How to Write Your Own Spells (Not Copy Pinterest)
Let's talk about the elephant in the cauldron: most witches, especially when starting out, are basically collecting spells like Pokemon cards. You've got your Moon Water Monday spell, your Self-Love Sunday spell, your Mercury Retrograde Survival Kit spell—all neatly screenshotted from Pinterest, Instagram, or TikTok.
And look, there's nothing inherently wrong with using other people's spells when you're learning. We all start somewhere. But if you're three years into your practice and still frantically Googling "spell for [insert problem here]" every time you need magic, we need to have a conversation.
Because here's the truth: a spell you write yourself, even if it's "worse" by some objective standard, will almost always be more powerful than the most elaborate, aesthetically pleasing spell you copied from someone else.
Why Pre-Made Spells Often Fall Flat
Think about it like cooking. You can follow a recipe exactly and produce something edible, even good. But a chef who understands why certain ingredients work together, what heat does to proteins, how acid balances fat—that chef can improvise, adjust, and create something uniquely suited to the moment and the people they're feeding.
Pre-made spells have several built-in limitations:
They weren't written for your specific situation. That "Get Your Ex Back" spell was written by someone who doesn't know you, your ex, your relationship, or whether getting back together is even a good idea. It's generic by necessity.
They don't match your personal magical language. Maybe the spell calls for calling on Aphrodite, but you work with Freyja. Maybe it requires elaborate visualization, but you're more tactile and kinesthetic. The spell isn't speaking your magical dialect.
You don't understand the mechanics. When you copy a spell without knowing why each component is there, you can't troubleshoot when it doesn't work. You're following instructions without comprehension, and magic isn't IKEA furniture.
There's no personal investment. Magic works better when you're energetically invested in it. Writing your own spell means you've already put thought, intention, and energy into the work before you even begin casting.
Before you can write spells, you need to understand what spells actually are. At the most basic level, a spell is just focused intention backed by symbolic action. That's it. Everything else is decoration.
Every functional spell has three core components:
Clear intention (the goal). What are you actually trying to accomplish? "I want my life to be better" is not clear. "I want the confidence to apply for three new jobs this week" is clear.
Focused will (the energy). This is your personal power, your belief that the magic will work, the mental and emotional energy you're directing toward your goal.
Symbolic action (the method). This is the physical component—the candles, herbs, words, movements—that helps focus your will and communicate your intention to the universe/your subconscious/the divine/however you conceptualize magical power.
That's the entire formula. Everything else—timing, correspondences, elaborate rituals—is enhancement, not requirement.
Start With Your Intention (And Be Honest)
This is where most people go wrong before they even start writing. They're not honest about what they actually want, or they're so vague that the universe has no idea what to deliver.
Sit down with a journal and get brutally specific. Not "I want love," but "I want to feel confident enough to make eye contact with attractive people and start conversations." Not "I want money," but "I want an extra $500 this month to cover my car repair without going into debt."
Also, get honest about why you want this thing. Sometimes when you dig into the why, you realize you're trying to solve the wrong problem. You think you need a spell to make your coworker stop being annoying, but what you actually need is a spell to help you set better boundaries.
What specifically do I want to happen?
What would success look like?
Is this actually what I need, or just what I think I need?
Am I trying to control someone else's free will? (If yes, rethink.)
Choose Your Symbolic Language
Now that you know what you want, you need to figure out how to represent it symbolically. This is where correspondences come in, but—and this is crucial—your correspondences matter more than anyone else's.
Traditional magical correspondences (rosemary for protection, rose for love, green for money) exist because they've worked for lots of people over time. They're a useful starting point. But they're not scripture.
If you have a personal association that's stronger than the traditional one, use yours. If lavender reminds you of your grandmother's garden where you always felt safe, lavender might be your protection herb, regardless of what the books say.
Colors: What does this color mean to you emotionally and culturally? Red might mean passion, but it might also mean danger or anger or your favorite sports team.
Herbs and plants: Do you have direct experience with this plant? Does it grow where you live? Have you smelled it, touched it, tasted it? Plants you have relationships with work better than plants you bought dried in a bag because a book said to.
Crystals and stones: Same principle. A river rock you found on a meaningful day might have more power for you than an expensive crystal with traditional associations.
Timing: Moon phases, days of the week, and planetary hours can add oomph, but they're not requirements. A spell cast with urgency at 3pm on a Tuesday can be just as effective as one perfectly timed to the full moon if your need is genuine.
