How to use Tarot Cards to Shape the Plot of your Novel
- Caitlin Gawa
- Feb 6
- 1 min read
I love to use tarot cards to brainstorm ideas for my novel. I can use tarot to assist in developing themes, characters, and story structure.
Before using cards, I think it is helpful first to define my novel's core elements such as genre, tone, themes, protagonist, and antagonist. But tarot cards can be used to help develop those elements as well!
For a detailed example on how to use tarot cards to shape the plot of your novel, watch the video below the following tarot spreads.
The Three-Act Structure Spread
Card 1: Beginning (Setup) – Introduces the protagonist, setting, and inciting incident.
Card 2: Middle (Conflict & Growth) – What major obstacles or transformations occur?
Card 3: End (Resolution & Climax) – How does the story conclude?
The Protagonist's Journey Spread (For Character Growth)
Card 1: The Call to Adventure – What propels the protagonist forward?
Card 2: The Mentor or Guide – Who teaches or helps the protagonist?
Card 3: Fate - What drives the protagonist? their core motivation.
Card 4: The Challenge – Their deepest fear or struggle. Internal challenge
Card 5: The Opposition - External or environmental challenges. What or who do they
need to face?
Card 6: The Lesson – What do they learn?
Card 7: The Transformation – What changes do they make?
You can draw cards for ideas for unexpected events, challenges, subplots, twists, foreshadowing, hidden truths, and so much more!
Exploring your path related to love, career, and destiny with accurate card interpretations can be an enlightening journey, and tarot is one tool many people use for this. Online free tarot readings can provide a starting point for this exploration. By drawing cards and reading their traditional meanings in the context of your questions, you can uncover new angles or affirm your intuitions. It’s a way to connect with archetypal wisdom and use the cards as a mirror for your own inner knowing. It's a readily accessible way to engage with this ancient practice.
If you're interested in the art of tarot reading but not yet ready for a professional consultation, online tarot card interpretations available for free can be a great learning resource. These platforms often explain the symbolism and potential meanings of each card within different contexts. By doing simple spreads for yourself, you can start to build your own understanding and intuition with the cards. It’s a convenient and cost-effective way to begin your exploration of tarot and its potential for offering guidance and sparking self-reflection on various aspects of your life.