Using Divination to Write Your Novel
By: Stephanie Sylverne
Tags: Writing Tips, Tarot, Writing, Writing Life, Writers Block

Tarot cards: There are tarot spreads just for writers, and tarot books just for writers, so this is well-trodden territory, and you can use the cards any way you want.

For instance, you can take out the 22 major arcana cards (The Tower, The Sun, The Moon, etc) and use them as a smaller, less complicated deck that has stronger imagery; you can use only the court cards (pages, knights, queens, kings) if you want to focus on developing character traits; you could pull a single card for speedy clarifcation or do an entire spread. You can focus on theme, or you could lay out cards to create an entire plot from scratch if you want to.

Even interpretation is up to you — you can stick to the given meaning for each card, or decide what the artwork means to you personally, or a combination of the two.

The best part about tarot or similar divination decks is that no matter your interests, whether it be angels or fairytales or vampires or abstract art or Game of Thrones, there’s bound to be a deck out there for you.

Don’t have (or want) tarot cards? A regular deck of playing cards will work too. Card meanings are easily accessible online, or there are popular books like Nerys Dee’s Fortune-telling by Playing Cards if you prefer print.

Tea Leaves/Coffee Grounds: If you’re a strong visual learner or are the type who likes looking for pictures in clouds, this could be your thing.

Follow the same instructions as you would for divination, but rather than thinking about your own problems, think about what you need for your story.

Searching for symbolism to enrich your tale? A recurring image to include? An aspect of your character’s personality that needs fleshing out? Write down your issue or question and what you see in the bottom of your cup. This could also jar some word association if the immediate meaning of the image isn’t clear to you. Or look up the traditional interpretation of the image.

Example: You know you need to shake up the plot a bit, but you can’t decide how. You see an arrow in the tea leaves. This could indicate war, or heartbreak, or even Cupid’s arrow, depending on the direction you want for your narrative. Or you could use the tea leaf dictionary: “ Arrow. — Unpleasant news or a disagreeable letter from the direction in which it comes.”

Runes: Excellent for theme or when seeking deeper meaning. Does require purchasing a set (or making your own), so not as accessible as playing cards or tea.

Runes are usually kept in a pouch or small box. Think about what question you want answered (“What is my antagonist’s motivation?”), then reach into the pouch and pull out a stone (or three, or five). For example, answering the question about my antagonist’s motivation, I pull the URUZ stone, which according to the cheat sheet that came with my rune oracle set means: “You may lose someone or something.” So then my antagonist’s actions can all stem from having lost someone or something important to them.

Pendulum: Can’t decide between multiple possible plot directions? Write them on a large piece of paper and let the pendulum choose for you. Hold it still in the middle of the paper and wait for it to swing towards one or the other. Or use it for a simple “yes” or “no.” (For instance, swinging in a circle means “yes” or back and forth in a straight line means “no.”)

You can buy a fancy crystal pendulum or even use a necklace with a heavy charm that you already own.

Astrology: Assign your character(s) an astrological sign. Voila! All their positive and negative traits are already outlined for you. Simply modify as needed. Bonus: If you are stuck, read their horoscope, and adjust their situation accordingly, i.e. “You may argue with a loved one today, Taurus, but step back and contemplate before engaging” or “You will be flush with cash this month, Aquarius; however, reign in your spending habits or next month your wallet will suffer.”