Creating Your Writing Visual World #IWSG #AMWRITING
[I wrote this post as a member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our worries and also offer support and encouragement to each other on the first Wednesday of every month. If you’re a writer like me and you’re looking for a bit of support, you can click the link and sign up here
Happy IWSG Day!
The awesome co-hosts for the February 1 posting of the IWSG are Jacqui Murray, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Gwen Gardner!
Thank you to you, and thank you to the wonderful IWSG hosts who are spreading the writing love this month.
Where to Start
I hadn’t realized how much time had passed since I last posted any updates on my writing or myself. Wow! Almost three whole months!
I’ve missed it.
So here I am. The question of the month this month asks: If you are an Indie author, do you make your own covers or purchase them? If you publish trad, how much input do you have about what goes on your cover?
As an Indy author of two short stories, I’ve had limited input on cover design, I love the ones the publishers came up with to support the themes and tie the stories together.
I am a graphic designer by day. I do create magazine cover art and also a variety of print media designs. And I also do use all of the fancy Adobe graphic software. I could see myself getting into cover art. I love photography. I know quite a few great ones. Images are what drive my brain. It’s how I work. I think I could potentially be good at it someday.
So maybe in the future? We can always hope and dream.
Writing Question for You
I do have a question for you. Does anyone know any great resources for writing different emotions in a highly emotional scene? I’d love to hear your thoughts as you go through the gamut of situations, internalization, and finally reaction with the multiple characters who are often so different.
Thank you!
Happy IWSG everyone! Keep writing and don’t stop! Even it takes more than a month, a year, maybe even 5? Oh my.
Posted on February 1, 2023, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 12 Comments.
Cloud Nine Girl 
You should get into designing book covers!
And sorry, you might have to sign back up on the list…
I can see you designing your own cover. Have you looked at The Emotional Thesaurus?
I’d say that Alex is right. If you have the talent for creating covers, I’d go for it.
You should try your hand at book covers.
Have you tried the Emotional Thesaurus?
One method I use is to run through the scene and only revise the physical reactions, and dialogue for one character at a time. Remember: everyone has their own agenda and wants their own way. Do the POV character last with inner dialogue peppered within their reactions.
Hope that helps.
Anna from elements of emaginette
I see several people already mentioned the Emotion Thesaurus. I don’t use it personally, but I know several other writers who swear by it.
You might also want to google the emotions color wheel. It’s a chart used by psychologists. Different emotions are arranged on a circle, sort of like how colors are arranged on an artist’s color wheel. The chart supposedly shows how some emotions are closely related to each other (like adjacent colors on a color wheel) while others are in direct opposition to each other (like contrasting colors).
Ericka, you should totally be designing covers. You have the talent. I keep different documents I’ve gleaned over the years open while I’m writing. And of course the Emotion Thesaurus is on my kindle, but I like what I’ve cut and pasted. I could send them to you in a Word doc if you let me know.
Sorry I mistyped your name!
As a graphic designer for magazine cover art, you’re probably well prepared to do your own book cover art if you ever had to.
Looks like everyone beat me to mentioning the Emotional Thesaurus!
Emotion Thesaurus, not emotional… gah!
You would be great at cover design!
As for emotions, I’m going to put on my social work hat and assure you that anything you can make up would match what could happen in reality. When I write my characters, I do a history for them so I have a better understanding of how my character will react. A bad guy would rescue kittens if he had a cat he loved as a child. None of the backstory has to be in the book, but if you know it, you will know how your character would respond.
I hope that makes sense!