Wattpad brings you a guest post from Thuc Doan Nguyen on using visual social media in your writing:
You know the old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words”? If I find 40-70 pictures, I have a novel, right?
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
If only. However, using visual social media has helped me with my writing. I have Pinterest boards for my stories. For my Young Adult book called Vertere, I set this one up. Wattpad and Pinterest get me out of “writing in a vacuum”. I can see to what images other pinners relate. Pinterest boards can help writers in an array of ways.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Pinning helps me see things so I can better describe them “on paper”. I research locations and the photos I find help me verbally describe the look and feel of settings and scenes I want to create in my chapters. Pinning also helps me imagine what the characters look like, what their favorite things are, what types of items they possess. Having all the photos I need for a story in one place helps me stay organized. The pins I have that are just words help remind me to stay on theme. I use Pinterest as an online storyboard instead of as a recipe or wedding folder, which is what some people think Pinterest is all about. Instead of using note cards, Pinterest is my “mood board” for my stories.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Pinterest helps me refresh my brain and be in the know. When I’m stuck on a tale, I’ll scroll through things in the “Popular” category on the site. Seeing what others are viewing helps jog my creative juices. Sometimes coming across new images will send me in the right direction for what I’m trying to depict. There are actually a lot of people into folklore and mythology on Pinterest. There are also a quite a few book editors on there. It’s also great to see what else is getting published so you get a sense of the market. This way, you can keep your story original by knowing what’s already being told.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Happy writing and happy pinning.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Check out Thuc’s Pinterest for Vertere, and read her YA novel for free on Wattpad!
