I was a Pinterest rebel. Friends and family members raved about the site, sending me countless invitations. I ignored them all, mostly because I really didn’t understand it. What was the point? I didn’t have a bulletin board growing up, why have a virtual one now?
But the You’ve-Got-To-Join-Pinterest crowd just wouldn’t let up. So, in a moment of complete I’ll-Show-You angst, I joined to prove everyone was wrong. I’d show the entire world that Pinterest is a colossal waste of time.
Wow. What an idiot.
Turns out this site is popular for a reason…it’s totally addicting! Hold on. Before you squawk about how you can’t even find enough time to do laundry let alone add pinning on your To Do list, listen up. Pinterest is an absolutely essential tool, especially for a writer.
Top 3 Writerly Ways to Use Pinterest
Ideas
Characters. Settings. Pinterest is a wealth of inspiration. Pictures really do paint a thousand words, so next time you’re struggling to meet your word count goal for the day, perusing a few hero or heroine boards just might prod your sluggish plot into action.
Marketing
Pinnable artwork using quotes from your novel are a great way to generate interest in your book. Oh, you’re not a graphic designer? No worries. There are plenty of free sites to make your own cyber-posters. Poster My Wall is one of my favorites.
Collaboration
If you’ve got beta readers or critique buddies, you can create a board for your story that they can have access to. Working together, you can spit shine your manuscript. Example: My fellow author, Kelly Klepfer, and I are in the midst of deciding what our characters look like for a book we’re co-authoring. We pin pictures, trying to hone our characters to a fine sheen. Currently we’re trying to figure out what our detective should look like. Here’s the board.
Think of Pinterest as a monkey wrench. It’s just one more tool to craft your Great American Novel. But don’t take my word for it. Go ahead. Prove me wrong.
Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas…professionally, however, for the past 10 years. Her recent release is A HEART DECEIVED, a gothic regency put out by David C. Cook (June 2013). If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, you can find her at www.michellegriep.com or www.writerofftheleash.blogspot.com or feel free to stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.