(Warning: this post discusses the affects of Anxiety)
If you hang around bookish and/or writerly corners of the Interwebs, you may've seen random-a** collages related to books, individual characters, or writing projects.
Or maybe you haven't - in which case you probably don't know wtf I'm talking about. But trust me, they're out there.
These are commonly referred to as either moodboards or aesthetics.
What's the difference? Honestly, I'm pretty sure there isn't one.
Some people argue that aesthetics are smaller, contain less images, etc. But that's just a small moodboard, ok?
So as far as I'm concerned the words are interchangeable. Just accept that and move on. #IDon'tEvenCare
It's pretty common practice, then, for writer and creative-y types to make this stuff.
Especially for their WIP (work in progress.)
So I made one. For my WIP. On Pinterest.
Only, because I have to question everything, and then question the questions, I have to wonder: what are these moodboards for?
Are they for the writer - for inspiration or understanding?
Or are they for the potential reader? Are they secretly a cynical marketing technique?
Are they neither and both at the same time?
I guess, what my over-thinking brain really wants to know is: Is it possible to do a mood-board 'wrong'?
Can I give the wrong impression of my WIP? Of my tone?
Am I accidentally misleading people - making them think it'll be cooler than it actually is?!
Yeah... Anxiety sucks. And my general Anxiety is through the roof atm.
But other people's WIPs, and other people's aesthetics and moodboards, are so cool - like, unreal-level cool.
Even when they're awkward or dorky they still seem to have this sheen of coolness.
Mine's... not.
I don't know what 'These Ghosts of Ours' is - but cool? Nah. Cool isn't present here.
I don't even know what genres are going on here - I've decided to make a new genre and call it Kevin, because it's just as accurate as anything else.
And I know, I know - don't compare yourself to other people, everyone's writing is unique and special and blah-blah-blah.
I get it.
But I don't always feel it.
So my moodboard isn't cool either - I don't think it is, anyhow.
But does that mean I'm doing it 'wrong'?
When everyone else's stuff is so polished, mine is... like a walking disaster area.
And not in the designer-mussled, I-just-woke-up-like-this, strategically-placed-rips-in-clothing, kind of way.
It's just... rough.
Maybe that's ok. I know I'd be telling other people it's ok.
I'd be telling other people that perfect is boring, that messy is individual, that no-one else puts this sh** together quite like I do.
I'm fairly decent at giving advice... I'm just not so good at taking it 😅
Anyway, I ended up writing for the first time all week after making this board, so maybe it's a winner?
Maybe it was just a coincidence, I dunno!
What do you think?
Are aesthetics and moodboards for the writer or the reader?
Is it possible to get them 'wrong'?
Talk to me! 😅💬
Related Reading:
While I love to look at other people’s aesthetic boards, I do think that they are more for the writer. If you’re a very visual person, they could really help. Also, they seem fun to make!
ReplyDeleteHa, the other day I was like, 'oh I'll just start one of these things and spend like 5 minutes on it...' and two hours later I was still doing it! Lol.
DeleteI don't know that you can get them wrong, but I do thing your board will vary depending on how you interpret the book.
ReplyDeleteLike that's the thing though - will I be giving a false impression of my WIP?! (Yes, I'm def. over-thinking this!)
DeleteAbsoLUTEly not possible to do one wrong! I think it's possible for one person not to feel that a mood board captures a book accurately, but a lot of that would be down to the fact that books make different people feel different ways. I've loads of times had the experience of saying a book is one thing (moody and melancholy) only to have someone else assure me it was some totally different thing (lighthearted and amusing). So GO FORTH and make mood boards to your own taste. <3
ReplyDeleteHa, have I told you lately that you always make me smile? ;) <3
Delete(And maybe you just find the gothicky-ness in *all* your reading material!)
I think they're mainly for the writer. I use them mostly for character inspiration as I'm terrible at descriptions- "she had a...face?". I suppose you can use them for marketing too if you've already got an established following. I don't think there's a wrong way to do them as there isn't a wrong way to express yourself creatively, it's very individual! And for the record I think your moodboad looks ridiculously cool.
ReplyDeleteHa, you don't have to describe many physical characteristics - only the important ones. People's brains fill in the blanks with the minimal of prompting - I promise. So just act like everyone already knows what this person looks like. The only thing you should really specify is whether this person is White, Black, Latinx, etc. - and that's to stop 'the default.'
DeleteHa, I a) don't think it looks cool, and b) am worried that it's cooler than my WIP - thank you so much though! XD <3