Using the Tarot to write/plot stories: anyone do this?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 15 Oct 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

rota	15 Oct 2002
I've been using the Tarot to plot out stories. In my business I have occasional need to write short plot sequences. Writing is difficult for me, like dragging a bag of rocks upstairs. I'm not a wonderful amazing writer, no prodigy and no fountain of literary ideas, but I have figured out this shortcut to writing: use the Tarot. As in any consulting spread, one keeps in mind the strong question one has in mind - in this case it's the characters and their situation. I choose a card that signifies their main concern and set it on the table. Then I shuffle the deck and lay out a line of 5 cards. This can broadly correspond to a 3-act structure, or represent a single narrative thread. depending on what I'm searching for. Then I look over the 6 cards, and in conjunction with the characters and situation already in mind, I find that almost always I have the main incidents of the story right in front of me. Writing, after that, is much easier, since the whole arc is present in my mind. This works screamingly well for me, as I find it cuts directly to the matter at hand. Anybody else do this, or have any story/plotting experiences related to Tarot spreads? I'd like to hear them.

Lovelace	15 Oct 2002
My lord, I do this all the time! I often use it for character development, especially - when I'm having trouble figuring out who a character is, I'll run an astrological spread for them to show the various influences in their life and personality. Works great. I also do it a lot of the time when I'm not sure where a plot is going - it helps take things out of my hands, and throws an element of Fate into the characters' lives. :TQS

Kitty	15 Oct 2002
I have trying/ thinking of writing a story - I have an idea of what I want - but hard to think of the story line - I might try a variation on this - pick out the cards that apply to my ideas - then create the story from them..... thanks - will also try your idea!

ihcoyc	15 Oct 2002
I write and DM roleplaying games that I play online with people. Occasionally I have an NPC (non player character - one who I play) that I want to flesh out a bit. I use a three card spread to give them some depth. Card 1: what they do, how they fit into the game world. Card 2: their public self. Card 3: their real agenda. Just for example, I just did a quick shuffle and drew three cards: 7 Cups, 4 Swords, 9 Coins. Here comes a character who's a poet or a bard of some kind. His reputation is of being easygoing, mellow, technically proficient but uninspired. But his heart's desire is to become rich and famous; he wants to be a rock star. Now I know how to play the new character.

Sinta	16 Oct 2002
LOL right now I'm basing a character slightly on tarot. I play free form role play on irc ^_^ It's a lot of fun. She's a strange creature and has the ability to give tarot readings and see things. Not bad a game... though I have to work on her.

Kiama	16 Oct 2002
I tend to see a reading as weaving a story, and I also love spreading cards specifically to make up a story. This is also th emethod I used to introduce my little sisters to Tarot. They are 9 and 11, but I itroduced them to it a year ago. I foud the storytelling method worked amazingly with them, and other kids in fact. I also find this method good for boosting your creativity and intuitive abilities. Kiama

Keslynn	16 Oct 2002
I have thought about doing this before but I wasn't quite sure how I'd go about it. But everyone has given me some great ideas so I might just be able to try it now. :) Kes

Khatruman	21 Oct 2002
There is a set of cards called the Archetype Storytelling Cards designed specifically for this practice. It was actually developed for role playing games and figuring out plot and character. The cards have some imagery directly from the tarot Major Arcana (i.e. The Fool, The Sun, etc.). But it also comes with a chart on what personality types each card has. They are beautiful cards, I have two sets, but I am not sure if they are still available.

LindaFires	22 Oct 2002
[i use a three card spread to give them some depth. card 1: what they do, how they fit into the game world. card 2: their public self. card 3: their real agenda. just for example, i just did a quick shuffle and drew three cards: 7 cups, 4 swords, 9 coins. here comes a character who's a poet or a bard of some kind. his reputation is of being easygoing, mellow, technically proficient but uninspired. but his heart's desire is to become rich and famous; he wants to be a rock star. now i know how to play the new character. [/b][/quote] Thanks for the example, now i see how you did that Very cool!

Jackal	22 Oct 2002
Working as I am on an epic fantasy novel (but then, who isn't?) I saw this thread and had to jump on it. I have huge blocks of 'plot' outlined but sometimes I have trouble figuring in little minor subplots/story lines/connective passages. I tried doing a quick 3-card spread as was mentioned, and it opened my eyes hugely- I didn't have a love interest in my story! As soon as I started working that in, it opened up huge opportunities for the direction of the story. What a great idea! As a side note, fantasy/humour writer Piers Anthony wrote a trilogy of novels (a vast departure from his pun-soaked 'Xanth' series) that had the Tarot symbolism heavily woven into the plot. The trilogy is called 'Planet of Tarot' with individual titles being 'God of Tarot', 'Vision of Tarot' and 'Faith of Tarot'. I'm not a big fan of his work, but this trilogy was an interesting read.

LadyShallot	22 Oct 2002
Marge Piercy wrote a cycle of poems based on a Tarot layout. The Seven of Pentacles by her is one of my favorite poems. I have also used the storytelling idea with the groups I have facilitated. The first person pulls a tarot card and begins a story and stops at a particularly intriguing point. The next person pulls a new card and picks up the story and so on. It really becomes a group exercise in myth-making and can be very powerful. I also work with a 10-year-old who has an interest in Tarot, particularly the Celtic Dragon tarot. He is a genius at making up stories about the cards that come very close to the traditional meanings of the cards. I am more of a journal writer but use the cards as seeds for journal writing exercises.

Alex	22 Oct 2002
when he has to write compositons 4 school. They give him a set of spelling words that have to be used in a story. He thinks it helps.

