Have you ever heard of a Story Mood Board?
I hadn’t, and I’m part of a Authors Challenge on Instagram that asked me to make one. I handled it like I do all things, I made one, posted it, then days later researched them. A bit backwards, but that’s the way I do most things. In the end I think I did a pretty good job if I do say so myself. I assumed it would be similar to a vision board however it needed to evoke the feel of my book. I chose to do one for Unbelievable since its the first book in my series.
Vision Boards
I’ve never been big on vision boards. I guess it’s because I’ve put a lot of darn work into getting what I want out of life and it’s hard for me to believe that by cutting out little pictures of my dreams they would come true. The more I learned about them, the more I realized how it benefits to many. Although you can find an equal amount of studies showing how they don’t work, many still love making them. My thoughts? It doesn’t hurt to try. 🙂 Vision boards are the process of gathering images of what you envision for yourself over a specified time frame. My niece recently did one for school, it had everything on it from volleyball to walking down a runway. The idea is that if she looks at it often she will keep her goals in mind. Not a bad idea for a 15 years old.
Mood Boards
Like vision boards, mood boards can include just about anything you would like. The idea of a mood board is to evoke a specific feeling or inspiration. Creators use them for everything from design projects, to writing books. I chose to make one for Unbelievable and I actually found it helpful. Dare I say you may be looking at the new color scheme for my books? Only time will tell. Although, I have to admit I like they way it all came out.
Something to Consider
Mood Boards are definitely something I will consider for my upcoming projects. When I design graphics for marketing, my website or book covers I always get nervous with color. If you ever meet me in the real world you will find my house is decorated with natural woods, gold, black etc. My wardrobe is full of clothing options that are about 95% black. So when it comes to designing I always lean towards black and gold. I love those colors but they don’t always portray the mood for the project I’m in. All and all, this was a learning experience that I’d recommend to anyone. Whether it is a vision board or a mood board you are working on give it a try! It helps get those creative juices moving.
Have you made one before? Comment below and share!
Happy Reading.
-Nikki Rome