. It’s common knowledge that most victims of the witch trials were not witches. In fact, most were accused simply because of a petty dispute with a neighbor or because they didn’t adhere to societal expectations. Many of the witches that held my attention the most were about as harmless and misunderstood as the opossum.
These individuals would typically live on the outskirts of town, if not deeper into wooded areas where beneficial herbs grew freely and plentifully. They had a deep understanding and appreciation for the natural world and used this knowledge to create elixirs and salves. They were no more than healers, herbalists, and midwives. Quite frankly, they were freethinkers who knew enough about their surroundings to make medicines out of weeds that were just as effective as the ones doled out by the good doctor.
This way of life offered freedom and independence to those who chose to live it. Well, I don’t think I need to illustrate just how frightening this must have been for the good doctor and his compatriots, so I won’t. After all, this is just one of the many reasons powerful men chose to partake in fear-mongering and that isn’t necessarily what this post is about anyway. It’s about the term word witch.
So, Why Word Witch?
Identifying as a witch is something that has become increasingly popular in communities that allow it without fear of exile and persecution. Still, modern witches and their crafts aren’t necessarily one-size-fits-all. There are hearth witches, green witches, house witches, kitchen witches, Wiccans, Pagans, and more. Each individual has their own belief, tradition, commitment, and path. Some will master the art of cooking, others will work with plants, then there are those who dabble in everything. Regardless of how seriously they take it, each one works with various elements and combines them into something greater.
So, since witchcraft is essentially the process of combining elements to craft something new, and words are the elements of writing, a word witch must craft with words. Plain and simple and could have been explained without the lengthy intro, but I’m a writer. What else do you expect from me? Besides, you’re the one reading a post to gain insight and a better understanding of a made-up term. In fact, that alone is enough to explain what word witchery is. I took two words, put them together, and now I have a new thing. Poof, magic.
Word Witch Studio 