First of all, when you ask this question, doesn't matter where, you should put in as much detail into the question as you can, as to what you are looking for, without creating a wall-o-text. Ask for specifics: what resources should I read? Should I buy tools now or wait? How can I tell when a deity is calling to me (IF one is calling to me)? Details matter oh, so much when you're asking a question. If you want the best from your question, the responders need to know in what capacity you want to know the information. Simply asking "I'm interested in Wicca, I need some help" is not enough information for an experienced practitioner to help you. Be specific as to what you want to know.
Now. The FIRST thing you need to do is determine whether you want to be a Wiccan, Witch or Wiccan-Witch. You don't have to be a Witch to be a Wiccan; you don't have to be a Wiccan to be a Witch. You DON'T EVEN have to be Wiccan, you can be eclectic with Wiccan undertones. There's nothing wrong with being an eclectic. **I** am an eclectic, and I love it. No structure I need to abide by, no groups I must be a part of...just me and my spirituality.
(I'm going slightly off topic here)
It seems that so many people seem to get defensive or offended if someone tells them that some aspects of their spirituality are not Wiccan in nature, yet they call themselves "Wiccan". It IS acceptable not to use the label Wicca. Your spirituality may reflect many Wiccan concepts, but unless you follow ALL aspects that make one a Wiccan...I'm sorry to say, you are not Wiccan. You just aren't. Yes, there was a point in time when I was one of those who got all defensive saying "It doesn't matter what you say, all that matters is what the Gods think!!". But I was young and naive back then. I've learned a LOT throughout my years and now know it is perfectly acceptable NOT to be Wiccan.
Now...going back ON topic...
Once you've determined if you want to be a Wiccan, Witch or both, the next thing you need to do is ask yourself "WHY?". Why do you want to be a Witch/Wiccan. What do you hope to gain from the experience? What do you hope to accomplish? What draws you to it, and is it reflective of actual Wicca or is it your perception based on word of mouth and works of fiction? These are very important questions to ask and I would recommend you not move forward from this until you've answered all of these questions in great detail. If you answer these questions with one or two words, then you may have a misconception about what you believe Wicca/Witchcraft is. The vast majority of young people come to Wicca from bad resources and believe it's a gateway to power, or a way to gain "mystical powers". Wicca is a religion. It's focus is the Gods. Witchcraft is an alternative means of attaining goals...NEITHER is about "powers".
I urge anyone truly serious about taking on this spirituality to really dive into these questions (they may even be a good addition to your spiritual book; questions you can ask yourself over and over again throughout your time as a Pagan). Choosing to ignore or by-pass these questions shows a lack of true dedication you have to your pursuits.
The next thing to do is to dive into study. Study is very important. And when I say "study" I don't mean going out and purchasing all the "spell" books you can find or books that say "only book you'll ever need". I mean books that discuss history, practical applications, techniques etc. Anything that starts off with giving you a shopping list is better used at leveling your table, than teaching you anything of use. Above is a listing of books I've read and have been recommended by people I've had the privilege of knowing, who have 15+ years more experience than I (some even running their own covens). The lists are separated into categories. Please start with the "Beginners" category.
Once you've gotten the basics done (and this should take you some time...I don't recommend zooming through the books without absorbing the information. Read them, do the lessons some books have, and take your time with it), then start focusing on specific subjects. But I'll get into that later.
You should note that most of the books I've recommended in the link above will discuss at length, Wicca. So what about those who are not interested in Wicca, or religion at all? I say read them anyway. 1) It'll educate you more on Wicca and give you a better understanding of what the religion is, so you can educate those who are not as well educated as you will be and 2) these books will also contain valuable information on Witchcraft. If you're not interested in the religious aspects in these books...simply omit them. I've learned a great deal about Witchcraft from these books, you will too.
I can't reiterate this enough, though, to study and read BEFORE delving into practices. It's so easy to get excited and want to start practicing right away. But you only hurt yourself (metaphorically) if you refuse to do the necessary work.
As I said before, once you've gotten the basics down and have established a good routine of practice, start looking into more specific practices. Tarot, for instance. Roam around the book store and see if you find a deck that seems to "call" to you. There are some ideas out there that a tarot deck should be gifted to you, but honestly, how many people do we know who can gift us something such as a Tarot deck? I've bought all my decks. One I bought at the cheap table at the book store because I wanted a deck, but I didn't feel any connection to it. The pictures were rather blah and didn't convey any meaning to me, so later, when I could afford it, I bought the Gilded Tarot deck. I love the imagery on it and what I get from it.
Though, the best (thought) deck to start with is the Rider-Waite deck. But I'm not really one to discuss Tarot with as I still haven't found my niche with it. This is just one example of the specified practices you can start studying once you've learned the basics (or 101's). Herbalism is another practice many Witches (and Wiccans) delve into. It's a fun and fascinating thing to learn, and has lots of practical applications.
Once you've learned a good deal about techniques, basic ritualistic structure, specific practices, it's time to dive in. And don't worry if everything doesn't fall into place in the beginning. I say make use of "Trial and Error". Write down everything that goes right AND wrong. These are learning opportunities. Once you've determined what works and what doesn't, practice will become easier.
But don't think that once you've learned the basics and specific practices that study has come to an end. I can assure you it doesn't. 16+ years later, I'm STILL studying and learning. There's always something new to learn, and the humble Witch never believes he/she knows everything.
Now I have some extra questions you can ask yourself (or even add to your BoS). There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but they'll help you to better understand yourself and what you want to get out of becoming Pagan. Like the questions posted above, I think it's a good idea for once in a while to re-do the questions and see if you've evolved any throughout your time. And be honest. It's ok if some of the answers are no, to these questions, just be sure to detail why. You may change your mind later, and it'd be interesting to see the change (NOTE: I borrowed these from somewhere, and I can't remember where, but I've also altered them and omitted some to sort of gear them towards deeper understanding).
Personal Test
1) What are your real, deep reasons for wanting to practice Paganism?
2) Can you discipline yourself to follow through on plans and goals?
3) Have you balanced your life mentally, physically and spiritually?
4) What changes can you make to achieve this balance?
5) Do you fear the unknown? Why/why not?
6) Do you believe in a "Supreme Power" that created everything in the universe, yet you feel uncomfortable with the accepted orthodox explanations?
7) Do you have trouble with patience when your desires are not met immediately?
8) Have you faced and/or are you willing to accept responsibility for your actions or for what has happened in your life, or are you going to/still laying blame on others.
Please don't think these questions are restricted to Wiccans or Witches. Anyone can answer these questions. I hope they're helpful.
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