How I Organize my Pinterest Board to Help me Write a Book

 

I feel like Pinterest has been around my whole life at this point. I for sure was using it back when I was in high school when it came to recipes and craft projects and that's coming up on 10 years ago. 

As I grew up, my Pinterest account grew and changed from craft projects to planning my wedding, to home decor, and more. 

But as an author, I feel like we can easily forget that pinterest is the perfect place to make the photo visual board of our books. It can help you plot out the story, create the visual of your characters, setting, and scenes, and even stumbling across a photo may inspire a new idea for the story, and help you out when you get stuck in the writing process. 

Now I've always had my author Pinterest page set up and yes, I did make a board for my current work in progress, but it was very random and not really useful. 

Then, I saw the way author C E Ricci organized her pinterest boards for her books and it blew my mind. It was laid out perfectly to actually help you create your story and use it as a reference when you are writing. So I can't take credit for this method, (Thank you Chelsea), but I did follow her example and maybe it will help you too. 

 I'll attach a screen grab below of my current WIPs pinterest board so you can get an idea of layout, but since it's not yet published, all my books boards are set to private until that book goes live. You are more than welcome to go ahead and follow me on Pinterest if you wish to later see the entire board, but in the meantime C E Ricci's pinterest page will help you out, along with this post. 

Pinterest Layout:

1.) Make a board for each Work in Progress book or future book. 

I title it with the working title, or if I'm not decided on the title, I will use the characters names. If the idea is brand new, I will title it "Billionaire Enemies To Lovers" Or whatever lets me know what that board is. I like to start a board the moment a book idea comes to me to so I can grow that board as ideas come for that story. So currently my pinterest has 12 secret boards. 

I also find it helpful to fill out the board description with your characters name, and the series it's in, as well as the series number. (Book 1, 2 Etc.) 

2.) Create sections under your books pinterest board. (You can click the organize button at the top of the board to arrange your sections in the order you prefer.)

This is the new part. Usually we would create the board and start saving photos randomly. Character inspirations, places, words, etc. and it would all be chaos. And you can save some like this to get a start, but then you should start sectioning off your board. (Just click the "Plus" button at the bottom of your board and tap "Add Section.")

Sections to Have: 

• a section for each main character. 
• a section for them as a couple (If writing Romance) 
• a section for story/plot
• a section for locations/setting
• a section for words/vibes

Now, you can go even further than this if your book is complex. You could make a section for your subplot(s), or if you are writing a fantasy, one for it's creatures. It can be as detailed as you want it. 

3. Save Pins to the Correct Section to Help you Tell the Story.

On my FMCs board section, I title it with her full name. I will save models that look like her, and things she likes, things she does, if she's in college, photos of her studying. Hanging out with her friends. Etc. I'm creating that characters life, and her personality. Same for my MMC. Do this for however many main characters you have. 

For the "couple section" I label it with both their first names, and this is where I save all the romantic moments like hugs, first kisses. The stuff that really shows the emotion and how they are together as a couple. Their personalities colliding, and building their love story.

For story, this may be a picture of a guy standing in the shadows, a girl with a broken leg, a diamond necklace. Whatever is essential to the plot that's telling the story. You can even go one step further and once you have these pins saved, re-arrange them in chronological order in that section.

For locations, I'll save pins that show important places like their homes, a venue, if they take a vacation I'll save pictures of a resort or plane.

And for words, I love saving those romantic text conversations you see on pinterest, or song lyrics. Anything that aligns with their dialogue, how they speak to each other and feel. 

And that's it! 

Once you have your board and its sections created, I leave it up in a separate tab or on my ipad where I can see it while i'm writing and use it to visualize the scene, get inspired, or help me write the words, and express the emotion that I need to. 

 Do you utilize Pinterest? Do you like this way of organizing your books board? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!