Scripting the wyrd
Book-Writing as Initiation and the Word-Witch’s Wildest Voice
When the Witching Moons come creeping, we hear the otherworldly songs hummed by our ancestors, our shadows, and the wild unseen. We go quiet. We hone our night vision. If we put our ear to hallowed ground, if we dare listen, we begin a slow weaving of the silver thread of fate ‘round the words that want to be written. Here, we know our book already has a spirit. Here, we take to the poet’s altar and begin sounding its older-than-ancient birthing song. We drum to dust any obstacles to the book’s timely rising, we howl, and we welcome the wildest voice, the immortal majesty that comes
This is a 3-moon intensive journey of deep communion with the word that wants to be written. We meet (live, virtually) under the Witching Moons in September (Level I), October (Level II), and November (Level III) to create, plan, and write our “wyrd” books. This is a strange book of gathered wisdoms, peculiar poetry, and ceremonial invitations to the reader. The non-fiction book might be part grimoire, part memoir, and part bible. Every participant’s book will be unique, tailored to the lived story and specific medicine each writer has to offer. Danielle will guide participants through the mapping of a non-fiction book (Level I), re-mystify the author’s process through ritual, rites of voice-harvesting, the use of “story lanterns,” and the crafting of word formulas for infusing rhythm into writing (Level II), and offer support in naming the desired witness to the book’s emergence (Level III).
Key dates
You will receive an email reminder to revisit our portal here on September 12th, and we meet for Level I on September 16th. Level II will be held on October 21st, and Level III will be held on November 4th.
To Muse You
Before we meet, you are welcome to move through these two pre-recorded writing courses, Witching the Word and Oracle of Bones.
Scripting the Wyrd Level I: The Writer’s Descent
Optional Preparations:
First, have a listen to a 9 minute mini-tutorial here.
Then, optionally, you might begin to move through either or both of these two templates. If you would like to wait until after our September 16th sessions before doing this work, you are welcome to do so.
Level I: September 16th, 2023
11am ET- 12:30pm ET: The Honey-Tongued Wyrd
~ Click Here to View the Recording of Session I ~
Optional Materials: Dedicated journal to this class, scrap paper, burn bowl, fire source
In this first, foundational session, participants will sense “the spirit of the word that wants to be written,” the book that only they can write and only now, beneath the Harvest Moon. Together, we will hone the structure of the book, naming (or renaming) the book’s bones, and preparing for our initiatory ritual of the writer’s descent. This first session essentially provides an overview the entire program, offers various levels of expression for taking part in the class, and names the potent kinship between fate, the wyrd, and our many initiations as writers, poets, and word-witches.
1pm ET-2:30pm ET: The Heathen Scribe’s Underworld
~ Click Here to View the Recording of Session II ~
Optional Materials: Your dedicated journal, small dish/bowl of water, small dish/bowl of dirt, incense or burning herb
In the second session of Level I, we will move through a timely ritual, our once-upon-a-time. This will be the author’s threshold-crossing, the “there was before this, and now there is after this” moment. Danielle will offer a range of interim practices for testing the integrity of the book’s “bones,” for arranging them in a compelling and versatile structure, for writing the book’s “wyrd” introduction, mapping the book, and writing in communion with the muse.
Resources Mentioned In Level I:
The book Soulcraft by Bill Plotkin (for “sacred wound” work)
Collected version of The Handless Maiden
Please wait to move through these templates until after participating in/viewing the recordings of Level I.
Interim Work Template: Book-Mapping
Interim Work Template: Introduction Writing
Interim Work Template: Plotting a Memoir or Novel
Interim Work: There will be a few, optional invitations between Levels I and II. The practices include creating, honing, and activating the daily poet’s ritual, revisiting previous writing for possible inclusion in the book, and writing from the “three cauldrons.” As noted during the live sessions for Level I, this is just a recommended schedule for the interim weeks between Levels I and II. Everything is an invitation, and not every recommendation will make sense for every type of book/author. If something doesn’t fit, leave it out.
Week I (September 16-22):
Move through the “Bone Gathering” and “7 Gates” Templates if desired. These are Templates I and II listed above under “Optional Preparations.”
Create an altar for the book if you do not already have one. On the altar, place any symbols of your “bones” or values that are stepping forward as important for the book.
Revisit any “old” writing that feels stale and ask: Does this belong in this new book? Does it feel like it fits with the newly named “bones” or themes in the book?
Week II (September 23-29):
This is an equinox-to-full moon portal. On the 23rd, you might revisit the “author’s paradox” from our first, live session. Think of holding one role in one hand and the other in the other hand. Hold the tension between your personal light and shadow on this, the day of balance and tension.
Hone your personal writing ritual. When are the “backdoor statements” quieter? Can you write then? Your ritual can be as simple as lighting a candle on your book’s altar before your write and snuffing it when you finish, but try to contain your writing within a small, simple ritual. You might include the reading of your “Handless Maiden” invocation from our second, live session.
