Fantasy Tropes about Pagans/Witches that you're tired of?

ECathers · Dec 23, 2013

Well number 1 for me would probably be seeing male witches referred to as either "warlocks" or "wizards."

Besides that, I'm tired of nearly every book about witches revolving around Samhain. I purposely set Dark Moon Gates at Beltaine just because I was sick of everything been Samhain/Halloween oriented. I didn't originally plan to make my story a series, but since it seems to be turning out that way, I'm glad I have Litha, Lammas and Mabon to get through before we finally get to Samhain.

Salem. Argh! Why does most every writer with a witch character think their MC needs to be able to trace their character back to Salem?

DeleyanLee · Dec 23, 2013

That all pagans are Wiccans, especially in TV/movies--and half the time, they don't get Wiccan right. And that "Samhain" isn't pronounced "Sam Hine", for that matter.

It irks me when writers default to Bulfinch and think that any mythology equals actual religious practice, that gods are static beings, and/or write with any kind of "looking down the nose" tone when referring to any religion they don't personally practice (seen WAY too much of that from some Fantasy authors).

I'll probably think of more later, but those are what come to mind.

Fantasy Tropes about Pagans/Witches that you're tired of?

ECathers

Amuck! Amuck! Amuck!

DeleyanLee

Writing Anarchist