Janice Harayda
Nov 13, 2023

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Thank you! Finding images for long-dead writers can be such a challenge, because a limited number of good pictures of some exist, and they get used over and over.

One tip I can offer is that different types of images help to keep a story interesting. I could easily have used all black-and-white headshots of these writers. Wikimedia Commons has those of all of them.

But that can look dull. To avoid it, in stories about multiple authors, I try to use a mix of color and black and white photos, head- and group shots, and more unusual images, like the Toni Morrison mural and the Faulkner first day cover. It usually takes more time to find that variety, but in my experience it's worth it for a better overall appearance.

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Janice Harayda
Janice Harayda

Written by Janice Harayda

Critic, novelist, award-winning journalist. Former book editor of the Plain Dealer and book columnist for Glamour. Words in NYT, WSJ, and other major media.

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