The three R’s of paganism are research, research, research. Unless you are lucky enough to join a group with a training regimen (and those usually require a commitment and are selective about who they train) chances are pretty good you will need to find information on your own. My last post in this series focused on things to avoid. This post I want to talk about what to look for to find good source material.
Ideally, reading the known stories from as direct a source as possible would be the best way to go. But you do need to have some background knowledge on the culture at large in order for a lot of the old stories to make sense, and understand the biases of the sources we have. It can be hard to go from a story about becoming wise from three drops from a magick cauldron to how to practice religion in day to day life. Paganism is about what we do, not what we believe. So as a beginner, how do you know the difference between a good source, crap, and someone who just has a different take?
People who are good at gaming google results and hitting the Amazon bestseller lists aren’t always those with the best product. Below are tips for evaluating sources which can apply to research other than paganism.
First Stop– Your Local Witchy Store
Interested in learning about tarot—who better to ask than a tarot reader in between readings? While you can’t be an expert on everything, a metaphysical shop will have an idea of what books are well regarded and which are well, not. The people who work there will know how to help select what you are looking for, or at the very least should be able to point in the right direction. Even if there isn’t one in your immediate area, in the days of the internet an email or a phone call will get some recommendations, and most shops will have a website or offer shipping.
So you found your book and are eager to dive in. Below are questions to ask.
Who is the Publisher?
Not to knock self publishing (more on that later) but a publisher works as a gatekeeper and editorial assistant. That doesn’t mean there won’t be duds, but a publisher who specializes in pagan books or has a pagan imprint is more likely to have pagan editors who know and understand the material. A publisher also has a vested interest in not being sued and can provide fact checking assistance. (Note: can does not mean will.)
The flip side of this is a pagan publisher will probably have an interest in catering to the prejudices and popular beliefs of the pagan community, (See Things to Watch Out For While Researching Paganism). A book published outside of pagan publishing can still be good—it just may mean a little more scrutiny is in order. Knowing what types of books the publisher puts out will also be a guide to what you can expect.
Is the author active within the pagan community?
Paganism is a niche topic, and unlikely to pay the bills on book sales alone. Has the author been active in their corner of the pagan world? Good authors may not be good at running groups, so I wouldn’t count them out if they don’t run their own coven, but there are other ways to be considered a leader and voice of authority. Does the author have their own website? Social media? Blog? Have they attended pagan events? Taught classes? Been on pagan media (podcasts, the Wild Hunt?)
Look at the author’s back list. Are their books focused on interconnected topics, or do they have 30 books each with a different topic? For example, does the author have books on faerie, Celtic myths, and Norse gods, which are topics that are somewhat interrelated? (A lot of western faerie lore is Celtic or Norse, so it would make sense to have a grasp of all three.) Or do they have a book on Wicca, Voodoo, shamanism, crystals, Native American religion, paranormal activity, and any New Age topic under the sun? You can’t be an expert on everything, and many of those traditions are closed. Good research into a topic the author knows nothing about takes time. If the author is pumping out two books a year on such divergent topics I would question if it is one person or if they’re doing good research.
What is the author’s reputation?
Self published authors don’t have the backing of a publisher, and for non fiction the author’s reputation is vital. If the author has expertise or experience in a very niche topic (so for paganism, a niche of a niche) then self publishing is a good option. If the author doesn’t have an online presence and is self published I would consider that a red flag. The exception would be if it is clear the author isn’t intending to make a career out of their writing.
Listen to a podcast the author is on. It will be clear if the podcast hosts know the author and respect them or if it is just another guest. If someone is active in the pagan event circuit, you should be able to find people blogging about attending their classes, meeting them, or reviewing their book. I rely less and less on amazon reviews these days because you don’t know the knowledge and level of the reviewer. If someone has a blog on pagan topics you can at least see if they have the knowledge and experience to give a good review, and if their opinions are worthwhile.
People are people though. If you find a screed against the author but everything else is positive, use discernment. Not everyone is going to like everyone else, and unfortunately petty disputes and politics can rear their ugly head in such a small community.
Are sources cited?
After reading the book, would you be able to find the materials the author used to write it? Non-fiction is more about taking pieces of information found in different sources, tying them together and presenting them in a clear way rather than coming up with something new. When the focus is more experience based, there would still be source material the author drew from originally, even if they expand using their own experiences. Nothing comes from scratch. Groups that do ritual together long enough have an explanation for why they structure things the way they do, usually because experience taught things ran smoother in a certain order. Even if it is a good technique, if the author can’t say where they got it from it is a red flag.
If the author cites credentials, are they relevant?
Are any degrees cited relevant to the author’s area of expertise? Are they claiming authority from a long dead or completely unverifiable source? Does the author have experience writing and researching different topics?
In truth, books are a jumping off point. The information still needs to be built upon and used. Paganism is very much a religion of use what works for you, which will require a bit of trial and error. However, using good sources might help skip a bit of that error, and build upon the knowledge that modern pagans are building.