Write Witchcraft: Sources Sorcery
Give credit where credit is due.
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Metaphysical writers, like myself, are constantly immersed in research. One of the reasons why my office is such a hot, holy mess is the insane amount of books I use for reference. I’m always relentlessly digging for information. For instance, a recent article I penned for the print edition of the Old Farmer’s Almanac took me down many rabbit holes. That meant more books! Haha!
Eventually, those books get passed on to someone else. However, I hold on to some in case I need them for something else down the road. You never know when you'll need to pull out your copy of 78 Degrees of Wisdom for a tarot truth! (Fun fact: I have copies of that book on every floor just in case I have a “Rachel Pollack emergency!”)
Research is an essential part of writing.
It’s also crucial to cite those sources, whether you’re quoting someone or sharing information found in a book or website. Citing your sources shows you’ve done the work to establish your theory, argument, or story. This adds to your credibility.
According to Purdue University, citing sources helps to avoid unintentional plagiarism. (They have lots of nifty advice about that topic, which you can read right here.) By highlighting your information source, you are directing readers to discover more about the subject while adding your own thoughts to the research and wisdom of others.
But there’s another reason: you want to give credit to the original authors or sources of information. Acknowledging their contribution to your work shows respect and honors the wisdom and knowledge they’ve shared. It’s the right thing to do.
Citing your sources is simple. There are numerous ways to credit your information. Footnotes and endnotes are common ways to point to your resources. A footnote is a concise note with citations and additional information at the bottom of a page. Endnotes are similar, except they are generally listed at the end of the work on another page.
I use MyBib to generate citations for footnotes and endnotes. It’s a simple process: click your source , paste the link or title, and click search. Next, select one of the results. You’ll be taken to a page with a perfectly formatted citation. Easy peasy!: . (It’s also handy for crediting artwork, blog posts, and more.) You can find it here: https://www.mybib.com/
A bibliography (also called references) is a list of the sources you consulted for researching your book. Most metaphysical folks have a list of recommended books or resources at the end of their book. (I once opened a book from a well-known author and was disappointed to find no references to fellow tarot authors and not even a mention in the thank you section. How can you not acknowledge greats like Pollack or Mary K Greer, regarded scholars on the topic?)
I’m one of those geeks who immediately turns to the back of the book to see who the author uses for references. Part of me hopes my books are listed as a source. It’s always delightful when that happens.
Quotations are also another way to cite your source. These can be direct or indirect. It’s essential to state which to avoid confusion. For example, if you interview someone, that’s a direct quote. You can use quotation marks and the person's name to indicate this. If a source cites another source, that’s an indirect quote. You can use phrases like 'as cited in 'to indicate this.
One of the other benefits of citing sources is that it forces you to become a better reader and writer. As you research, you take notes, add your thoughts, and go deeper. Sometimes, you follow the citations of other works only to be led down new paths. It’s a joyful journey that eventually leads to an outcome that authors love: an excuse to purchase more books!
xo
Theresa
image from stock photography artist SvetaZi
Things I read this week:
The disappearing dream of a writing career by
.The Science of Rejection: How Agents Decide In the First Ten Pages by
.On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder.
Am currently reading this beautiful, heart wrenching book:
Ordinary Notes by Christina Sharpe.
My bib is going into my system for writing like right now. I see my last book would of been better with a more organized reference and sources list. Thank you!