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Eternal Sex Symbol

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Watchtower
Unless you want to follow a specific mythology or borrow extensively from one, readers shouldn't have a problem with it.


Kim Harrison uses magical titles to describe what magic the person practices.Dead Witch Walking is her first in the series. She's fairly popular and you shouldn't have a problem finding a few of her books used.


Yes, I agree. When it comes to fictional/mythical things, you can often change things to a certain extent and people won't usually mind.

The magic-practicers in my story generally go by "witch" regardless of gender. (although since I'm in the process of creating a big world with different mythical species and cultures, depending on the culture they might go by a different title. But in general, they usually go by "witch".)

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Watchtower
Unless you want to follow a specific mythology or borrow extensively from one, readers shouldn't have a problem with it.


Kim Harrison uses magical titles to describe what magic the person practices.Dead Witch Walking is her first in the series. She's fairly popular and you shouldn't have a problem finding a few of her books used.


Thank you ^^

I'll keep a look out for that one

marshmallowcreampie
Yes, I agree. When it comes to fictional/mythical things, you can often change things to a certain extent and people won't usually mind.

The magic-practicers in my story generally go by "witch" regardless of gender. (although since I'm in the process of creating a big world with different mythical species and cultures, depending on the culture they might go by a different title. But in general, they usually go by "witch".)


So you're developing a larger world as well? I'd be interested to read that ^^

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Miku Akayuki


So you're developing a larger world as well? I'd be interested to read that ^^


Yeah, ever since I was a kid I liked to create fantasy worlds, full of both creatures that are real, already known fictional creatures and fictional creatures I made up. The story I'm working on now will probably take a long time considering how much I'm trying to put into the cultures and worlds of the story. However, I might end up doing comics instead of writing, in the case I can improve my drawing skills. When it comes to writing, I have a very hard time with detail, I like getting to the point. I'm not a patient person...

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i forget where i heard this, but i heard that warlocks are like witches, only male...typically witches are associated with potions and whatnot, and wizards with spells.

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I'll object to it on the basis that a warlock, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a man practicing the black arts. In keeping with proper word usage, I'm sure that it would bug the hell out of me if I were reading a book that insisted that a woman could be a warlock. Also, with its connotation as being a betrayer, I'm not sure that anyone would want to be a warlock. But that's my own personal preference.

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It's a matter of personal opinion to me. Personally, I can care less what a dictionary says about it. I'm in love with the word wizard. I love, love, love it if you couldn't tell by my screen name. And I've always hated how guy magicians get all the cool names like wizard while the girls are stuck with just... witch. So I use wizard as a unified term for a master magician, regardless of gender.

If you wanna do it with warlock, go right ahead. After all, who says warlocks can only be boys? And who says witches can only be girls? I've read the term he-witch beieve it or not (and it made me laugh hysterically).

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In my opinion, you could probably get away with "warlock" as a gender-neutral term, moreso than "witch," at any rate, since "witch" is more strongly associated with women in our culture than "warlock" is with men. However, you might have a harder time separating "warlock" from its widely-accepted "evil" connotations. You have to admit, "warlock" just sounds wicked. However, none of this should really stand in your way as long as you can convince your readers that it jives with the rest of the story.

Diana Wynne Jones's Chrestomanci series has various titles for magic users--in particular, I'm thinking of a side character known as the Willing Warlock. Magicians' titles aren't really addressed in great detail in the series, but you might be able to extract some information from them, A Charmed Life and the short story Warlock at the Wheel, in particular.

Also, Sarah Monette used "warlock" as a gender-neutral term for morally corrupt magic users in the backstory of Corambis, but it was more of a "by-the-way" historical mention. I wouldn't suggest reading the entire book just for the reference, unless you find you particularly like the series.

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well u can go on goodreads.com and search the other or whats the book about biggrin

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I'll object to it on the basis that a warlock, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a man practicing the black arts. In keeping with proper word usage, I'm sure that it would bug the hell out of me if I were reading a book that insisted that a woman could be a warlock. Also, with its connotation as being a betrayer, I'm not sure that anyone would want to be a warlock. But that's my own personal preference.


To be honest that's the kind of results I got from my research nearly right off the bat! Of course there was more 'emphasis' on the 'Evil' and 'Betrayer'. It's interesting to read about, I even came across a site talking about supposed 'Male witches of today' sometimes calling themselves warlock for lack of a better word (no Idea what happened to 'Wizard' there), never knowing the term was considered derogatory. I'm not sure if they were discussing novels, if they were it seemed hardcore to me.

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Umm I didn't read the whole conversation so don't yell at me if I cover something that has already been covered. But I think that worlocks can be female and the word isn't gender sensitive. If you are angling your story to be more of a realistic fiction for midevil times I probably wouldn't. But if this story is fantasy I think you could do anything your little heart desires.

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Miku Akayuki
Jill2282
I'll object to it on the basis that a warlock, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a man practicing the black arts. In keeping with proper word usage, I'm sure that it would bug the hell out of me if I were reading a book that insisted that a woman could be a warlock. Also, with its connotation as being a betrayer, I'm not sure that anyone would want to be a warlock. But that's my own personal preference.


To be honest that's the kind of results I got from my research nearly right off the bat! Of course there was more 'emphasis' on the 'Evil' and 'Betrayer'. It's interesting to read about, I even came across a site talking about supposed 'Male witches of today' sometimes calling themselves warlock for lack of a better word (no Idea what happened to 'Wizard' there), never knowing the term was considered derogatory. I'm not sure if they were discussing novels, if they were it seemed hardcore to me.


Interesting. I would have thought they'd want 'wizard' because that word connotes one who is wise.

I suppose if your character wanted to be evil, then I could maybe see them wanting to be a warlock. But... :/ It doesn't do it for me. I tend to stick hard to the book.

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cherries1346
Umm I didn't read the whole conversation so don't yell at me if I cover something that has already been covered. But I think that worlocks can be female and the word isn't gender sensitive. If you are angling your story to be more of a realistic fiction for midevil times I probably wouldn't. But if this story is fantasy I think you could do anything your little heart desires.


Well, actually the entire conversation is giving me some good ideas (there is mention of medieval times, and how things used to be). I was thinking perhaps witches and warlocks 'used' to fit the stereotypical description to a 'T', but the times have changed and so have they.

One of my characters is from a different place and isn't aware of the change, so when she inquires about it one of them quickly corrects her, and explains that their world has changed just as much as hers has. I'm working on the dialog of that scene to see how it sounds.

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If in your story, witches, warlocks, wizards, etc. do different sorts of magic, then I'd say you could indeed have a female warlock. I wouldn't worry about it too much. You could consider using another term instead of splitting witches and warlocks, though, such as sorcerer. It's your choice, though.
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