Tell Your Story with 3 Tarot Cards: A Creative Tool for Writers

Stuck on your plot? Feeling like your main character has the emotional depth of a potato? ? Take a deep breath… and grab your tarot deck.
Tarot for writers might sound weird, but trust me, it’s one of the most powerful storytelling tools you haven’t tried yet.

No, seriously.

Tarot isn’t just for fortune tellers and late-night existential crises. It’s actually an amazing tool for storytelling, whether you’re a novelist, a screenwriter, or just someone who loves daydreaming about characters and plot twists.

Tarot: Your New Favorite Writing Prompt

Every card has the power to trigger imagination. That’s why tarot for writers is more than just a prompt, it’s a mirror into the soul of your story. And the best part? You don’t need to know all 78 meanings by heart. You just need to trust your gut and let the imagery speak to you.

Let’s start simple: a 3-card spread that helps you build the backbone of any story. Forget complex Celtic crosses and ten-card layouts. This one’s easy, powerful, and seriously fun.

A Tarot Spread for Writers That Brings Stories to Life

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Card One (portrait) – Your protagonist. Who are they, and what do they want deep down?
2. Card Two (landscape, overlapping the first) – The obstacle. What’s standing in their way? An external conflict? Inner demons?
3. Card Three (portrait, above the first two) – The climax. That big turning point where everything shifts. The emotional “aha” moment.

With just three cards, you’ve outlined your character arc and set the emotional tone of your story. Boom.

Example Reading:

• Card 1: Three of Pentacles – Our character is a creative soul, a writer, a dancer, maybe a musician; craving recognition for their craft.
• Card 2: The Tower – Oof. Crisis hits. Maybe a rejection, a harsh critique, or a total crisis of confidence.
• Card 3: Eight of Pentacles – They rise, stronger and wiser. Not by magic, but through hard work and dedication. They keep showing up, and their mastery grows.

Sound familiar? It should, it’s a classic (and deeply human) arc: from dreamer to doer.

But What If You Don’t Know the Card Meanings?

No stress! You don’t need to memorize anything. The magic of tarot lies in how you interpret what you see. Look at the colors, the figures, the mood. What does each card feel like?

That said, here’s a tiny cheat sheet for some context:

The Four Suits (aka the “Minor Arcana”):

Wands (Fire) – Action, ambition, creativity.

Cups (Water) – Emotions, relationships, intuition.

Swords (Air) – Ideas, conflict, communication.

Pentacles (Earth) – Work, money, stability.

Each suit has numbered cards and court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King). Pages are curious newbies. Knights are bold but impulsive. Queens rule with heart. Kings rule with logic.

The numbers have meaning too:

The Major Arcana (Big Life Vibes):

These are the “milestone” cards: The Fool, The Lovers, Death, The World… They show major transformations, soul-level stuff. When one of these pops up in your spread, take note: your character is on a major journey.

And if you pull Death or The Devil, don’t panic. It’s all symbolic. Think transformation, not doom. (Unless you’re writing a gothic novel, in which case, go wild.)

Tips for a Powerful Reading

Before you begin, keep in mind: this isn’t just about divination. This is tarot for writers, which means intention, intuition, and inspiration.

Set an intention before you draw. Think about your character or the story you’re stuck on.

Shuffle your way. There’s no right or wrong.

Be consistent in how you read reversals (or skip them entirely, your call).

Stay open. If you treat it like a joke, it’ll probably feel like one. But if you’re curious? That’s where the gold is.

Why Tarot for Writers Actually Works

Because stories are about symbols, patterns, and emotional truths, and so is tarot. It helps you tap into a more intuitive, visual way of thinking, perfect for creative writers using tarot as a storytelling tool. When your brain is fried from trying to outline chapter three for the tenth time, a few cards can shake things loose.

It’s not about predicting your story. It’s about discovering what’s already inside your character. That’s the magic of tarot for writers.

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