A while ago, I posted a blog sharing my top five writing generators, but I didn’t share my absolute favorite generator. The main reason is because they’re not exactly a generator, per se. They’re tarot cards. In case you don’t know, tarot cards are a pack of 78 cards that give advice, not just for the future, but for current problems as well. They’re not always one hundred percent accurate, but they can get pretty darn close. For me, they’re an absolute goldmine for writing. They’ve helped improve my stories and even a school paper time and time again.
I’m gonna be honest with you, though. Reading tarot isn’t easy. There are so many ways to interpret them and, with 78 of them, it’s hard to just know the meanings of each card off the top of your head. I often have to have a guide with me when I read them. However, don’t let that scare you away! It’s one of those things that are easy to learn but hard to master. And I highly recommend learning them at least for writing.
“But, Momo! I don’t have a tarot card deck and I don’t know the first place to look for a tarot guide!” Don’t worry, girl. I got you covered. I’m going to start a series specific to tarot, including how to read all 78 cards and different tips, tricks, and spreads I use to help with my writing. However, since I have to write the posts and I plan to draw every single tarot card, that’s going to take a minute.
If you want to get started right now, I’ll give you some tools that helped me!
Tarot decks
Obviously, you need a tarot deck to read tarot. Duh. But which tarot deck should you go for? Which is the best? And, most importantly, how much is it going to cost?
I’ve got good news for you. You can get a tarot deck for absolutely free. How? Well, you have a couple options.
You can make your own deck
Do you have a pack of index cards that you bought maybe for school? Get those cards out, flip them over, and you have the perfect canvas to make your own tarot cards. You don’t even have to be super artsy. Doodles and stick figures are perfectly fine. I made my own deck using index cards and they’re my favorite tarot deck to use. I’m not gonna lie, it’ll take a while (did I mention there are 78 cards in a deck?), but when you finish, it’s sooooo satisfying. Not to mention you’ll now have the ability to say that you made your own tarot deck. Bragging rights FTW!
You can get a free app that includes the entire deck
Yup. The entire deck. No catch. You get every single tarot card for FREE.
Labrynthos created The Golden Thread Tarot app for both, iPhone and Android, giving people a free alternative to using a tarot deck. Not only will they give a free tarot deck to you, but they’ll also explain the cards key meanings in case you don’t know yourself. They even have an app specifically for learning tarot on the iPhone and Android. I often keep both apps for guidance and a quick tarot read.
They also have a physical deck that you can buy if you like the cards that much. I plan to get a pack myself, but I haven’t been able to yet. If you get one before me, feel free to send me pictures so I can be in awe and also jealous.
Now, if you don’t mind spending a little money…
I also recommend these babies right here:
The Starter Tarot Deck. These are great because they have a bunch of different meanings right there on the card. No guide needed! These were the very first tarot deck that I bought, so I kinda have a soft spot for them. Even if they do like to argue with me (yes, tarot cards can argue with you and have different personalities…more on that later). Still, they’re really good when starting out!
They just, you know, cost money.
They’re, like, twenty bucks on Amazon*, if you’re willing to part with it. If not, the options above are just as good to use.
How to actually read it
I already gave you an app for learning tarot when talking about The Golden Thread Tarot app. And I mentioned planning to write my own guide myself and posting it on here. However, there’s one more free guide that I didn’t mention (besides the internet).
You
I’m not kidding.
A big thing about reading and interpreting tarot is your intuition. Often, it’s good to go with your gut! If you draw a card and feel unsettled, the answer is probably unsettling. If you draw one and feel joyful, the answer is probably something good! Don’t be afraid to stray away from the guides and go with what you think the cards mean.
One more product I wanna drop here…
Again, it’s gonna cost money, but I feel that it’s relevant to this post.
Tarot for Writers is a book by Corrine Kenner, discussing how to use tarot for writing (duh). This book is amaaaazing. It’s got spreads to use, exercises to try, ideas to turn each tarot card into a writing prompt, and, of course, a guide on how to read each card. I use it constantly and it helped me really start using tarot to help with my writing.
It’s about sixteen bucks on Amazon* if you’re willing to part with your money for it. If not, that’s totally fine. There’s plenty of free guides online, that one app I told you about, and, again, I plan to make my own guide on here really soon.
I know what you’re thinking…
Besides that one book, what does any of this really have to do with writing? That…is coming up in a later post! Sorry to end on a cliffhanger (this can be considered a cliffhanger, right?), but this post is already getting super long and tacking on how to use tarot with writing will just double the length. But I swear, we’ll get into the good writing stuff soon. I just wanted to introduce you guys to tarot first, so no one’s confused.
So, are you planning to learn the art of tarot to help you with the art of writing? Or maybe you’re already a tarot reader! If you are, have you ever considered using it for your writing? Let me know in the comments!
*These links are affiliate links, meaning that buying from them will give me a part of the money at no extra expense to you!