How can you format images for your writing?

A visual tool - an image, photo or infographic has the ability to enhance the impact of a book, article, blog or post. The right visual tool helps the reader better align with the content or intended message of the author. The image or infographic you chose should be simple & not too busy. Very busy mindmaps, infographics or unrelated images can be distracting & dilute the message of the writer. A great way to edit or build on an image/infographic is to use simple photo editor tools to crop/enhance. Adobe Express & Canva are recommended for creating from a scratch or for adding features to your image/infographic. Sometimes, even a handwritten or handdrawn organic image can click with readers as authentic & relatable!

As a journalist for the print and online media, images make up a significant part of the job. So, when I go out to get the stories, I make sure to get the right images. The right image is one that matches the theme or subject matter, purpose, audience, medium, and house style. My organisation looks out for some specifics, especially colour and emotion. Else, the images may not be published in print. Resizing, cropping and aligning are basic tools a good writer can use to format an image. However, some media outlets have professionals who handle these. It is advisable for writers themselves to be familiar with these tools. The most important of these tools is to enable accessibility for PWDs, especially those with visual impairment.

Image Formatting for Writing is easy in 5 steps 1. The Image should be relevant to the writing and add value to the piece. 2. It should be appealing to the eyes as well. 3. Check before using any images always use non-copyrighted images. 4. You can also create visuals to make your piece of writing more authentic using popular color theory and typography combinations. 5. Images should not be blurred. 6.* A bonus tip will be to always proofread anything written on images and search for websites like plagiarism checker that allow you to check plagiarism of an image for free.

Effectively formatted images enhance the clarity and engagement of your writing by ensuring relevance, optimal size, and accessibility. Consistent placement and clear annotations further integrate images seamlessly into your content. 1. Choose the Right Image: Ensure relevance, high quality, and proper permissions. 2. Optimize Size and Format: Adjust resolution and dimensions; use appropriate formats (JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics). 3. Edit for Clarity: Crop, adjust brightness/contrast, and add annotations if needed. 4. Add Alt Text and Captions: Describe the image for accessibility and provide context. 5. Consistent Placement: Align images with text and maintain a consistent style throughout your document.

Images I used in books were really a part of the story. Some were older, original photos I scanned in. The manuscripts were InDesign files, and Photoshop helped with cropping, removing noise, and more. An image can illustrate a story line, expand on it, add a twist to it, and bring it to life for the reader. Then it is in harmony with the whole.

Something I’ve found helpful is keeping an eye on resolution so the image appears as you’d like. I’ve found this to be especially true with re-sizing and cropping.

Editing Images - Resize: Adjust dimensions to fit the layout without losing quality. - Crop: Focus on the important parts of the image. - Optimize: Compress the image to reduce file size for faster loading times while maintaining quality.

When formatting images for your writing, remember to crop images according to where you plan to use them (web, social, slides, etc.). Here’s a guide you can save for quick future reference??: ?IMAGES FOR WEB: Use a 3:4 ratio. This size works well for viewing images on your website on desktop or mobile devices. ?IMAGES FOR SLIDES/POWERPOINT: Use a 16:9 or 1:1 square ratio. These are your standard and most used sizes for adding text embedded in the images, or for attaching informative text below or on top of images within slides. ?IMAGES FOR SOCIAL MEDIA: Use a 1:1 or 9:16 ratio. The square crop is perfect for grids on Instagram. The 9:16 vertical crop is best for using on instagram reels, Facebook reels, Tiktok, & YouTube shorts.

Word can be difficult when working with images. I often find creating a table with no borders helps ensure that the text and images all line up the way I want.

Formatting for Different Platforms - Print: Ensure high DPI (300 dpi or higher) for print quality. - Web: Use web-friendly formats (JPEG, PNG) and optimize for fast loading. Tools for Formatting - Image Editors: Software like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, or online tools like Canva. - Word Processors: Microsoft Word, Google Docs, etc., offer basic formatting options. - **Markdown**: For online writing, use Markdown for simple image integration with syntax like ``.

It’s helpful to use creatively forgiving word processing software so images and text can be arranged for the desired effect. For instance text can be wrapped around images or aligned with them. Images can be placed just as you’d like.

Images put life-blood to the writing. They help a lot in conveying the message more precisely and accurately. Sometimes verbal messages provide scope for imagination and thereby misunderstanding, but images don't, as a result of it there is least possibility of miscommunication. In other words, images reduce the gap between sending a message and receiving the message. They make the communication error-free or at least they minimize the errors.