Seven Types of Vision Boards for Authors to Kickstart Their Writing
Utilizing vision boards as an author is a fun, creative tool that provides clarity, inspiration, and motivation throughout your writing. It’s a great way to aid in the outlining process and visualize character profiles, setting inspiration, plot outlines, theme exploration, and more. You can gain a deeper understanding of your story's structure and depth, allowing for more cohesive and engaging writing.
Vision boards can help you stay focused on your writing goals and intentions, and ultimately support you to bring your book idea to fruition with greater clarity and purpose. Choose to make it on paper using magazine cutouts and printouts, or create a digital vision board for your book using Canva.
Whichever you choose, set a clear intention and know what your goals are in creating your vision board. Many types might suit your specific needs, goals, and preferences. I’m giving you seven of the most popular vision boards I’ve seen authors create over the years. Be sure to customize them to fit your unique vision.
Character Vision Board
Crafting a character vision board allows you to deepen your connection with your fictional personas. You can delve into the essence of each character by including images, descriptions, and personality traits that bring them to life. This aids in character development and consistency, cultivating vivid and believable portrayals throughout your narrative. By compiling visual references for appearance, demeanor, and motivations, you not only enhance the richness of your storytelling but also connect on a deeper level with your characters' complexities.
Plot Outline Board
You can help transform your plot outline by using design features to illustrate key plot points and character arcs. Whether through flowcharts, timelines, or storyboards, visualize the sequence of events and relationships that drive your narrative forward. By mapping out major plot developments and narrative twists, you create a comprehensive visual roadmap for your story. This tool not only enhances coherence and impact but also serves as a guiding force through the complexities of your narrative journey.
Book Inspiration Board
You can craft an inspiration board to offer you the creative fuel you need to light the flame for your writing process. Curate images, quotes, and ideas that resonate deeply with your story's themes, characters, and conflicts. This curated collection serves as a wellspring of inspiration to help you get through moments of writer's block and spark new creative pathways. By compiling content that evokes emotions, settings, and character traits all in one, you tap into a visual storyboard for your book.
Goal-Setting Board
Anchor your writing journey with a goal-setting board that helps you clarify your aspirations and intentions. Visualize your writing goals in a tangible format so you can stay focused, track progress, and celebrate achievements along the way. Whether through specific objectives or affirmations, this board reinforces positive thinking and supports you to move closer toward your writing milestones. By breaking down goals into actionable steps, you cultivate a roadmap for success, fueling your motivation and commitment to your book's realization.
Book Cover Design Board
Cover design boards offer you an opportunity to experiment with elements that will captivate potential readers. Dive into layouts, typography styles, and imagery that encapsulate the essence of your story. This creative journey not only generates excitement for your book's release but also lays the groundwork for captivating visual storytelling. By crafting eye-catching mock-ups, you set the stage for a cover that resonates with readers and draws them into your narrative world.
Author Manifestation Board
This one is solely focused on your personal and professional aspirations, representing the desired outcomes and intentions for your author journey. Whether it's achieving bestseller status, writing a query letter that secures a literary agent, or building a loyal readership, you can include images, affirmations, and visual cues that reflect those ideal goals. An author manifestation board can be your daily reminder of your intentions, empowering you to take inspired action and manifest your dreams into reality.
Setting Mood Board
Taking a visual journey through your story's setting via a mood board gives you a whole new way to creatively explore this key story element. Utilize imagery, colors, and graphics to evoke the atmosphere, ambiance, and aesthetic of your chosen setting. By curating a collection of visuals that capture the physical environment, architectural style, and cultural elements, you immerse yourself in the world you're creating. This experience could help you the foundation for better storytelling and invites you to walk alongside your characters in a vividly realized landscape.
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Tips for Making a Book Vision Board as an Author
No matter what type of book vision board you decide to create, the most important thing is that you enjoy the process and use it toward your growth as a writer and aspiring author. Here are some helpful tips to consider when diving into vision board making as an author:
Set Clear Intentions: Before creating your vision board, define your writing goals and intentions. Clarify what you hope to achieve and what aspects of your book project you want to focus on, ensuring that your vision board aligns with your specific needs and aspirations.
Customize to Fit Your Vision: Choose the type of vision board that best suits your unique vision and preferences. Whether you opt for a character vision board, setting mood board, plot outline board, or another type, tailor it to fit the themes, characters, and conflicts of your story.
Use a Variety of Visual Content: Curate a diverse range of visual content, including images, quotes, and ideas that resonate deeply with your story's themes and characters, and your author goals. Incorporate emotionally charged imagery and symbolic elements to evoke strong emotions and add depth to your vision board.
Stay Organized: Arrange your vision board in a clear and organized manner, ensuring that visual elements are cohesive and aligned with your narrative vision. Use design features such as flowcharts, timelines, or thematic groupings to enhance coherence and clarity.
Experiment and Explore Creatively: Embrace the creative process of designing your vision board, experimenting with different layouts, typography styles, and imagery to bring your narrative vision to life. Dive into the visual storytelling journey, generating excitement for your book's release and captivating potential readers with captivating mock-ups.
Regularly Revisit and Update: Treat your vision board as a dynamic and evolving tool that evolves alongside your writing journey. Regularly revisit and update your board as your story progresses, incorporating new ideas, inspirations, and milestones to keep your vision fresh and aligned with your evolving narrative vision.
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