Witches in Storytelling

Witches have appeared in stories for as long as there have been stories. From classic legends to modern action movies, witches have populated the human imagination as wise women healers, vengeful sources of power, nurturing mother figures, agents of chaos, and loners who simply want to live out their days in peace. Most of all, they have been rebels against patriarchal systems, and have fought for gender equality, racial equality, nature conservation, and other battles that are still being fought today.

That said, who doesn't love a good, standard, black-cats-and-broomsticks witch, who stirs a cauldron and consults a grimoire? The archetype of witches spans from elegant fixtures in classic mythology to evil villains to cozy protagonists and everything in between. In this workshop, we'll focus on contemporary tales of witches in both modern and classic tradition, as well as respectful ways to research witchcraft to include it in your own writing.

In this 3-week workshop, each week will be devoted to one of the three topics and will focus on a corresponding text. Participants do not need to read the books before the workshop (this isn't for college credit; there won't be a test), but are welcome to do so. 

• Week 1 - Witches in classic tradition using Circe by Madeline Miller.
• Week 2 - Modern witches using VenCo by Cherie Dimlaine.
• Week 3 - Researching witchcraft and focusing on the memoir The Witching Year by Diana Helmuth. 

*All of these books are available in the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh system.*

Each week will include the topic overview, writing exercises, and the opportunity for participants to submit their own work for critique by the group. 

*Participants are not required to submit their writing to sign up for the workshop. If you chose to submit work, it doesn't need to specifically contain witchcraft (though the work should be speculative or speculative-adjacent). This section of the workshop is intended to provide an opportunity for participants to get feedback about their existing speculative stories or works in progress.*

All participants will receive a gift from Arts & Crafts: Botanica & Occult Shop, which is owned and operated by Write Pittsburgh's very own Executive Director!

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This workshop is limited to 12 participants (including scholarships).

We have two scholarships available for writers in Southwestern PA who are interested in participating but cost might be a barrier. Email info@writepittsburgh.com to apply for a scholarship. Deadline to apply for a scholarship is 10/5/24.

Note: Write Pittsburgh reserves the right to cancel a workshop due to low registration. In the event that a workshop is cancelled, refunds will be processed within 7 business days.