Is a Picture Worth A Thousand Words?

Is a picture worth a thousand words? Perhaps…

We are a visual society. Educators use “picture prompts” to spur the creative minds of students to write or tell a story. Film directors and cinematographers often use story boards, photos, and picture books to collaborate on their vision. Painters may use photographs as visual reference for their art. Actors frequently study photos to tap into emotions, the look of a character or immerse themselves into a certain historical period. Likewise, writers will find old photographs in an attic or a parent’s belongings that flood the mind with inspiration. The number of times I’ve had an aspiring author approach me with a book idea due to these discoveries has been many.

These treasured photographs can actually be content for a coffee table book. Alternatively, the photographs and other visual mementos may provide hidden, suppressed or forgotten memories for a nonfiction book or memoir. The power of the photograph can evoke nostalgia or unearth unresolved feelings. The photographs stir content inside oneself while also with others, serve as insight into a location or time never visited.

Images can spark creativity, inspire the imagination and begin the process of the flow when a writer or artist feels “blocked.” Dig around in those dusty boxes; open the trunks from your grandparents; reach in the back of closets that need to be cleaned out; peruse the stacks of scrapbooks held onto by your proud mom; or scroll through those digital photos saved on your phone. You just may be surprised with the book ideas and stories that come pouring out. They will make you a better writer.