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Monitor Prompts

Author Anne Rice wrote on at least one of her computers with a Sharpie; here's a photo of one from 1998 that eventually went up for auction (I could never find out what it sold for.) In a weird coincidence I actually saw this particular computer monitor in person; it was in a book store devoted to her works in New Orleans that I visited while at RWA National in 2000.

I'm not one for vandalizing my computer equipment for the sake of my writing. Also, all computers seem to be black now, so I'd have to use a white marker. I prefer to keep all my scribbles in my novel notebooks so I can go back to them for easy referencing -- and yes, I also index them, copy them, and keep the extra copies on my hard drive. Organization and paranoia, thy name is Lynn.

Along with notes and ideas I put together visual prompts for my stories, such as pictures of people. I call these body models, and they're simply photographs I find on the internet who look like my characters do in my head. I also keep these in my notebooks.

Sometimes, when I'm having a hard time focusing on a project, I'll tape the images to the edges of my computer monitor. Here's today's collection:

The female body model (who really is a model and popped up when I did a search for brunettes) is virtually identical to how I envisioned my female protag. The male body model (a K-pop star) is a match for my male protag's body type and some of his features.

Seeing the images while I work does help me concentrate, and also has a nice side effect: they remind me not to spend all day reading crap on the internet that has nothing to do with my job.

I've used other images as monitor prompts, such as locations that match my settings, floor plans or maps. When I work on a story set in a large area with many defined spaces it helps to have a ref I can see while I'm writing. Often I choreograph scenes while working out movements and timing in a particular setting first, and then add the characters, action, dialogue etc.

Do you have to tape pics to your monitor to enhance your story? Nope. But if it helps you to focus, it's a neat trick -- and no Sharpie required.

Image credit for Anne Rice monitor: https://lelands.com/bids/anne-rice-computer-monitor-used-for-vampire-book

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Comments

nightsmusic said…
I've tried all of those things before. Pictures, maps, sticky notes, none of them work for me. I wish they did. I'm going back through a Regency Werewolf romance I did a long time ago trying to edit it, though I'm a lousy editor. I first tried pictures with that one, but I knew it didn't work for me when I kept ignoring them. :/
April 16, 2020 at 7:07 AM
Maria Zannini said…
No pics.

As for notes, I keep little notepads scattered on my desk. One might be a grocery list, a blog idea, or some stray thought or questions on a future project.

I guess the inked monitor is valuable since she was famous, but I get twitchy if I see books, table tops, or equipment defiled.
April 16, 2020 at 7:46 AM
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