Do writers need strong visual imagery?

No. Many writers rely heavily on mental images for ideas, scenes, and characters; others work mainly in language, structure, or sound. Research shows that writers report a wide range of imagery use—from 'mostly images' to mixed words and images to largely verbal/conceptual. Creativity in writing does not depend on having a vivid mind's eye; people with aphantasia can be highly creative writers using other channels.

Can imagery improve creative writing?

Studies suggest that multi-sensory imagery strategies can support semantic integration, idea reorganization, and writing performance—and that imagery vividness in certain senses (e.g. touch, measured with tools like the Psi-Q) can correlate with creative writing scores. Imagery is one factor among many; it can help some writers without being necessary for everyone.

What if I'm a writer with aphantasia?

You're in good company. Many successful writers have aphantasia or low visual imagery and create through language, rhythm, structure, auditory imagination, or conceptual reasoning. The research does not support the idea that you need mental pictures to write well. See [Aphantasia and creativity](/articles/aphantasia-and-creativity) for the evidence and examples.

2026-03-08

Mental Imagery for Writers and Creatives

Writing and other creative work are often described in visual terms—"see the scene," "picture your reader," "imagine the world." But how much do writers actually rely on mental imagery, and does it matter? Research shows that imagery can support creative writing through idea generation, semantic integration, and fluency—and that writers report a wide range of imagery use. At the same time, creativity does not require a vivid mind's eye. This post summarizes what the evidence says and how your imagery profile might show up when you write or create.

What the Research Shows

Peer-reviewed work on mental imagery and creative writing points to several mechanisms.

Imagery and Writing Performance

Studies using behavioral tasks and brain imaging suggest that mental imagery supports semantic integration and reorganization of concepts in memory—both of which matter when you're generating and structuring ideas. In experiments that compared an imagery strategy (multi-sensory mental visualization of stimuli) with a verbal-only strategy (focus on meaning alone), the imagery approach often led to better performance on creative writing–style tasks, especially when it came to reorganizing and recombining ideas rather than just understanding them. So imagery isn't only "seeing" a scene; it can help you connect and rearrange concepts in ways that feed the writing.

Which Senses Matter?

It isn't only visual. Work using the Psi-Q (Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire), which measures imagery across senses, found that touch imagery vividness positively correlated with creative writing scores in short creative tasks—and that this link was mediated by semantic integration and network robustness. So the sense you imagine with (visual, auditory, tactile, or others) can matter for how you generate and combine ideas. That fits with the idea that imagination runs across six senses, not just the mind's eye.

What Writers Report

In studies where writers described their process, many reported high reliance on mental imagery—with mental images helping to generate ideas, plots, characters, and settings. In think-aloud protocols, a substantial share of thought samples were "mostly images" or a mix of words and images, and that mix was linked to fluency and output, especially for concrete topics. So for many writers, imagery is part of how they compose. At the same time, writers varied: some were "extensive imagery users" with lifelong image-driven habits; others produced strong work with different balances of verbal and imagistic thinking. Weaker outcomes in some studies were paradoxically linked more to certain kinds of thesis-level imagery, suggesting that how you use imagery (and for what) matters as much as how vivid it is.

Brain and Process

Imaging work suggests that mental imagery engages default mode networks during sustained creative writing, with dynamics that overlap with creative cognition more broadly. That aligns with dual coding ideas: non-verbal (imagery) and verbal processes can work together, so writing isn't only a language task. So imagery can be part of the wiring of creative writing—but it doesn't follow that you need strong imagery to write well. People with aphantasia or low visual imagery often excel in writing using language, structure, and auditory or conceptual channels instead.

Design and Broader Creation

Beyond writing, research in design shows that visual and emotional mental imagery can support creative outcomes—for example, when designers imagine users, scenarios, or forms. So the link between imagery and creativity isn't limited to text; it shows up in other creative domains. Again, that doesn't mean imagery is required. It means it's one channel that many creatives use, and that imagery profiles can differ widely across writers, designers, and other makers.

What This Means for You

If you have strong imagery: You may find that scenes, characters, or ideas come to you in images or multi-sensory flashes. Use that—and notice whether visual, auditory, or other senses lead. You can lean into the modalities that already work.
If your imagery is low or absent: You're not at a disadvantage. Many writers and creatives work largely in words, structure, rhythm, or concept. Creativity and quality do not depend on a vivid mind's eye. Your process may be more verbal, conceptual, or auditory—and that's valid.
If you're not sure how you imagine: A structured assessment can clarify where you're strong across visual, auditory, motor, and other senses. That can help you name your process and choose strategies (e.g. outline-first vs scene-first, read-aloud revision, visual prompts) that fit. We cover imagination and writing in more detail on the imagination styles page.

Practical Takeaways

Imagery can support idea generation, semantic integration, and fluency—but it's one of many pathways. Writers report varied reliance on images; there is no single "writer's imagination."
Multi-sensory imagery (including touch, not only vision) has been linked to creative writing performance in some studies. Your profile may include strengths in senses you hadn't emphasized.
Aphantasia and low visual imagery do not preclude strong creative writing. Use the channels you have—language, structure, sound, concept—and don't assume you need to "see" things in your head.

See Your Imagery Profile

If you want to see how you imagine across visual, auditory, motor, and other senses, the Imagination Index assessment gives you a profile in about 12 minutes. Writers and creatives can use it to understand their own mix and to choose drafting and revision strategies that align with how they actually imagine.

Further reading: Imagery, semantic integration, and creative writing – PMC; Writers and mental imagery – Trace (Tennessee); Aphantasia and creativity; Imagination styles at work.