Tuesday Tidbit: Where is the best place for your photos?

Have you noticed where people place photos in their memoirs?

Here's a pic from my little story, "My Blackberry Summer."

Some authors group them together in the middle of the book.

Others place them at the end.

Other authors scatter photos throughout the memoir.

Which is best?

Denis Ledoux of The Memoir Network writes: “…Where you place photos…will influence how readers appreciate your story…. There is in reading and writing a phenomenon called ‘suspension of disbelief.’ If I as the reader am constantly saying, ‘This is only a book. This isn’t happening as a read,’ then it is impossible for that reader to get ‘lost in the story.’”

Our goal as writers—and as designers of our layouts—is to avoid suspension of disbelief and, instead, to invite readers to live the story while they read. Strategic photo placement can help accomplish that.

If we place photos throughout the memoir, within the vignettes they pertain to (instead of grouped together in the middle or at the end), we will increase readers’ likelihood of experiencing our stories—almost like seeing the events on a movie screen.

So as you write and edit and rewrite and consider your publishing options, plan ahead for your photo placement. It’s important.

There you have it—your Tuesday Tidbit.

Here are two more significant pictures from "My Blackberry Summer."