Are Pictures Necessary To Stories?

[jacksjg89]

I wanna lay out a question for out avid readers in the forum.

I've written and posted a few things here. I recently have been experimenting with the Diaries of Isobel with writing a story based in the pictures I can find. Other stories I write without posting pictures, because I can visualize them in my mind, and no pic compares with what I imagine. But even though I like my own work, I write stories for you people, so I want to know, the stories posted on these forums by any of our great story tellers, are the pictures necessary to the enjoyment of their stories or can you do without?

 

[thehangingtree]

I wanna lay out a question for out avid readers in the forum.

I've written and posted a few things here. I recently have been experimenting with the Diaries of Isobel with writing a story based in the pictures I can find. Other stories I write without posting pictures, because I can visualize them in my mind, and no pic compares with what I imagine. But even though I like my own work, I write stories for you people, so I want to know, the stories posted on these forums by any of our great story tellers, are the pictures necessary to the enjoyment of their stories or can you do without?

A lot are written without pictures, your choice...

Tree

 

[Barbaria1]

I wanna lay out a question for out avid readers in the forum.

I've written and posted a few things here. I recently have been experimenting with the Diaries of Isobel with writing a story based in the pictures I can find. Other stories I write without posting pictures, because I can visualize them in my mind, and no pic compares with what I imagine. But even though I like my own work, I write stories for you people, so I want to know, the stories posted on these forums by any of our great story tellers, are the pictures necessary to the enjoyment of their stories or can you do without?

I post some stories with pics, most without. They are hardly obligatory since everyone here has just the right kind of imagination to conjure up the appropriate images on their own. That said, a good pic is always nice, and some of the authors here work them in wonderfully, and their stories wouldn't be the same without their pics or original artwork. Do whatever works for you jacks, and rest assured that whatever you post will be appreciated.

 

[jacksjg89]

I post some stories with pics, most without. They are hardly obligatory since everyone here has just the right kind of imagination to conjure up the appropriate images on their own. That said, a good pic is always nice, and some of the authors here work them in wonderfully, and their stories wouldn't be the same without their pics or original artwork. Do whatever works for you jacks, and rest assured that whatever you post will be appreciated.

I do do whatever I want. Just trying to find out what the consensus is, especially since a few of our members come from countries that haven't been conquered by English speakers, unfortunately.

 

[thehangingtree]

I do do whatever I want. Just trying to find out what the consensus is, especially since a few of our members come from countries that haven't been conquered by English speakers, unfortunately.

Are you picking on me???

 

[Barbaria1]

Are you picking on me???

What you? Never! You are one of the gifted ones that blends pics and story together so effectively.

 

[jacksjg89]

Are you picking on me???

Never. I know what happens to people who pick on you.

 

[Eulalia]

It's a fair point Jacks, and it will be interesting to see how strong the preference is for illustrated stories (if at all),
though there's a difference between monolingual English-speakers who just like pics with their stories,
and members with limited English for whom pics make a big difference to whether they can follow a story.

I agree entirely with Barbaria's answer, like her I'm really a 'words' person,
I've no skill at all in creating pictures myself and don't have a private collection to draw on,
so I'm grateful when artists or 'collectors' here have supplied pictures for my stories,
or ones to prompt stories from me (like ongoing 'House Rules' with Melissa and Julie)

 

[malins]

are the pictures necessary to the enjoyment of their stories or can you do without?

For my part, I find that when existing stories are subsequently illustrated - it gets in the way, and I will prefer the story without pictures.

Otherwise, a single picture can ignite an inspiration and an entire story can evolve from that.

Or, if an illustrator and a writer work together during progress of the story, each one's interpretation of the other's work can let the story turn in ways it would otherwise not have gone.

So, my position is: it depends on the development and structure of the story.
For the example, "Diaries of Isobel", as some vignettes of a slave-life, the picture/text mix combines perfectly well.
I will admit though, that my default browser setting is to open the forum with "images deactivated"....

