Writers get ideas for books in different ways. Sometimes plot comes first, sometimes characters, and sometimes….just vibes.
I’m the third type. Vague character vibes, vague plot vibes….I could totally come up with a color palette but not a coherent plot. Plots come later.
So I thought today I pull some pretty photos and just…vibe with them? Anyway, just follow along for this magical mystery tour.
(all these pictures (except the first one) are from Pinterest. And unfortunately it is next to impossible on Pinterest to find the credit of pictures. And google search doesn’t help, and the fact that a lot of pictures link back to tumblr is just even worse, since the accounts are often defunct or the pictures were put up like back in 2014 and would be impossible to find. Anyway, copyright and credit woes of the 21st century)
(I found this on IG and have NO idea where it originally came from (google was no help to me) but the VIBES man. The vibes are strong with this one) Is this a music video? A book by Ray Bradbury? Is it a surreal adventure? A futuristic setting that looks awfully like the past? Two reckless friends drag racing around planet Earth?
We stan a woman in uniform. She means business. She’s in charge and she’s ready to lead her army (at least that’s what she tells herself. Inside she’s like I HAve nO iDeA WhAT i’M DOiNg)
Grass. (“wow” you say. Just keep looking at it) Windy. Cold. Misty. Someone is crying or someone is at the end of their rope. A deep breath before the plunge or the deep cry after.
Need a name? She’s a woman and she’s gonna survive and she’s gonna fight and she’s not gonna stop till she’s gone through hell and back
I um…wrote a whole book based on this photo and am querying it. So yeah. (for the life of me I cannot credit this image. If you know, help)
(the closer I look at the image the more it looks like a miniature, but anyways) A cozy cabin in the woods. Gas stove. Tea with milk in tin cups and canned dinners fried up in the pan with butter. A safe haven for a while. A safe haven from the monsters in the woods.
Dystopia anyone? The last plants on earth? A refuge from the poisonous air outside? Or perhaps a gateway into a fae realm?
Dystopia. She’s looking for something, there to meet someone. She’s a scientist, or maybe a historian. The paintings are the few that survived. But there are more secrets underneath the museum.
Overgrown. Something or someone lived there once. Or maybe is still living there. Watch out. You might fall through a portal.
She’s wicked, boy, and you’d better run
(If it’s not baroque, don’t fix it) Fancy palace. Fancy balls. But sinister. The villain is probably hosting said ball.
He’s your young/rich boy/villain/over dramatic/super villain. If he kills you, he’ll do it with a knife he had especially made for the day
This kid has had it with his best friend’s wild shenanigans. Yeah, monsters and fairies are cool and everything, but board games are fun too.
She’s ready for war and she’s ready to lead. All hail the queen.
~~~~~~
And uh…there you have it. (why is everything like slightly sinister. What the heck. Why can’t I lighten the mood????)
Also, to be perfectly honest, I do make Pinterest boards for almost every story I write. However….do I actually ever use them??? Reference them? No. Not really. I just….make them. Cause it’s fun.
Question time!!!!
Writers: how does an idea for a story/book start for you? Do you begin with characters? Plot? Vague feelings? A singular image? Theme? Mood?
Readers: are there consistent vibes/aesthetics that draw you to a book? Are there some that turn you off?
(and of course you’re welcome to answer both)
(and also if you want to take any of these as a writing prompt, you are more than welcome)
I LOVED this!! I think I have a random scene, or a conversation, playing out, and then will find a way to get it there, no matter what I have to do or put the characters through to arrive at that point, which can have interesting consequences!
If only I could write stories as quickly as the images flash into my mind! Ugh! lol
For me, stories perhaps begin with a general character idea, along with a certain “mood” or world aesthetic. And theeeen….plot comes much, much later. XD
this post has been FANTASTIC
Very amusing.
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who will have great story ideas that consist of merely pictures and a general feel for the mood. XD
[…] of snow edging everyone’s driveway, I’m going to do a reboot of last year’s Vibe and Aesthetics Only (no plots allowed) blog. BUT (and you guessed it) winter […]
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