Book imagery can come in the form of many things such as photographs and illustration and depending on the book it changes which one you choose.

Photographs are a great way to share and bring a story to life however I personally believe that these are best for non fiction works. Autobiographies and memoirs often contain photographs to help build the picture and you often get photo books that are focused on the photo and the words just give context. I personally like this about non fiction books especially autobiographies as they give you further insight into the person’s story.

Illustrations are full of options. They can be electronically made, painted or made up from other images however overall I would say that these are ideal for all books. For nonfiction work you can see another way to tell the story and for fiction work it can give you a scene to picture and continue the story through. They can give you a start point for where the story is going without even reading anything.

Imagery is vital in books I believe but that doesn’t necessarily mean a photo or a painting as you create your own individual illustration in your head. This allows you to engage in a story and see how you believe the writer intended for you to see it. If there is no physical image then the descriptions are often subjective to those who are reading the book.

Many thanks, Caitlin x

( PS please comment if you have any favourite imagery or thoughts on book imagery)