 

[Jollyrei]

I seem to have only illustrated stories. My first story was text only, but people contributed pictures for it, which was rather nice. I have since incorporated pictures in my stories, but do not rule out posting a story without illustrations. It really depends on the story and my mood at the time (or the inspiration of one of the many CF artists) whether there will be pictures. In some stories it works the other way, like Barb's recent text which was inspired by a set of pictures (and which then inspired yet another set of pictures).
It is not really a question of being necessary in itself.

 

[messaline]

Or, if an illustrator and a writer work together during progress of the story, each one's interpretation of the other's work can let the story turn in ways it would otherwise not have gone.

Generally, we work like that in our stories (RR and I) : he proposes a text, and I make the illustrations , trying to follow it, but, sometimes, it can be slightly different following my moods ...
In my Paskell's Saga, I work in first from my manips : I've the story in my brain but I illustrate and only after, I write the text ...
But all that is , in fact, not important : some people prefer with pics, other'ones without ...
All the tastes are welcomed ...

 

[jonesygirl]

You may as well ask "Do wasps serve any useful purpose?". The question doesn't mean anything without defining useful and purpose. In the case of pictures the question changes from are they necessary to do you need them. You could write a book on the different ways the question could be interpreted. In any event whatever the question is it cannot be answered by counting the number of people who answer yes or no. To give a simple example the story " The girl with no name" would not exist if the image had not appeared on the screen. A pic for subhunt inspired Eulalia to write "The Breaking of Faith".

 

[Wragg]

I'm often inspired by a picture, I think the artists and writers here complement each other well

 

[jacksjg89]

You may as well ask "Do wasps serve any useful purpose?". The question doesn't mean anything without defining useful and purpose. In the case of pictures the question changes from are they necessary to do you need them. You could write a book on the different ways the question could be interpreted. In any event whatever the question is it cannot be answered by counting the number of people who answer yes or no. To give a simple example the story " The girl with no name" would not exist if the image had not appeared on the screen. A pic for subhunt inspired Eulalia to write "The Breaking of Faith".

The question was for the readers, not writers. I'm trying to figure out how many people need pictures to enjoy stories.

 

[thehangingtree]

The question was for the readers, not writers. I'm trying to figure out how many people need pictures to enjoy stories.

If you write a good story no one will care and some will offer pictures if you wish.

The saying a 'picture is worth a thousand word' might be true but a crappy picture is never better than a 1000,well crafted words...

Tree

...old wise fart from near the coffee shop...

Did anyone know there is a difference between 'flagellation' and 'flatulence'? What you can learn here...

 

[Repertor]

Pictures are not necessary, though I like them if they are made for the story or perfectly matching it. I have no need to see pictures that are found somewhere and that have little to do with the story.
Also pictures can be useful to visualise complicated descriptions that may be clear in the mind of the writer but not always in the reader's mind.

 

[Hondoboot2]

I like to read stories without pictures. If it is well written, you can picture it all in your mind. I also like some of the stories on the forums that have pictures that complement the story. Either way is fine with me.
All the stories I have written, I never used pictures.

 

[Repertor]

Did anyone know there is a difference between 'flagellation' and 'flatulence'?

Even worse than flatulence may occur during flagellation:

Monday: the baron has a new cook.
Tuesday: the baron is delighted. The food is delicious.
Wendesday: the baron invites his friends for dinner.
Thursday: the baron, his guests and the cook all have diarrhea.
Friday: the baron is cured. The cook isn't.

 

[phlebas]

I think a good story can stand on its own. Pictures may enhance a story, and I like pictures, but I think a story does not need them.
Pictures and stories can cross polinate, they can inspire each other. My own efforts to write began years ago as simple paragraphs to give context to my manips. Eventually they outgrew the manips and took on a life of their own.
Words or pictures, what counts is that the feelings expressed come from the heart

 

[old slave]

I read stories, I view pictures on this site, I'm in awe of both the writers and the artists. If they can be combined in a single post that's a bonus.
Pictures can allow me to take a breath in an intense story, forces me to press a key, focus elsewhere, gather thoughts. But so can breaking a story with paragraphs, sections, posted on several days.
Some stories are probably best left to the imagination; I'm thinking of the original 'IPCG' and the follow-up ongoing in BDSM Pics & Vids 'Ipcg-Ana' these are so intense my mind has no difficulty creating it's own pictures.