Photos for your Novels

[Alistair Roberts]

I'm curious, does anyone else produce / print photos or have them on the screen to help inspire their writing?
As my writing is set in 16th century Britain, I use photos of standing stones, castles etc., then I took photos of clothing of the period, found a suitable face, put that on, then overlay the character over background scenery. I either have one on screen, or print off some and frame them and have them on the desk (when I had one). I find these really help get me in the 'mood' and best frame of mind to help writing.

Am I the only one who does this?

 

[Emurelda]

I collect photos and use Scrivener to store them in. And keep websites stored too. All under one project file. It's quite handy.

 

[Jason Byrne]

Oh, absolutely. Covering such vast varieties of locations to which I have personally never been, and so many bygone cultures, I will almost always have some image up for reference as I write:

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Well that's a bummer, the pic from facebook isn't working and I really like it, as it's set on Iona, where I actually went - boo hoo

 

[Jason Byrne]

In this day and age, where Google Maps has a 'street view' of the Sahara Desert, the DR Congo Jungle, and Antarctica, descriptive opportunity is made possible that was extremely difficult and time-intensive twenty years ago.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Trying again with a different picture...

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Ok, although it says facebook links work, they don't for me. How did you do it Jason?

 

[Jason Byrne]

I 'uploaded a file' from the hard drive, and when asked how to include uploads, I chose 'full size.'

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Hm, I see no option to upload from the HD, it just asks for an image url?? Ok, go to "more Options", got it! Doh, lack of sleep masks the obvious lol

 

[Jason Byrne]

Yup — I would have pictures of the castle and individual costumes if they were from a culture relatively new to me, and flip from one to the next as needed in Microsoft Image Preview.

 

[Meerkat]

I have to say . . . duh, this never occurred to me. Wow. Brilliant idea!

 

[Alistair Roberts]

I find it essential these days. A good picture of a castle or standing stone gives me inspiration that I'd be lost without

 

[Jason Byrne]

Most definitely. You need pictures of the current city, maps of the city as it was, pictures of any remaining ruins of the original city that still stands, pictures of the clothing from the period culture, of the food...

 

[Jennifer Stone]

Nice images there guys and a fascinating idea, one i may have to steal when you're not looking...

 

[David Steele]

I've never heard of this idea before. To be honest I think the images in my imagination are more real than photos. (to me at least) so it might not work for everyone.
One thing I really enjoy doing though - is illustrating stories after I've done them.
For example - this one from a story I've got out for sale, about two boys hunting wild ice-cream vans.

 

[James Marinero]

I keep mine on Pinterest. I'm also starting to include them in ebooks as context setters. https://uk.pinterest.com/jamesmarinero/boards/

 

[David Steele]

Ah - you've got your covers up there, too - smart .

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Online scrapbooks of pics and playlists. Type to the rhythm.

 

[Jason Byrne]

That's another good point, Katie-Ellen! I wonder how many people play a sad song when killing off a character, or heavy metal during when writing a fight scene?

I got a step further and put together a "soundtrack" to each of my books; it makes it feel more grounded, more real, somehow. I even made CD covers for the books, and named the audio files for the scenes of the book to which they correspond, so I can look at my iPod, see the CD cover of my book, and the name of the scene:

4 - Journey of the Kohrstadts - 4:28 - Santiago de Compostela - The Way
5 - Magic Training - 2:24 - The Whomping Willow and the Snowball Fight - HP & TPoA
6 - The Beacon Tree - 2:38 - from Fly Me to the Aegis Seven Moon (≤2:36) - Dead Space
7 - Return to Fallowdell - 3:27 - The Violet Hour - Barton Hollow

 

[Karen Gray]

These are not supposed to be this huge :/
Alistair if you click into the picture then right click and copy image URL then click the photo symbol on here and click paste into the box xx

Cave at the top of mountain iat Glencoe (in my book)

Courtyard at Stirling (Sruighlea) Castle (the castle in my books)

Bothwell Castle, also in my books, home of Black Douglas

Ruins of

 

[Karen Gray]

Online scrapbooks of pics and playlists. Type to the rhythm.

I have playlists specific to characters, character pairs and events in my series. Really helps spark the imagination.

 

[Jason Byrne]

These are not supposed to be this huge :/
Alistair if you click into the picture then right click and copy image URL then click the photo symbol on here and click paste into the box xx

Cave at the top of mountain iat Glencoe (in my book)
Courtyard at Stirling (Sruighlea) Castle (the castle in my books)
Bothwell Castle, also in my books, home of Black Douglas
[images removed for brevity]

You do a good job of description; that's how I pictured these places when you wrote about them. I can tell you've actually been there.