Move through the third “Book Mapping” template (This will take some time).
Weeks III and IV (September 30th-October 6th, October 7th-13):
Finish the “Book Mapping” template and begin the fourth template if applicable to your book (“Introduction Writing”). If you are not writing an prescriptive non-fiction book, you might instead begin the fifth template, “Plotting a Memoir or Novel.”
Week V (October 14th-20th):
Write one paragraph in answer to “What is this book about?” Imagine the one who asks this question being your reader, whether that reader is a great grandchild (for a legacy book) or a stranger. How would you answer this question? We are going to call this the book’s “declaration.”
For our October meeting, you might have an early version of the book’s map, the introduction, and the declaration. These will, of course, all change as the book keeps evolving. There will be an invitation to share some writing during our October session, but you will not be pressured to share.
Invitation to Bones & Moss Writing Retreat
As Scripting the Wyrd participants, you are welcome to join the Bones & Moss Writing Retreat on our wild land in central New York State next June. There are 2 tickets left, and all the registration information is here.
Scripting the Wyrd Level II: Underworld Writing and Honing the Wildest Voice
October 21st, 2023
11am ET- 12:30pm ET: The Wildest Voice
PASSWORD: BloodMoon
~ Click Here to View the Recording of Session I ~
Optional Materials: 30ish blank index cards + a small dish of saltwater + your book’s map + your book’s declaration
In the first session of Level II, Danielle will offer a range of practices for “enchanting” writing, including word-formulas, writing in rhythm, and writing with the “otherworldly” or wildest voice. Participants will frame their book as a “rite,” here in our shared underworld, and we will listen to the deep soul’s whispers hummed from the shadows. Here, every sentence, every phrase, becomes a spell.
1pm ET-2:30pm ET: The Initiatory Chapter
PASSWORD: BloodMoon
~ Click Here to View the Recording of Session II ~
Materials: For this session, please bring your book’s map (aka outline)
In the second session of Level II, we will map the initiatory chapter, the most medicinal chapter in our “Book of the Wyrd.” This chapter could potentially be included in a non-fiction book proposal for those who choose to pursue traditional publication. This is a session of illumination and amplification of the book’s spirit, and we will begin to stitch the pieces together, weaving fate’s thread around and through every word. Danielle will also discuss the interim work between Levels II and III during this, the last session of Level II.
Resources Mentioned: The Pagan Book of Living and Dying by Starhawk
Interim Work: As before, there will be a few, optional invitations between Level II and Level III. These invitations include completing the initiatory chapter and the book’s introduction, potentially beginning to form the other components of a non-fiction book proposal OR continuing to howl over the book’s bones, to sing flesh and skin onto the wyrd word’s spirit.
Template VI: Writing Prompt Library
Template VII: Mapping the Passion Chapter
Template VIII: Writing in Rhythm + Nesting Doll Prompts
Non-Fiction Book Proposal Sample
Annotated Table of Contents Sample
Week I (October 22nd-28th): Burn a copy of your sigil, begin writing the passion chapter, continue fleshing out your outline (See “annotated table of contents sample above”)
Week II (October 29th- November 3rd): Continue writing the passion chapter and your annotated table of contents. Consider adding cards to your oracle deck for each chapter or larger part of your book.
For our November meeting, you might have your passion chapter, annotated table of contents/fleshed out outline, introduction, and declaration written.
Invitation to The Night Book Program
If you love the Scripting the Wyrd work and would like to work more closely in community, you might consider joining the small-group Night Book program, beginning in February. There are 4 spots remaining. Read all the things and apply here if you feel called.
Scripting the Wyrd Level III: Naming the Witness
November 4th, 2023
Password: BoneWitch
11am ET- 12:30pm ET: The Author’s Ascent: Preparing the Book’s Birthing Bed
~ Click Here to View the Recording of Session I ~
In this first session of Level III, we will honor and celebrate how far we’ve come, marking the moment with “small ceremony” and preparing to name the book’s witness. Danielle will offer a range of discernment tools for deciding if and how the book will meet the world, potentially as a legacy book for family/friends/covens, a traditionally published book to be queried to agents/publishers, or a personal bible for the writer’s eyes only. This session includes a bundle of practices for seeing the book out of the dark and into the light.
1pm ET-2:30pm ET: Welcoming the Wyrd
Password: BoneWitch
~ Click Here to View the Recording of Session II ~
In our final session together, we will move through a powerful, last ritual. This will be our “ever-after,” our timely end under the Blood Moon. We will end with an optional sharing circle, Author’s Q & A, and concluding discussion of available resources in our course portal.
Resources Mentioned in Level III
Descent of the Goddess by Sylvia Perera (Book on Inanna’s Mythology)
Inanna by Wolkstein and Kramer (Book on Inanna’s Mythology)
Marketing and Promo Plan for “Heathen Testaments” which became The Holy Wild Grimoire