Writing for the Teen Occult Market

Writing for the teen occult market could mean anything from writing a guide to witchcraft to penning a fiction novel about Wiccan teenagers. The teen occult market has been growing steadily over the last few years and is becoming a favorite for aspiring freelancers. If you know a little something about the occult or if you are just looking for a new market, this might be the best one for you.

The most difficult aspect of writing for the teen occult market is that the word "occult" means something different to everybody. There really is no standard of accuracy because the occult is very much like any other religion, only more abstract. Everyone who practices some version of the occult worships differently, which can make it more difficult to reach an audience. The reality, however, is that teenagers have become imbued with the subject and they are constantly looking for more resources.

Responsibility to Teenagers

The occult is a very diverse collection of beliefs, superstitions and histories that, like other religions, tends to contradict itself. If you are going write for the teen occult market, you have a responsibility to your readers. Make sure you understand the impact of what you write and how it will be taken by an impressionable mind. This isn't to say that there's anything evil about the occult, but it can certainly be twisted in that direction if you aren't careful.

Research the Markets

There aren't all that many teen occult magazines in the U.S., but there are several publications that circulate out of the U.K. Magazines like Pagan News and Chaos International have been popular for years and both are about 90% freelance written. If you aren't interested in writing for magazines, you'll want to jump directly to book markets; there are several occult presses in the U.S. and the U.K., as well as others that will consider books of this nature.

Take a New Direction

There are hundreds of guides to witchcraft and other books of that nature, so you're going to have to take a new direction if you want to write for the teen occult market. This means finding a fresh approach that other writers haven't covered. Whether you're writing for magazines or compiling your own book, it must be fresh and interesting to the reader in order to find a place in the market.

Speak to Teenagers

If you're going to write for the teen occult market, you need to speak directly to your target market: Teenagers. 'Teens are capable of reading and understanding much of the same material that would interest adults, but it should be applicable to their lives. Teenagers go to school, they have homework, they play sports and they date. Don't talk about studying the occult during retirement or using occult beliefs to sustain a job search. It isn't relevant.