How to generate professional quality e-mail readings?

I don't send images, either...nor do I even tell the client the cards I've drawn for them. I simply tell them what the Universe has shared with me through the cards for them, and I have never gotten a poor feedback. On the contrary, I have many, many return clients and have for many years, happily.

Mac world to PC world

Sulis said:

I'm on a Mac and I use Word for all of my readings but that's probably because I've used it for years and started off on a PC. I scan the cards and send an image of the whole reading...

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What I love about the Mac world is that you can drag a scanned image and place it exactly where you want it on the page in relation to text. I have found Word for Mac to be so gutted that it's a very poor substitute for the old Word that I used back when I was in the PC world. Don't you have to create a text box for a scanned image and then it is stuck in a certain position on the page? That's fine for simple readings, but what if you want to create a certain shape with the cards i.e. a horseshoe?

JBerry

Querent viewing card images

GryffinSong said:

By looking at the image, I, as a sitter, have an opportunity to participate in the reading experience. If my own instincts scream out that the reader is incorrect, I can explore that feeling. Explore whether that's resistance to a much-needed message, or whether the reader has simply missed the mark. I want that active participation in my life. Many people seem not to. It fascinates and surprises me.

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There are so many ways to read and if a reader is skilled, all have validity.

Personally, especially when doing face to face readings, I always ask a client 'What do you see when you look at these cards?' It can lead us in some very interesting directions. By engaging a querent in this way, I think it sets them up for taking action.

JBerry

JBerry said:

There are so many ways to read and if a reader is skilled, all have validity.

Personally, especially when doing face to face readings, I always ask a client 'What do you see when you look at these cards?' It can lead us in some very interesting directions. By engaging a querent in this way, I think it sets them up for taking action.

JBerry

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Exactly. On those rare occasions when I've done a face-to-face reading, the cards are a jumping off point for a conversation between myself, the sitter, and the cards. So far it's felt like a very powerful and beautiful experience for all involved. By the way, I'm not a pro, but have done some readings at medieval events when asked.

JBerry said:

What I love about the Mac world is that you can drag a scanned image and place it exactly where you want it on the page in relation to text. I have found Word for Mac to be so gutted that it's a very poor substitute for the old Word that I used back when I was in the PC world. Don't you have to create a text box for a scanned image and then it is stuck in a certain position on the page? That's fine for simple readings, but what if you want to create a certain shape with the cards i.e. a horseshoe?

JBerry

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The Word for Mac I have is exactly the same as the one I used to use with a PC. I can put an image anywhere I like. I just attach it and put it where it needs to go so I can make the shape of whatever spread I'm using.
What programme do you usually use for Mac word processing? You say you can drag an image to where you want it and add text so why not just do that with your readings?

Aspiring to beauty

Sulis said:

The Word for Mac I have is exactly the same as the one I used to use with a PC. I can put an image anywhere I like. I just attach it and put it where it needs to go so I can make the shape of whatever spread I'm using.
What programme do you usually use for Mac word processing? You say you can drag an image to where you want it and add text so why not just do that with your readings?

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I use 'pages', the default word processing program that comes loaded on a Mac. I do use it, and create a PDF file to stabilize the graphics when I send them out into the greater PC world. I'm just looking for more. Color, borders, -- probably what I want is a publishing program, but I'm unfamiliar with what's out there. My son says that I need Adobe Illustrator. This is a very complex program and probably is overkill for my needs. I'm just looking for that extra something. About five years ago, I saw a beautiful readings generated by someone on-line that were very pretty.

The program I used to use, which created beautiful documents, was Microsoft Publisher. The reviews for the newest Word for Mac, that has just come out, still pan it as a poor substitute for Microsoft Word.

For the reading I did, I took a photograph of the actual spread, then interpreted the cards, occasionally referring to a specific card or its position. I put the reading in a Word document and sent as an attachment. The querent was happy. Hope I get to do that over and over again!

Yeah, I embed images of the cards into a Word document that I type the reading into and email it to the querent. Works for me

I keep low-res images of the cards of the most used decks on my hard drive so they're quick to get at.

low res is important, much of the world is still on dial up.
Same with fancy email stationary. The point is the reading.

Amanda_04 said:

Honestly, I've had so many people tell me not to even bother sending images. They don't care... it's the information they want.

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I was surprised at first, but then as I thought about it from the point of view of someone who doesn't know anything about the Tarot, card meanings and image symbolism, someone who isn't familiar with the Tarot and pays a reader for information, I began to see how many online Tarot clients may very well not give a hoot about seeing images and knowing the meanings of the cards that come up in their reading. From my own perspective as someone who reads Tarot cards and loves poring over imagery and deciphering meanings, I would not only want, but probably expect to see card images in an email reading.

Fascinating.