Deities or spirits: If you work with specific entities, consider who might be interested in or aligned with your goal. But don't just name-drop deities you don't have relationships with because the internet said Hecate handles crossroads. Build actual relationships, or work without divine assistance.
Now you're ready to actually write the thing. Here's a flexible template that works for most spells:
1. Preparation/Opening How will you get into the right headspace? This might be:
Taking three deep breaths
Anything that signals to your brain "we're doing magic now"
2. Statement of Intent Clearly state what you're doing. This can be spoken, written, or just firmly thought. Be specific. "I am casting this spell to [exact goal]."
3. The Working This is the main symbolic action. It might involve:
Lighting candles of specific colors
Burning written intentions
Creating a sachet or charm
Anointing yourself with oil
Burying or disposing of objects
Arranging objects in meaningful patterns
The action should feel related to the goal. Tying knots makes sense for binding. Burning makes sense for release or transformation. Planting makes sense for growth.
4. Raising and Releasing Energy At some point, you need to focus all your will on the intention and then release it. This might look like:
Sustained visualization while chanting
Drumming or rhythmic sound
Building to an emotional peak and then letting go
Simply stating "This spell is cast, so mote it be" with conviction
5. Closing Signal that the spell is complete:
Thank any entities you called on
Close your circle if you cast one
Journal about the experience
Write It Down (In Your Own Words)
Here's what a simple self-written spell might look like:
Goal: Confidence for a job interview
Timing: Morning of the interview (or the night before)
Orange candle (orange feels confident and energetic to me)
Rosemary oil (mental clarity)
My nicest interview outfit
I take a shower and visualize all doubt washing down the drain. I dress in my interview clothes. I anoint my pulse points with rosemary oil, saying with each one: "I am clear. I am capable. I am confident."
I light the orange candle and hold my hands around it (not touching). I visualize myself in the interview, speaking clearly, making eye contact, feeling calm and competent. I see the interviewer nodding, engaged. I hold this vision until it feels real.
I speak aloud: "I walk into this interview as my best self. My skills are evident. My words are clear. I am memorable for the right reasons. I am the right person for this role, and if I am not, something better awaits. This is done."
I let the candle burn while I finish getting ready, then snuff it out (not blowing—I don't want to blow away my confidence). I carry a small piece of the rosemary in my pocket.
See? Nothing fancy. No elaborate ritual. No calling quarters or invoking deities. Just clear intention, meaningful symbols, and focused will.
Overcomplicating: You don't need seventeen ingredients and a ritual that takes three hours. Simple and focused beats elaborate and scattered.
Copying the aesthetics without the function: A spell doesn't work better because it looks good on Instagram. Pretty spell jars are nice, but a spell muttered while washing dishes with full conviction can be just as powerful.
Forgetting to actually raise energy: Going through motions without emotional investment is just playing pretend. At some point, you need to feel it.
Not being specific enough: "Make my life better" gives the universe nowhere to aim. Magic needs a target.
Trying to control others: Spells work best when focused on yourself and your own energy. "Make him love me" is ethically questionable and practically difficult. "Make me magnetic to healthy relationships" works with the universe instead of against it.
Giving up after one try: Writing spells is a skill. Your first ones might be clunky. That's fine. You'll get better.
Practice Exercise: Write a Simple Spell Right Now
Pick something small you want to accomplish this week. Not a life-changing goal—something modest. Then:
Write one sentence describing exactly what you want.
Choose one object that symbolizes this to you.
Decide on one action to perform with that object.
Write one sentence you'll say while performing the action.
That's a spell. You just wrote one. It might be simple, but if you perform it with genuine intention, it will work better than the most elaborate Pinterest spell you could copy.
As you write and cast your own spells, keep track of what works. Note:
How did you feel during casting?
Would you do it the same way again?
Over time, you'll develop your own magical style, your own correspondences, your own understanding of how your magic works. That's when you stop being someone who does spells and become someone who is a spellcaster.
The Goal Isn't Perfection
You don't need to write poetry. You don't need elaborate rituals. You don't need to sound like you walked out of a fantasy novel.
You just need clarity about what you want and the willingness to put your own energy behind it in a way that makes sense to you.
The spell you write yourself at 2am in your pajamas with whatever you have in your kitchen will always be more yours—and therefore more powerful—than the most beautiful spell you borrowed from someone else.
Stop collecting other people's magic and start making your own.
