Do you feel images add to your post/ poem / story or are just there for decoration? 

Do you use images in your posts? And do you feel that they enhance the impact of your writing? What are your usual go to sources for images?

When I wrote my first post for this blog in 2013, it had no images, no categories, and no tags. It was just as essay about bagels and donuts floating out there on the internet. I did not get any views. It was then I started to research on how to write blog posts to get views. About 90% of the articles I read told me a blog post must have at least one image, otherwise, it won’t show up anywhere on the internet.

Now, I’m not sure whether that information is true or not but back then, I was willing to try anything because even though I didn’t really care whether my writing was getting read or not, part of me was obsessed with the numbers on the stats page. I decided to give it a try and lo and behold, I started getting views and likes. Of course, it wasn’t immediate but eventually, I got there.

I try to make my images relevant to the post or story I’m writing. In my posts, I tend to put the image at the top, so it’s the first thing the reader will see upon landing on the post. I feel the image should describe the post or story, think of it like a synopsis to a book, it helps the reader determine whether to stay or leave. So yes, images aren’t there just for decorations, it not only enhances the writing, it makes the page less boring, and it serves as an elevator pitch for readers.

I like to use my own images when I can because after all, the images are mine and I don’t have to ask the owner. 😁 If I don’t have an image for the post or story, my go-to source is either Unsplash or the WP free image library. For quotes, my go-to is Pinterest and if I can’t find an image with both sources, I will turn to AI to help me generate an image. To be honest, I’m not a fan of AI generated images because of the flaws like a person having four arms or a hand in an unnatural position. I would most rather use images taken by real people.

Sunday Poser