There are several important, practical stages to Spell Casting that Beginners often overlook. There are many forms of preparation and consideration to prepare yourself, these steps are the practical application of spell casting and not to be used in without those practitioner preparations.
1. Clearly understand and define your goal. Meditate - this is to identify and focus your Will. What do you want? What do you need? Can you separate those two? Meditate on what outcome you are looking for and what methods you want to use to cast the spell.
2. Divination - this is the judgment check. Via your favorite divination method, explore possible outcomes. Is this spell in accordance with the Free Will of all? Is the outcome likely good or are their alternatives that could end poorly? Are there other concerns that need to be taken into account that you missed in Step One. Explore options and pathways - should you charge a magical item? Create a Cone of Power? Full moon best or dark? What schedule for resolution are you looking for? Meditate on the answers you receive. Adapt to those answers. You may need to start from Step 1 again with this new knowledge.
3. Plan your visualization and wording, nothing worse than getting all gussied up and having your mind blank. Write down the spell words you'd like to use and keep them handy. Words form Will, they are important.
4. Gather tools and equipment/supplies. You may want to use candles, herbs, a talisman or amulet, a wand, etc. Get everything ready and decide how you are going to use it to accomplish your goal. Consider what energy you're going to use, your own, lunar, earth, solar, etc. Choose the tools to assist in directing energy and gather them in your space. Choose the Path to Power (aka energy working) - chanting, dancing, etc.
5. Prepare space. You may want to cast a circle from which to perform your spell to increase the power (aka energy), there may be safety issues involved. Purify yourself, the area and your altar. Sweeping, incense, herbs, water and salt are all food for this. When the space is ready, prepare yourself through Grounding and Centering.
6. Cast your spell. Ensure that you imbue your Will with energy, build it, let it rise and direct it to the goal. If your goal is to charge an item for a specific purpose, do this now.
7. Give thanks to whatever entities and energies have assisted you. This is good manners, but it also ensured future cooperation and aid. Gratitude is part of balance. If you've worked with a God or Goddess, burn incense as a gift.
8. Ground excess energy. You may need to eat something to fully ground. If you've cast a circle to perform your spell, bring it down and release it. Spell energy have been directed and will not be negatively impacted by this.
9. Record working in journal, follow up on spell's effects. Perform divination to check on the spell's progress. If it's not working out the way you intended, reconsider and take notes. Perhaps you need to use another method or correspondence in your spell casting.
10. Back up the spell in the mundane world by striving and working to your goal. If you've created an amulet, carry it. If you've created a Thought Form Energy, feed it.
Hopefully, this will provide a practical guide to casting spells. I'm available for clarification or questions on these.
