Drawing for your story

[Puddle Jumper]

Is it a lost art for a writer to draw pictures for their novel? Tolkien did it, he drew maps and I remember seeing a picture of the door to the mines of Moria which I'm assuming he drew. But it doesn't seem most authors do this. Do you draw or have you wanted to draw images which you think would add to your story?

Also, how would you submit such images with your work? If an agent asked for your full manuscript, would you make a photo copy of any drawings and submit them in your story?

[Dev]

I draw maps and floorplans, sometimes, but just for personal reference. Nothing of any artistic quality to be submitted with the story, though. If you think your story needs a picture to enhance a certain scene, I'd say send it.

--Dev

[three seven]

Mark Haddon does this to great effect in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, but otherwise I haven't noticed it much outside of fantasy/horror. Which gives me rather a sick idea for my WIP...

[Jamesaritchie]

Is it a lost art for a writer to draw pictures for their novel? Tolkien did it, he drew maps and I remember seeing a picture of the door to the mines of Moria which I'm assuming he drew. But it doesn't seem most authors do this. Do you draw or have you wanted to draw images which you think would add to your story?

Also, how would you submit such images with your work? If an agent asked for your full manuscript, would you make a photo copy of any drawings and submit them in your story?

It's still done on occasion, but the truth is most writers probably lack the artistic ability to darw illlustrations for their own novels, and illustrated novels cost a good deal more to publish, which is one major reason you don't see them around much. It's usually up to the publisher, not the writer, whether or not illustrations will be included, and who will do them.

[Richard]

Maybe if I was submitting the epic "Mr. Stick Finds...Uh...A Thing." Otherwise, hell no. That's what illustrators are paid for...

[katiemac]

Mark Haddon does this to great effect in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time,

Three's right, but those pictures were absolutely integral to the story. They must have been included, or else the reader would have lapsed some perception into the character's head and how he thought. Similiarly is Brown's "Angels and Demons" where the ambigrams are pictured, since most of the population isn't intune with such things.

Arguably, maps and things fantasy writers tend to want to include like Tolkien did, or the map in the Princess Bride, are just extras and aren't integral to the plot. If they were missing, it wouldn't have harmed the story. I find things like that are more for the sake of the hardcore fans, so they can have more of an attachment to the writing.

When Rowling's next Potter installment comes out in a few months, they're marketing a "deluxe edition" that features full page inserts of the chapter art. To me, this is completely unnecessary - I never paid much attention to those drawings anyway. But I suppose it's just another way for the publishers to get some extra bucks. I have a bunch of friends who have already opted to order that version, rather than just the regular hardcover. :shrug

[katdad]

I've had some ideas for covers for my novels, but I have zero illustrative talent, so they remain only ideas.

I did have a pal draw an illustration for my horror story "The Rabbit King" and I cherish that drawing. Spooky as it was meant to be.

As for sending illustrations to an agent or publisher, that seems an okay thing, but only if the whole novel is requested. Sending illustrations along with a query would be excessive.

Would the illustrations get used? If they were good, it makes sense.

One of my favorite books I had as a child (and it's still in print -- and I highly recommend it for kids who are young, imaginative readers) is "The Wonder Clock" by Howard Pyle, illustrations by his wife Mary Pyle.

You can find The Wonder Clock on the internet, and the illustrations are amazing -- deeply detailed pen & ink drawings with superb imagination.

[mistri]

I draw maps for my fantasy novels but they're for my own personal use only - so I've got a visual representation of where everywhere is. I'm certainly no artist - and I've never tried drawing anything else for my books.

I don't think maps are essential for a fantasy novel, but they can be a good reference in books that cover a large area/are particularly complex. I don't think I've ever been disappointed when a book's missed one, though.

[maestrowork]

I write mainstream stuff, but I do have drawings of geography or houses or quick sketches of locations to help me visualize the layouts, so I can describe them more consistently. I've heard that Thomas Harris had extensive drawings and blueprints of the serial killer's lair when he wrote Silence of the Lambs.

[Mistook]

I've drawn three or four portraits of some characters, and illustrated a few scenes, just for my own enjoyment.