Before I start a new project or dive into a revision, I need tangible inspiration to wrap or rewrap my head around the characters and the world I'm painting.
Playlists are a HUGE inroad for me to connect with the emotional landscape of a story. Since I'm a visual girl, I also need some talismans and touchstones to sink into the tale.
Here are some of the pieces charging my battery for my current WIP, a Rapunzel retell from the prince's POV.
A floor plan of her tower.
A Rapunzel ornament from the Disney version.
A ring my Rapunzel might wear.
I'm currently obsessed with making character diaries with both visuals and character write ups. Here's a collage for one of my supporting characters. Thank you Santino Fontana (The Prince in the recent Broadway production of Cinderella and the voice of Hans in Frozen) for inspiring this particular character with your talent and roguish good looks.
What are some of the things y'all do to get into the "zone" of your projects?
I might track down images of locations. Mostly, I rely on music to put me in the zone of the moment.
ReplyDeleteI always steal my mom's National Geographic week to week calendars for cool images.
DeleteI do the music thing, but mostly I just envision scenes in my head, then jump in. I'll create image boards on my computer to help move the story or flesh out a setting, but I've never done more than that.
ReplyDeleteMusic definitely hits the emotional beats I'm looking for.
DeleteIt's like magic, right? We all need a little magic in our writing.
DeleteNice! I don't do much really - probably because I'm not a truly visual person. Mostly I let them wander in my head where I can 'feel' them :)
ReplyDeleteAnd they do wander don't they? Usually when you're driving and want to write something down.
DeleteI rely on word prompts or picture prompts to get the creative juices flowing!
ReplyDeleteThat floor plan is a great idea and fits in nicely with your project.
I just can't shake those years of scenic design. :)
DeleteI've never thought of doing visual cues...that's a great idea! I'll have to give that a try, sometime.
ReplyDeleteIt's fun and therapeutic.
DeleteI'm big on visual cues (must have something to do with me being a photographer). When I write, I just have to look at my POV character's picture and I'm instantly in his/her head. But this is after I've spent time first figuring out who they are.
ReplyDeleteWhat Stina? You? Visual?
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