How to Turn Pinterest Boards Into Novels

I love making Pinterest boards for my novels. They help me brainstorm and get into the right mood. But how do you take the aesthetic vibe of your Pinterest board and turn it into a novel?

In this post, I’ll share tips on how to make your Pinterest board work for you and ensure it enhances, not limits, your writing. You can also connect with me on Pinterest and look at my examples here.

First, Collect Inspiration & Start with a Vibe 

I Pin chaotically. I love getting on Pinterest and just pinning whatever grabs my attention. I have a folder called “Inspiration” where all that goes. Sometimes, I have an idea of which WIP it will go with, and other times, I know it’s for a future idea I haven’t even come up with yet. As you collect inspiration, you can organize your Pins. Create folders for each WIP, and go from there. The more you Pin to a specific board, the more accurate Pinterest’s algorithm gets in suggesting additional pieces. I love being surprised by a piece of fashion or setting that feels perfect. This will all become fuel for your story.

Next, Match Aesthetic to Genre, Character, & Setting 

Before you start writing, consider your aesthetic. Is it a cottage core fantasy? Gothic thriller? Dark academia mystery? Once I know that, I love to pick a color palette for my WIPs (4-6 colors). Not only does it become the base for my Scrivener theme, it also helps me stay consistent with my vibes. Think about how your aesthetic uplifts your story. How does your character fit into it? A nerdy professor can be in a gothic dark academia and a cottage core fantasy, but the way you describe him will probably vary. In one book, he teaches forbidden topics in a secret classroom concealed by a gloomy painting; in the other, he teaches best potion practices outside in the herb garden. You probably know which is which, right? When I know the aesthetic I’m going for, I like to stare at my Pinterest board and brainstorm words. I’ll jot down anything that comes to mind, and I’ll reference the list as I write. 

Finally, Don’t Be Too Literal & Don’t Let the Photo Replace Your Writing 

The photos are meant to inspire you, not hold you back. Don’t feel like your character absolutely has to look like that specific model you pinned. Maybe they have the same hairstyle but not the same clothes. You can pick and choose details that work for your WIP and ignore anything that doesn’t. (You can even delete your entire board and start all over if you realize it’s not working for you!) Something that always helps me is talking to my critique partners. Recently, I actually took pages to my group, and they all struggled with picturing the setting in one scene. I realized that I didn’t describe what I was picturing enough. I let the photo do the heavy lifting in my imagination, but I didn’t actually get the details down. I referenced the inspiration photo and asked myself why I liked it, then I read over my CPs’ notes. This meant taking a hard look at the scene and figuring out which details were necessary in order for it to all come together. Those pages are fixed now! 

In the end, Pinterest is a popular tool, but it isn’t the heart of your story. You are. Use your voice to bring your ideas to life. 

Final piece of advice from someone who works in art rights? You can always link to your Pinterest board as an extra for readers, but don’t take art off Pinterest to use however you’d like. There are artists behind these pieces. They deserve proper credit (and usage may require payment). Do your research. Don’t be afraid to contact an artist and ask for permission. Sometimes artists will actually let you use it for free with credits. You can also use free websites like Pexels or get a Canva premium subscription. (What do I do? I set all my WIP boards to private. I don’t like to share anything while I’m creating. I prefer to share my boards once the book is published.) The only other caveat I’ll add is about AI art. There is so much of it circulating. Support real artists, please.

Here’s my board for the Timely Death trilogy.

How do you use Pinterest to inspire your writing? Do you have any favorite boards or tips you swear by? Drop a comment below and share your thoughts.

~SAT