 

[Karen Gray]

I really want to hike up to that cave :/ I'd be deid long before getting up there though. I took that one with my telephoto lens pmsl. Still... I am curious. Plus I plan to use it in book 5

 

[Jason Byrne]

I really want to hike up to that cave :/ I'd be deid long before getting up there though. I took that one with my telephoto lens pmsl. Still... I am curious. Plus I plan to use it in book 5

You took those photos?! Wow...
It looks like the Cave of Ossian? I want to hike up to that cave.

 

[Karen Gray]

You took those photos?! Wow...
It looks like the Cave of Ossian? I want to hike up to that cave.

Yes I took them. There are hundreds and the locations I quoted are actual locations. I have loads from all over the place. Keen photographer you know Most of the quality comes from the camera and luck though. Although I'd like to say I can set up and time things well There are hundreds of useful photos on my facebook page. If they help anyone with location stuff, I don't mind any of you guys using them Feel free to pinch the photo for reference @Jason Byrne if it's helpful to you.

 

[Meerkat]

That's another good point, Katie-Ellen! I wonder how many people play a sad song when killing off a character, or heavy metal during when writing a fight scene?

I got a step further and put together a "soundtrack" to each of my books; it makes it feel more grounded, more real, somehow. I even made CD covers for the books, and named the audio files for the scenes of the book to which they correspond, so I can look at my iPod, see the CD cover of my book, and the name of the scene:

4 - Journey of the Kohrstadts - 4:28 - Santiago de Compostela - The Way
5 - Magic Training - 2:24 - The Whomping Willow and the Snowball Fight - HP & TPoA
6 - The Beacon Tree - 2:38 - from Fly Me to the Aegis Seven Moon (≤2:36) - Dead Space
7 - Return to Fallowdell - 3:27 - The Violet Hour - Barton Hollow

Why have I not thought of this?

I sort of do this -- when I am writing fantasy stories, I listen to medieval music (Gothic era, Hildegard van Bingen, chant). But it never occurred to me to match my music that specifically.

 

[Jason Byrne]

There always seems to be a perfect song for a scene; often it is a very similar scene in the donor movie — a battle in the air, the death of the supporting character, grieving for a fallen mentor, etc. I usually end up with two or three CD's to a book, which I'll name, like:
The Vision of Arcadia, Volume One: The First Vision Soundtrack, Disc one: A Beautiful Magic;
The Vision of Arcadia, Volume Five: The Murderous Soul Soundtrack, Disc two: The Forbidden Punishment.

1 - Army of Prospective Corpses - 2:16 - Battlefield - HP & TDH
2 - Alyn the Giant - 3:37 - Let’s Kill Some Crows - GoT: Season 4
3 - The Mask Slips - 2:46 - Do Not Vomit Do Not Shout - Dead Space

It's like having a hard copy of your own book; it makes me feel more accomplished.

 

[Karen Gray]

Why have I not thought of this?

I sort of do this -- when I am writing fantasy stories, I listen to medieval music (Gothic era, Hildegard van Bingen, chant). But it never occurred to me to match my music that specifically.

You should... it really helps if you have to go out or if you can't write you can just listen and visualise.

Mines usually includes a LOT of Clanadonia, Evanescence, Fun, Nickleback, NIN, Marlin Manson, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Pink, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarckson, Sara Bareilles, Ke$ha, Icona Pop, Lady Gaga and some total random ones like the background track to Sam and the Womp, The Great Escape blah blah etc...

 

[Meerkat]

There always seems to be a perfect song for a scene; often it is a very similar scene in the donor movie — a battle in the air, the death of the supporting character, grieving for a fallen mentor, etc. I usually end up with two or three CD's to a book, which I'll name, like:
The Vision of Arcadia, Volume One: The First Vision Soundtrack, Disc one: A Beautiful Magic;
The Vision of Arcadia, Volume Five: The Murderous Soul Soundtrack, Disc two: The Forbidden Punishment.

1 - Army of Prospective Corpses - 2:16 - Battlefield - HP & TDH
2 - Alyn the Giant - 3:37 - Let’s Kill Some Crows - GoT: Season 4
3 - The Mask Slips - 2:46 - Do Not Vomit Do Not Shout - Dead Space

It's like having a hard copy of your own book; it makes me feel more accomplished.

Heheh. I used to be one of those writers who'd spend hours pushing commas around and pretend that I was really writing, so I bet if I had done this when I was younger, I would have spent all my time making the soundtracks and covers, pretending that I was actually writing.

That's not really a problem these days, so I may try this!

 

[Jason Byrne]

Heheh. I used to be one of those writers who'd spend hours pushing commas around and pretend that I was really writing, so I bet if I had done this when I was younger, I would have spent all my time making the soundtracks and covers, pretending that I was actually writing.

That's not really a problem these days, so I may try this!

I did tinker with them instead of actually doing something useful, for a while. But it's also something fun to do, in the universe of your story, when the ideas aren't flowing as readily.