#techno mage
Being a technology focused witch, my goal is to use the advantages of technology to supplement or substitute “traditional” witchcraft elements. This includes how I take notes and store information. However, just like picking out a notebook or binder to store an analog Grimoire or Book of Shadows in, there’s a lot of things to consider for a digital version.
If you are looking just to make a Book of Shadows, a record just for yourself, your primary concern is yourself. Think about what works best for you and don’t worry about what works for others. If you think you’ll have use for a Grimoire as well, some place of information you would want to share, then you need to take others into account.
Either way, when going digital for this, you will need to pick some file formats and applications to start with. Here’s a few things you might want to consider:
- How do I best process information? Am I a reader? Do I prefer art? Are tables or headers important? How do I naturally take notes?
- What devices do I want this data accessible from? Does this need to be on more than one device? Or localized to only one?
- Do I want to use a specific device for my BoS or Grimoire that can be magically dedicated to the purpose and kept safe that way?
- Do I want a backup copy of my data? Do I have a method for version control in mind? Do I feel comfortable with elements of my content being stored in the cloud?
- Is there a particular aesthetic/interface/etc. that will make me feel MORE connected to my craft? Is there an aesthetic that will make me feel LESS connected?
- Is any element I am considering a proprietary software/file format/whatnot that will come under threat should the company/software/system behind it fold or become obsolete? Can this file be ‘rescued’ easily if such an event occurs?
If you are interested in this topic and seeing some of my personal considerations when designing my BoS/Grimoire, I am starting a series on it on my Patreon page. For as little as $1 a month, you get access to blog posts and monthly tarot readings sent to your inbox. https://www.patreon.com/lynntheory
I don’t think people realize how much being a witch is essentially being an author and librarian for yourself. You are perpetually taking notes, organizing them for quick reference, and trying to decide how best to store them. Want to know where I’ve been? *Data entry hell* because I can’t settle for ordinary notes. No I know how to make a database so that is what I am gonna do. But planning massive data structures is hard so I’ve restarted at least three times. So… Yeah…
