Using Story Deck to inspire your creative writing

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Getting started

Start by just going through the cards. As you go, set aside any you like the look of to go back to later. Don’t overthink it – the cards don’t have specific or set meanings, they are open to interpretation. They might remind you of a book, film or video game you’ve really enjoyed, or you might like the look of a card because you can imagine yourself in that setting.

Freewriting

Choose one of the cards you’ve set aside and set a timer for three minutes. Use this time to write a response to the card.

You could:

• Write from the perspective of someone who lives inside that 'world'
• Note down all the details you can see in the artwork
• Create a list of everything this card reminds you of

Whatever you do, try and keep writing for the entire time. By doing this, you can help your writing reach past the first ideas that pop into your head and find something more unusual or unique. Underline any ideas or words you like the look of – you can always come back to them later.

Creating characters

Choose a card to represent a character in your story – it doesn’t have to be a card that shows a person. For example, if you chose the snowy landscape card, ask yourself a couple of questions:

• Who lives in this world?
• Do they like living here?
• Do they fit in or stand out?

To flesh out your character, you could choose some of the questions from the Masterclass Character Development Questions(this link will open in a new window) and answer them. Keep your answers handy any time you’re not sure about what your character would do!

Set yourself a challenge

A great way to develop as a writer is to experiment with tone. Do you like writing stories that are dramatic? Or do you prefer to make your reader laugh? Pull a random card and think about what tone you think it has, then write a paragraph in that tone. Then, pull another card and, with the same story as your first paragraph, write in your new card’s tone. Reflecting on what you’ve done – how does the same story change with different tones? Which tone do you prefer to write in?

Quick ideas

If you have less time, or just want some other ideas to flesh out your writing, try these:

• Make a soundtrack for a card – choose some songs that you think fit the vibe or feeling of a card (listening to the same music can be a quick way to 'get in the zone' when you write!)
• Make a mood board – try and find other images online that are similar to a card, or that, to you, have a similar feeling (you could use this to flesh out the setting of your story!)
• Ask your librarian for a recommendation – show a card to your school or local librarian, explaining you’re using it as writing inspiration and ask them for a recommendation on what to read.

As you start writing, you may think of your own way to use the cards – if it works for you, keep doing it! Whatever you do, we hope you enjoy creating your own worlds and stories. Happy writing!

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