25 October 2024
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Gothic novelist Louise Davidson looks at how to use Tarot cards to help you write.
Tarot and the practice of cartomancy has been a source of fascination and comfort since Tarot’s first inception in the mid-15th century.
Popularised by the classic Rider-Waite deck, first published in 1909, there are now as many different iterations of Tarot as there are ways to use them, not just for divination but for reflection and introspection.
As a writer, I am constantly amazed by the ways Tarot can be helpful in my work. Whether you are trying to develop an idea, plot your story, or define your characters, Tarot can be such a helpful tool. As with all uses for tarot, your choice of deck is important here and I prefer the Rider Waite cards for when I am trying to reflect and develop a story. Here are some of the ways I use mine.
Prompts
We have all been there. We want to write, we have the time, the drive, the new notebook, we might even have a deadline… but the ideas just will not come. Enter the tarot deck.
You can use the illustrations, the title, or the meaning behind the cards as a prompt and you can use more than one, but take the time to focus on each one, getting everything out of it before you draw another.
So here is an example. Let’s say I have drawn the five of wands from the minor arcana. It depicts the five figures, sticks raised, tangled, faces tight and embattled. Each figure extends their arms and legs to swing their sticks, taking up space.
The conflict is clear. I have five characters, each with their own agenda – or wand – wanting to further themselves. However, the more they strive, the more tangled their wands become until finally, they are stuck. How will they move forward? Who will be the one to break? Who are these people and what do they want? Suddenly, I am starting to build characters, which leads me to my next suggestion…
Characters
So, you have a great idea, but you just cannot get the characters clear in your mind. Or you may struggle with balancing flaws and virtues. Tarot can give ideas for well-rounded characters by looking at their meanings when upright and inverted (upside down). They can also suggest the trait that will get you character into – and out of – trouble.
Let’s say we need a flaw for our character, something that holds them back. I go to my deck, shuffle while thinking of the question and draw the four of cups. It depicts a figure sitting under a tree looking thoroughly fed up, arms crossed, head down, staring at the three cups in front of them, ignoring the fourth cup offered by a disembodied hand.
This is someone focused on the wrong things. They are so fixated on the cups that are just out of reach that they don’t see what is in front of them. However, if we invert the card, it means leaving the past behind, becoming more open to other’s advice, or increased self-awareness. Our protagonist must move from negativity, fantasy and regret towards action and motivation. But what happens next?
Plotting
This requires interpreting their meanings or illustrations as a scene. Let’s say we have a general concept, but we need ideas for what will happen. For this, I will shuffle again, thinking of what I need and draw three cards, laying them in a spread.
My first card is the ace of swords inverted: misinformation, failure, hostility. The image depicts a sword piercing a crown garlanded with a wilting wreath. It suggests a betrayal or a terrible mistake that resulted in failure or anger.
Next is the eight of cups. A figure stands, surrounded by swords, bound and blinded. Our character has been trapped or silenced in some way and must break free to move forward.
Finally, the Emperor, who sits on a throne, looking out with an expression that could be kind or stern. The emperor speaks to achieving your goals, and having powerful people be interested in you.
Therefore, my plot could be that my character is betrayed, imprisoned and must seek the favour of someone important to move forward. This could be the whole of my story or just the first part but either way, it has given me somewhere to go.
Events
Finally, you need an event but cannot think of one. Perhaps the character needs an opportunity for development, you need some playfulness in an otherwise dark story, or you just don’t know what happens next. Draw a card and consider what it promises the reader. For instance, the ten of cups suggests marriage or celebration, the chariot suggests travel and the wheel of fortune could be a random act of good or bad luck. What could these mean for your story?
Try it yourself and see what stories come to you.
Louise Davidson’s debut novel The Fortunes of Olivia Richmond published in paperback on 17 October, just in time for Halloween. Available from all good bookshops at £8.99.
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