We have Australian author Alison Stuart with some advice today...
I first heard of "collaging"
a story some years ago when a workshop at a Romance Writers of Australia
Conference was held on the subject. Unfortunately I didn't attend it but I did
see the participants, clutching their "collages" (which I am ashamed
to say looked to me at the time like something my son would have brought home
from kinder) and flushed with excitement as they left the room.
VISUALISING A STORY THROUGH COLLAGE
"Collaging"?
I recall, with something of a shudder,
art classes at school where you had to stick bits and pieces cut from magazines
on to paper and make some kind of artistic masterpiece. I am a Capricorn and a
Lawyer, I don't do "artistic masterpieces" - I do well ordered, neat
and logical masterpieces. I really didn't think collaging was for me.
Jenny Crusie is an exponent of
Collaging but like me was slow to realise its potential, particularly in the
pre-writing phase. (For Jenny's journey to collaging read her blog
post)
However as you learn the craft of
writing you become open to new ways of doing things and playing with the
imagination. Until I started writing GATHER THE BONES,
I'd never been one for visual stimuli but there is definitely something about
the hand/eye/brain connection, which is why some people still prefer to write
their stories in long hand. As I can no longer read my own writing that is
probably not a great option these days.
That is until I discovered Springpad. There are so many great
options for writers now (I haven't even begun to expound on my adoration for
Scrivener). With Springpad I discovered not only a great way to store my
online resource but I could actually convert that on to a virtual "cork
board" and create a "virtual collage".
 |
Springpad collage for GATHER
THE BONES
|
It's not much to look at (I did explain about the whole
Capricorn/lawyer thing... ). Amazingly, even though I was well into the
story by then, it really helped with some of the finer plot detailing. I found
pictures of 1920s tennis parties and WW1 hospitals in old churches. What you
won't see there are "pictures" of my hero and heroine. I still like
to live with them in my imagination. (BTW
you can store all your online research in your Scrivener file but the Springpad
"board" is fantastic place to see it all in one shot).
As for sticking actual pictures from
magazines on to pieces of paper, I was still sceptical until I got to try
it myself on a Writers Retreat with my own writing group, the wonderful
Saturday Ladies Bridge Club (yes there is a good reason for the name and no, it
has nothing to do with cards).
I looked at my blank piece of paper and
the piles of magazines and my mind went blank as the Capricorn/lawyer/pantser
combo muscled its way to the front of my consciousness. What was I even going
to collage about and then it struck me. I had a new story tugging at my sleeve
so I picked up the scissors and glue and began to leaf through the magazines. Firstly
story was a Regency and there was nothing regency about any of the magazines
but amazingly words and images began to leap out at me.
At the end of the session I sat back
and looked at my piece of paper. It was no artistic masterpiece but, by jiminy,
it looked like the bones of a story. And here it is. Hopefully it won't
mean anything to anybody except me but let me just say LORD SOMERTON’S HEIR is
coming out in May with Escape Publishing.
I am a "pantser" (although I
prefer the term "organic writer") and I was surprised at how going
through the collaging exercise really helped me with the setting/characters and
basic plot. It's certainly not the whole story but as a kick start to the
creative process it has been invaluable and I would highly recommend it as a
precursor to writing. All you need is a sheet of paper, some old magazines,
some felt pens, glue and scissors. Lock the "editor" away and allow
the "girls in the basement" out and you should have a fun AND
productive couple of hours.
My new book, CLAIMING THE
REBEL’S HEART, has just been
released and is for sale on Amazon and all good e-retailers.
War divides families…love unites hearts…
Herefordshire,
England 1643
As the English Civil War divides England
and tears families apart, Kinton Lacey castle is one of the brave few loyal to
the roundhead cause.
With her father away, Deliverance Felton
will do whatever it takes to defend her family home against the royalist forces
ranged against it. She can shoot and wield a sword as well as any man and
anything she needs to know about siege warfare she has learned from a
book...but no book can prepare her for what is to come.
Captain Luke Collyer, soldier of fortune
and a man with his own reasons for loyalty to the parliamentary cause, is sent
to relieve the castle. Everything he knows about siege warfare in general and
women in particular he has learned from experience, but when it comes to
Deliverance Felton has he met his match?
Deliverance will not give up her command
lightly and Luke will have to face a challenge to his authority as fierce as
the cavalier foe outside the walls. He will do whatever it takes to win
Deliverance’s trust but will he run the risk of losing his own, well guarded,
heart?
Connect with Alison
Website:
http://www.alisonstuart.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlisonStuartWriter
Twitter:
@AlisonStuart14
That is a good way to go, allows on to see things all set in a row
ReplyDeleteIt works really well if you are a visual person!
DeleteI love both Springpad and Scrivener for displaying pictures (collage) to inspire a story and remember details of hair coloring and clothing etc.
ReplyDeleteMy Pinterest pins feed into Springpad and my Rebel Mouse magazine so I have an even larger avenue for inspiration.
Thanks, Suzi... I think you must be ultimate visual person!
DeleteI love the idea of using collages to visual stories.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't tried it give it a go! The trick is just to let your mind relax...and let your imagination take you away.
DeleteI love using Pinterest for this kind of thing--and it can be fun to share with fans that way, too :) I also love the organic writer term--much better than panster!
ReplyDeleteI haven't really got into Pinterest... not for lack of interest but more for lack of time and I also worry a bit about copyright infringement so my boards tend to be private!
DeleteI have been an organic writer although that is changing and evolving the more I write. (First heard that description at the RWNZ conference last year and much prefer it too.) I am quite visual and Pinterest fulfils my needs for a story board so well. I love it! In the end, it is whatever combination works for each writer. Love your post, Alison.
ReplyDeleteThe other term coined by Jo Beverley is "Flimmer" (from Flying into the mist). I hate "pantser" because it sounds very hit and miss whereas organic has some structure to it! Thanks for visiting Susanne.
DeleteGreat idea. The pics can get you in the period too!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! The one thing I can't do is pictures of the hero and heroine... I like to keep them in my mind's eye and allow the reader to put whatever features they like on them.
DeleteI had never heard of collaging. It probably works really well for visual people.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, not everybody is visual! You do what works for you.
DeleteI have never done collaging for a story, but it does sound like an interesting technique. I am a visual person- so I think this could be a good thing for me to try. Thanks for sharing and wishing Alison the best of luck!
ReplyDelete~Jess
Thanks, Jess. Collaging is more a technique for just freeing up the imagination. Great for "writers block"!
DeleteOrganic writer is much better than panster!! Yay!! Your collage looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteGood for Deliverance too - Luke's got one fiesty fight in his hands there! Take care
x
Thanks, Kitty. They were a fun pair to write about!
Delete"Organic writer" -- agreed, much better; hairy armpits and all. As a very visual person, I like the idea of collage-ing. Don't know if I'd have time for it, though.
ReplyDeleteI've done it with my Writer's Group as a regular exercise. It doesn't take long but it does require a little organisation. If you are involved in a writers group why not give it a try one meeting. It is quite a fun group activity until someone pinches the picture you had your eye on... LOL
DeleteThank you everyone who stopped by and left a comment. It's not for everyone and probably best done, as I do it, as a group activity with other writers and a couple of glasses of wine!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Alison! I love Scrivener too :-)
ReplyDeleteFunny, I thought you were going to talk about Pinterest - but Springpad sounds a lot more organised and personal, I like it!
I had no idea J Crusie was into collaging too. Thanks for the link!