From Pins to Pages: The Seeds of Storytelling

Stories begin in many ways—through words, places, people, and sometimes even scents. But for me, Pinterest is where they start to bloom. A single image can become the seed of a character, the outline of a setting, or the heartbeat of an entire book.

Story Board

Pinterest has become my ultimate story board. The minute I get an idea for a story, I start a Pinterest board. First I fill it with the scenes and vibes of the book, and then as the characters develop in my mind, I create sections within the board to add some organization to the chaos. But let’s be real—sometimes the spark starts even earlier. I keep a “Book Ideas” board with sections for character inspiration and scene ideas for stories I haven’t even fully developed yet. I’ll be scrolling mindlessly through Pinterest, and suddenly an image stops me. A place, a person, a small detail—and instantly, I know the story behind it. That spark earns its own board, even if it doesn’t have a title yet. For example, A Fragrant Melody lived on Pinterest as “the bath bomb book” long before its true name found me.

Character Building

Once characters begin to form, they each get their own section within a larger board for the book. This is where I pin how their homes look, how they dress, and the little details that bring them to life. Sometimes I’ll add quotes that capture their voice or pieces of art that reflect their energy.

If a character runs a business, that business gets its own board too. Same goes for other important settings, like the cozy tea shop, the local bed and breakfast, or even the apothecary-inspired bath shop in A Fragrant Melody. Pinterest becomes a living, breathing mood board for every corner of the story.

Setting and Atmosphere

My towns may be fictional, but I want them to feel rooted in real places. That’s why my boards often include inspiration photos of landscapes, houses, or small-town corners that spark ideas. If I know a story is set in Maine, for example, I’ll pin images of the coast, the trees, and little details that make the area feel authentic.

In fact, it was Bar Harbor, Maine, that inspired Glenn Arbor, the heart of my Storefront Romance series (you can read more in my post “The Real Town Behind Glenn Arbor”). So while Pinterest didn’t start that setting, it definitely helped me build out the textures and details that make Glenn Arbor feel alive.

And sometimes, it’s just one image that inspires an entire story. On one of my boards, there’s a farmhouse surrounded by apple orchards—and that single photo has sparked a new story I’ll be sharing someday.

Writing Flow

Pinterest isn’t just something I use in the early stages—it stays with me through the entire writing process. I’m always adding new pins as I draft, outline, and edit. If I ever feel stuck, scrolling through my boards helps me get back into the right creative mindset.

Of course, this comes with a warning: it’s very easy to get distracted and start dreaming up new stories instead of working on the current one. But honestly, even when that happens, it usually brings me back to the project at hand with fresh eyes.

I love that Pinterest lets me stay organized without bogging down my computer with hundreds of saved images. And it’s a place I can share with readers—if you want to see the boards that inspired A Fragrant Melody and other projects, you can follow me @brittnilangleyauthor. (Future project boards stay private until I’m ready to share, so you’ll have to wait for those surprises!)

Final Thoughts

For me, Pinterest is where inspiration and organization meet. It’s the place where small sparks become whole stories, where characters start to feel real, and where settings begin to take shape. It doesn’t just hold ideas—it holds the heartbeats of books before they’re even written.