My Mind’s Eye

This week we are asked if we use ‘visuals’ when doing our writing. That is to say, do we seek out pictures that match our expectations of our characters and settings?

Many writers go so far as to have bulletin boards in the homes or offices or use Pintrest and the like. They search in books, magazines, online or they go out and actually shoot photos of people or places that help them to keep a person or place in mind.

A dear, late friend of mine, Linda, the one who got me back to writing in earnest and led me to my first piece being published, (which led to so much more, including being here), used to send picture after picture to me with attributes she pictured in her characters and settings that she had in mind.

I have not felt the need for this.

But let me quickly add that I have not written as much fiction as many others and certainly not as many characters. Much of my writing has been based on events in my life or of those around me, and only some of it has been fictionalized, so there has been no need for outside visuals; I’ve a great deal of what I write about and that part of my memory is still good.

However,that may change. And it isn’t that I have not been inspired by visuals, quite the contrary!

A bit of scenery in a movie many years ago let to a long, involved series of fictional correspondence between two people, which I reworked into one, long letter from the one I pictured at the scene.( I will have to find that work. I may be able to use some of it now!)

And I know I have mentioned this here, but a photo posted by our Founding Fox, Jillian Chantel, on her “Wordless Wednesday” blog, instantaneously inspired the bulk of the one romance novel that I keep working on, (slowly. I will, however, get it put all together).

So , until I take more time and write more that I pull purely out of my hat, (or what is under it), no visuals…but that is not to say I never will. I just don’t see finding someone who would take the place of someone that I picture in my mind.

In fact, the convenience of audiobooks is great, but if I listen to one from a series I have read, I just can’t do it. I already have that person’s “voice” in my head. And that is probably why I would rather see a movie based on a book first, before I read it. I am less apt to be disappointed.

However, to any movie producers out there: Enough green will overcome any casting discrepancies you and I may have. Yes, it could.