VGimlet	23 Oct 2002
I haven't tried this, although I am working on a modern story about a Tarot reader, (I know, I know, what a shock, LOL). I do have one story I am a little stuck on at the moment, maybe doing a spread would give me some ideas. I do sometimes use the pictures on the cards for the physical aspects of some of my characters - particularly my quasi-arthurian fantasy.

Riversea	27 Oct 2002
This is sort of related to the thread. Those of us would-be novelists have a literary "fun-run" starting Nov 1. The challenge is to write a short novel of at least 50,000 words in one month's time (Nov. 1-30). There is a suggested donation of $10 (though they aren't going to turn anyone away due to lack of funds). And there aren't any prizes, except for the bragging rights that you wrote a novel! Here's their website: http://www.nanowrimo.org/index.php Landon is probably going to do it, and he is hoping that I will do it as well. So, who is going write the tarot novel? :)

Jackal	29 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Riversea So, who is going write the tarot novel? :) Ooo! Me! I will! Er, wait... I already have a novel on the go, as well as several short stories-- my tarot deck design-- artwork-- uh.... maybe I'd better stand aside and let someone else take it....

Khatruman	29 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Riversea This is sort of related to the thread. Those of us would-be novelists have a literary "fun-run" starting Nov 1. The challenge is to write a short novel of at least 50,000 words in one month's time (Nov. 1-30). I'm entered too. I was going to do it last year, but I missed the sign up deadline. Another teacher at my school did it and wrote a 63,000 word novel.. *s*. You probably won't be getting many posts from me in Nov, all my writing will be my novel. I think, right now, I am gonna use my William Blake deck to get ideas for my chapters, sketch that out so I can just write and write and write... Good luck Riversea! Tell me what name you are under and I will look for your word count. We writers must urge each other on!

Khatruman	30 Oct 2002
I had an epiphany last night for my novel for the Novel Writing contest. I am going to use the Fool's Journey as my outline of the plot, each chapter being a different card. It works wonderfully for what I am planning to do, and I hope it will give me more insight into the major arcana!!! Peace!

Khatruman	06 Nov 2002
Just to update, though this thread seems to have died off. I set up a calendar for writing my novel and have 22 chapters headed now by the name of the 22 Major Arcana. I just completed the High Priestess chapter and it is unfolding wonderfully. It's the 6th of November and I have about 7,800 words written. Have until Nov. 30th to finish word 50,000. I am also gaining that insight that I hoped for. Every spare moment I have, and I have few, goes into writing this thing. Wish me persistence. (Hey, what minor arcana card deals with persistence in a marathon endeavor?) Peace!

rota	06 Nov 2002
The thread does seem to have languished, but you most certainly have not. Can you hear me cheering your effort? I would enjoy getting a taste of the writing when it's complete. I would pick a Wands card for Persistence: probably the 5 or the 8. (Persistence furthers, saith the I Ching!)

lawguy51	07 Nov 2002
When I wrote my first novel (geez I love typing that!) my protaganist opened the story walking down a New York street with a Tarot card in his hand (I won't get into why). I had to decide which card it was. I decided to let the deck decide. I drew the 6 of Cups. I then incorporated its meaning into the relevant part of the story. It has subsequently become my favourite pip card and comes up all of the time in my readings for myself or close friends. I have recently been told by a stunningly lucid and accurate clairvoyant that I will use my Tarot cards extensively for my next novel, in fact she said, my story will be a kind of "Fool's Journey". Since another clairvoyant nailed down my first novel, I guess I'd better get my decks ready to write the next one!

juice	08 Nov 2002
Actually if more than one person did a fools journey... That would be interesting and bet if you didn't actually use tarot referrences, nobody would realize they started from the same VERY broad concept. I don't think I will try for a fools journey if I can squeeze that kind of project in this month. There are so many things I need to do this month already. I am intrigued. I just did a couple of readings and entering this project now is not a good thing for me. I do intend to write a novel this way but have a couple of other projects that REALLY need to be done first. Archetype Storytelling Cards, from earlier in this thread suggestion, creativity whack pack william blake tarot are tools that might help too. I would add mage: the ascension tarot if you are familiar with that story world because the cards get a whole extra set of meanings. Look at some of the more obscure decks if you ever feel you are in a rut.

Khatruman	02 Dec 2002
I want to re-activate this thread by thanking everyone who may have paid attention to my entering National Novel Writing Month's challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. I did accomplish the mark with 50,661 words! I did use the Fool's Journey as my plot outline, and I must extend gracious thanks to Thirteen for her Tarot Basics articles, in which I drew descriptions of the Fool's Journey to inform my plot. I tried consciously not to mimic the journey but let it grow out of my subject, which led to some interesting ideas. In fact, many times I tried to rebel against the images and in fact they became part of it.. i.e. George Washington was my magician, my high priestess was a jet black voodoo slave woman, and there are others. In fact, i didn't truly finish the story, I have three chapters yet to write: The Sun, Judgment (which I refuse to misspell, despite the Waite thing), and The World. If anyone is interested in seeing a snippet, look up www.nanowrimo.org, go to the Authors & Novels page and do a search for Russrunner. I would show my whole 157 page novel so far, but I am afraid with the kamikaze approach necessary in this challenge that it is embarrassingly rough and flawed. I will work on it though, after a brief respite... :) Peace!

lunalafey	03 Dec 2002
check out this thread. I think that there is another one older than this one as well. http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7360

The Using the Tarot to write/plot stories: anyone do this? thread was originally posted on 15 Oct 2002 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.