Plan Your Novel the Visual Way: Using Canva to Create Story Mood Boards
- Rea Weeks
- Jul 24, 2025
- 3 min read
There’s nothing like the thrill of a new story idea. The characters start whispering in your mind. A setting unfolds in flashes of color. Emotions swirl. The spark is there... but now what?
If you’re a visual thinker (hello, fellow creatives 👋), one of the best ways to capture the essence of your story—and stay inspired from first draft to final page—is to make a mood board.
And guess what? You don’t need fancy tools or design skills. With Canva, you can create a stunning, story-rich mood board that brings your novel to life before you ever type “Chapter One.”
Today, I’ll show you exactly how to plan your novel the visual way—using Canva to create a story mood board that’s not only beautiful but powerful. Let’s bring your world to life, one image at a time. ✨
🎨 What’s a Story Mood Board?
A story mood board is a visual collage that represents the tone, aesthetic, and emotion of your novel. It’s your novel’s “vibe” in picture form. It can include:
Character inspiration
Setting imagery
Color palette
Key symbols or motifs
Fonts or visual styles
Quotes or themes
Textures and moods
Think of it as a Pinterest board meets plot bunny. It keeps your creative vision clear and helps you stay connected to your story’s atmosphere.
🛠 How to Create a Mood Board in Canva (Step-by-Step)
Let’s walk through how to design your story’s visual heartbeat—right inside Canva.
Step 1: Choose Your Canvas Size
Open Canva and select a size that works best for your planning style:
1920x1080 px for desktop backgrounds
8.5x11 inches for printables or binders
1080x1080 px for sharing on social (hello, #amwriting community!)
You can also search “mood board” in the Canva template library if you’d like a head start with layout ideas.
Step 2: Gather Visual Inspiration
This is the fun part! Use Canva’s Photos tab, or upload your own images from Pinterest, Unsplash, or your character aesthetic folders.
Look for:
Characters (real people or illustrations)
Places that match your setting
Colors that reflect your genre or emotion
Objects that appear in your plot (like keys, letters, maps, stars, etc.)
Abstract textures (fog, ocean waves, candlelight, shadows)
💡 Tip: Create a “Story Inspiration” folder in Canva to organize your assets for future novels!
Step 3: Arrange Your Mood Board
Start placing your images into your layout. Try:
A central character image surrounded by key elements
A grid of 6–9 squares for a clean, modern look
An overlapping collage for a dreamy, cinematic style
🎨 Don’t forget to add:
A title or tagline
Your character names or personality traits
A quote that captures your story’s theme
Color swatches that reflect the mood
Step 4: Customize Fonts, Colors, and Details
Choose fonts that match your story’s feel:
Elegant serif fonts for historical fiction
Handwritten scripts for romance
Monospace or minimal styles for sci-fi or dystopian
Adjust the color palette and background to pull it all together. Canva Pro users can even create and save a brand kit for your WIP!
Step 5: Save and Use Your Mood Board Daily
Once you’re happy with it:
Download as a PNG or JPG
Set it as your desktop background for daily motivation
Print it and keep it in your writer’s notebook or binder
Share it on Instagram to connect with other writers using #WIPmoodboard or #AmWriting
Your board becomes your visual anchor—perfect for when you feel stuck or need to reconnect with your characters or plot.
🛍 Want Ready-to-Use Canva Mood Board Templates?
If you'd rather start with something beautiful and already built for writers, I’ve created Canva templates made just for storytelling and mood boarding!
You’ll find:
Character aesthetic boards
Setting mood board layouts
Story theme collages
Canva planners for writers and creatives
Just drag, drop, customize, and fall in love with your WIP all over again. 💛
💌 Join My Mailing List for More Creative Tools
Want more Canva tips, free writing templates, and creative encouragement?
Join my email list to get:
Writer-friendly Canva tutorials
Story planning freebies
Early access to new product launches
A whole lot of encouragement for your storytelling journey
Let’s make your writing process as beautiful as your stories.
✍️ See Your Story Before You Write It
🌟 Final Thoughts
You don’t have to wait until your book is finished to see it.Let your heart dream. Let your characters breathe. Let your world bloom in full color.
Because storytelling isn’t just about the words—it’s about the vision.
Rea 🌻Creator of A Rea of Treasures
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