How To Use Pinterest As A Writing Tool

August 24, 2016 | By Jamie Beck | 1 Reply More

jamie-beck-press2 (1) At first blush, it may seem a little odd to consider a pictorial social media site like Pinterest a valid writing tool. After all, most users pin things like home decorating ideas, crafts, recipes, and vacation wish lists. But as an author, I also find it to be an invaluable research tool for characters, setting, and theme.

Typically, I create a board whenever I’m beginning a new project. I label it with the novel’s working title and a quick tag line description, and then the real fun begins—the hunt!

Any romance reader will agree that a primary element of those books involves the hero. He is critical to whether or not readers will connect with and enjoy the story, because if the reader doesn’t fall for him, it’s over. Thus, it’s no surprise that my search often begins with identifying the leading man. Sometimes I already have a certain look in mind, but other times I go trolling for “man with glasses” (or some other vague description) and see what pops up. Once I’ve pinned him, then I choose his heroine.

Ultimately, finding real-life physical representations helps me write very specific descriptions, whether about their hair, mouth shape, profile, and so on. It also helps me visualize them while I’m writing. Accordingly, I’ll also pin photos of key players in the supporting cast.

Next, I pin photos of the setting. I tend to write about places I’ve already been, so I begin with some familiarity about the locale. However, having the pictures as a reference point definitely helps me describe it in a way that I hope places the reader right in the center of things.

For example, my recent release, SECRETLY HERS (featuring playboy backcountry skier Trip Lexington, whose sexy bargain to help hopeless romantic Kelsey Callahan find a husband backfires when he falls for her instead) is set in a fictional town based on Telluride, one of the most picturesque ski towns I’ve ever had the pleasure to visit. But my memory needed a little help, so that board contains several photographs taken in and around Telluride that I could draw upon to create Sterling Canyon.

finalal secretly hers cover Once my characters and setting are in order, I begin adding quotes that mirror some of the themes I hope to tease out in the story. I also find pins for specific items of significance in the story (in SECRETLY HERS, there were a few, like Trip’s cowboy hat, “Cowboy” the kitten, and Kelsey’s shoes).

Finally, if I’m writing about something with which I’m not familiar (like a private jet), I can also hunt for and pin photos of these things so that I can give an accurate description.

Lastly, many of the pins originate from other blogs. Often those blogs contain an interesting detail or two that I might be able to use to add realism to my story as well, so that’s always a great little bonus.

To me, research is the key to any well-written story. Thorough research will hand you plot twists when you least expect them, and ensure that you don’t hear reader complaints about major mistakes made because you assumed too much. Of all of the research sources I use, Pinterest is the most fun, aesthetically pleasing one. The only problem is that I can get lost in the hunt for quite a long while if I’m not careful!

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If you’re interested in seeing some of my boards, please drop by: www.pinterest.com/writerjamiebeck/. One warning, however, is that my boards will contain spoiler information. If you might pick up a story, don’t study the boards too carefully!

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Jamie Beck is a former attorney with a passion for inventing realistic and heartwarming stories about love and redemption, including her popular St. James and Sterling Canyon series. In addition to writing novels, she also enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking, and hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family.