How I use SoulCollage® to Inspire My Story’s Soul, Tone, and Setting
How images in compelling combinations reveal visual metaphors, symbols, and surprises.
In this post, my focus is on the value of making a SoulCollage® card to express the soul of our story as a whole. The spirit of the piece. And for this purpose, a story is any narrative work–fiction, memoir, etc. in any form–novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, or even poetry.
If you’re new to SoulCollage@ a quickie intro:
SoulCollage® is the brainchild of visionary art and Jungian psychotherapist, Seena B. Frost. She also has a Master of Divinity from Yale. The process of making collages to reveal and heal evolved out of her art therapy practice, infused with inspiration from Jean Houston.
It’s called SoulCollage® because our souls resonate with visual images. You might say it’s their love language. When we’re drawn to a particular image–photograph, natural vista, or work of art, our soul’s saying pay attention here.
This is particularly true when the image is not one we’d normally notice. Consider that an underscore or exclamation point.
See the list below to catch up on some previous in-depth posts about how and why we writers might want to engage in this revelatory creative practice. And how it enhances ourselves as writers as well as uncovers nuances of character, setting, and plot.
This is a particularly juicy practice because the images our souls, right brains, or inner kids select may surprise and delight us.
Writing is not just a linear process.
Yes, when telling a story, we usually start at the beginning. Then we stir up a lot of sh*t to dump on our characters in the fun and games middle. And finally, we sit back and watch how they dig themselves out.
Well, actually, it’s our job as writers to help them dig themselves out. But we’re always curious to see if or when our characters become so animated they start calling the shots. We love it when our hero puts his foot down. No way am I going to end up with boring Mr. Right! I’ve got my eyes on the hot mobster with the sexy green eyes. Get me a side arm and a job at Luigi’s and I’ll do the rest!
I for one, love when that sense of flow happens.
But getting from A to Luigi’s is not all of what we do as storytellers.
In addition to the narrative through line, there are rich opportunities to go deep into metaphorical meanings, as well as the mood and tone of our story, much of which we add through our authorial voice.
Those can go in several different directions.
I believe every story has a soul.
Just like we do. What if our soul can help us uncover the soul of our story?
This is where Soulcollage@ can be very helpful.
At any point in our writing process, we can stop and make a SoulCollage® card or cards for the soul–or tone if you like–of our story. When we give free rein to our souls to play in the land of images, they may come back with stuff that surprises us completely.
Be okay with that.
Something wants to be expressed. It doesn’t have to be taken literally. Everything has metaphorical or symbolical potential.
For example, we may find ourselves drawn to an image of a knife.
‘Eek or yuck, a knife! You may be thinking. I’m a lover, not a fighter, and this is a sweet or sassy romance.
But hear me out. Look at that knife metaphorically. Symbolically. Perhaps it’s a metaphor for cutting away what does not belong, or for bringing malice into the story. Or we may find out that our sassy romance wants the spice of a thriller.
Not only that, the images work in combination as well as individually.
So look at that knife in relation to what else is on your card. Take in the whole gestalt as we used to say. This is about the soul or heart or mood of your story overall. The intention is not to be literal but evocative. Express a feeling tone through the images our eyes feast on.
Colors, lighting, background, and even juxtaposition of images all come to play here.
Horny Unicorny Noir
I created this card for a humorous noir novel with elements of magical realism. Like a shape-shifting femme fatale who’s also a unicorn. My working title is Long, Hard, & Twisted.
I had the card almost all done but something was missing. On a whim, I perched the Betty Boopesque rainbow girl on the unicorn. Then I saw that ice cream cone and was compelled to add it to the mix. Yes, but where? You see where it ended up. Hint: Is that an ice cream cone in your pocket or are you happy to see me?
So what did I glean from this card?
When we read a card, we speak as if we’re the image therein.
The femme fatal’s name is Francesca. She says I am the one who’s dying and scared. As a child, I had a unicorn as an imaginary friend. Now, to escape my pain and fear, I become that unicorn and delight in taking revenge on anyone who ever hurt me for any reason, by turning them into animals.
In her mind, she’s playing childhood games. But we know better.
She’s turned the smart mentor-partner of our fumbling bumbling detective, Mel, into a mouse. That’s him on Mel’s hat, doing his darndest to keep Mel from falling under Francesca’s spell.
But when it’s time for Mel to take on the villains, that ice cream cone strategically located where his gun would normally be, reminds me this is no normal noir. There needs to be lightness and laughter in this story. As well as the sparking sparring dialogue noir is known for.
There may or may not ever be any actual ice cream cones in my novel. But maybe a cream pie will land in a villain’s eye so our hero can get out of harm’s way.
See how a small detail can reveal so much?
What about settings?
When making SoulCollage® cards, we can select background images that ground our story in a time and place. Magazines or even Canva.com most likely won’t have exactly what we have in mind.
This is good. It forces us to stretch. To allow happy accidents to reveal new vistas and landscapes. Or new aspects of old ones. In exploring images for settings, we may discover new locations with varied textures to use on our cards and in our stories.
The place may be bright and gay by day and dangerously ominous at night — or at least in that particular photographer’s viewfinder. SoulCollage® allows us writers to collaborate with photographers’ visions, which may be just the nuance needed to bring stories into focus.
The backgrounds that ended up in my card add rhythm and texture to Long, Hard, & Twisted. The rhythms of jazz in particular. Albuquerque, New Mexico, where it’s set, is a jazz town.
The only photo that came up on Canva is a historical pic of Route 66, AKA Central Avenue. On which there are some night spots that might figure in my story. And of course, there’s that old jazz standard, Get Your Kicks on Route 66. Marry that with the ice cream cone and someone will get kicked on Central, maybe by a stubborn ass of one sort or another.
See! There’s gold in them thar SoulCollage® cards. So cut loose with scissors and glue, and let the heart and soul of your story emerge.