novaalexanderwrites

[novaalexanderwrites]

Show, don’t tell

"Show, don’t tell" means letting readers experience a story through actions, senses, and dialogue instead of outright explaining things. Here are some practical tips to achieve that:

1. Use Sensory Details

Tell: "The room was cold."

Show: "Her breath puffed in faint clouds, and she shivered as frost clung to the edges of the window."

Tell: "He was scared."

Show: "His hands trembled, and his heart thudded so loudly he was sure they could hear it too."

2. Focus on Actions

Tell: "She was angry."

Show: "She slammed the mug onto the counter, coffee sloshing over the rim as her jaw clenched."

Tell: "He was exhausted."

Show: "He stumbled through the door, collapsing onto the couch without even bothering to remove his shoes."

3. Use Dialogue

What characters say and how they say it can reveal their emotions, intentions, or traits.

Tell: "She was worried about the storm."

Show: "Do you think it'll reach us?" she asked, her voice tight, her fingers twisting the hem of her shirt.

4. Show Internal Conflict Through Thoughts or Reactions

Tell: "He was jealous of his friend."

Show: "As his friend held up the trophy, he forced a smile, swallowing the bitter lump rising in his throat."

5. Describe the Environment to Reflect Mood

Use the setting to mirror or hint at emotions or themes.

Tell: "The town was eerie."

Show: "Empty streets stretched into the mist, and the only sound was the faint creak of a weathered sign swinging in the wind."

6. Let Readers Infer Through Context

Give enough clues for the reader to piece things together without spelling it out.

Tell: "The man was a thief."

Show: "He moved through the crowd, fingers brushing pockets, his hand darting away with a glint of gold."

7. Use Subtext in Interactions

What’s left unsaid can reveal as much as what’s spoken.

Tell: "They were uncomfortable around each other."

Show: "He avoided her eyes, pretending to study the painting on the wall. She smoothed her dress for the third time, her fingers fumbling with the hem."

8. Compare to Relatable Experiences

Use metaphors, similes, or comparisons to make an emotion or situation vivid.

Tell: "The mountain was huge."

Show: "The mountain loomed above them, its peak disappearing into the clouds, as if it pierced the heavens."

Practice Example:

Tell: "The village had been destroyed by the fire."

Show: "Charred beams jutted from the rubble like broken ribs, the acrid smell of ash lingering in the air. A child's shoe lay half-buried in the soot, its leather curled from the heat."

[novaalexanderwrites]

[novaalexanderwrites]

Please, if you are a self-publishing author an indie author, learn the basics of book formatting.

Please.

The standards are in place for a reason. Margins are the size they are so that your thumb can rest comfortably on the sides of the book without blocking any text, and so you can read the text along the middle without tilting the book back and forth to see around the bend. Bleeds are so your margins don't get cut down too much when the text block is trimmed, you need them even if you don't have images in your book. Spaces between paragraphs are an internet convention and do not belong in books unless you are indicating a scene break.

Please. These rules aren't there to be mean. They are there for FUNCTIONALITY.

[novaalexanderwrites]

[novaalexanderwrites]

me: *writes fic*

me: great! time to post to ao3-

ao3 summary box: *exists*

me: 

ao3 summary box:

me:

ao3 summary box: 

me:

[novaalexanderwrites]

[novaalexanderwrites]

If you want to write as a job, you need to treat it like a job

Write even when you don't want to

[novaalexanderwrites]

[novaalexanderwrites]

Frigga, Rosalind, and I wish you all a very Happy Halloween and a Blessed Samhain to all my witches and bitches <3 I didn't do a lot for my favourite season this year due to some health struggles, but I still loved the crunchy leaves and candy and seeing all the cute things in shops. I got a little pink cauldron that I'm very excited about for my in-person events, which I have 2 coming up!💖

If you're in the Lower Mainland in BC, I have Creepmas coming up next Saturday, November 9, and Spark Animation on November 16th - for more info, see my post about it here: https://pinkartwitch.tumblr.com/post/765244866713321472/for-anyone-thats-in-the-area-of-vancouver-bc-i

⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you like this, please reblog (it really helps artists out!!), leave a like or comment (I love hearing your thoughts, it keeps me drawing), and follow me for more (I update at least once a week) 💖

Available for commissions! For more information, please check out my post here: https://www.tumblr.com/pinkartwitch/739257460225916928/novas-art-commissions

Come along with me to Ozelea, a world bursting with magic and drama! I'm building the world that these characters live in, and you can learn about it in Blood and Thorns: https://pinkchaosstories.tumblr.com/bloodandthorns

Read The Novel on World Anvil Read the Webcomic on Tapas

[novaalexanderwrites]

So... I found this and now it keeps coming to mind. You hear about "life-changing writing advice" all the time and usually its really not—but honestly this is it man.

I'm going to try it.

[novaalexanderwrites]

PSA for fanfic writers

[novaalexanderwrites]

Happy National Day On Writing!

[novaalexanderwrites]

You know what I think its grossly under-rated in fandom? Second loves.

What it's like to love and lose and then love again. To suffer through either the death of a loved one or the death of a love you used to share. To know that loss, to know that hurt, and to still make yourself vulnerable to someone again. To love scared, to love wounded, to love anyway.

[novaalexanderwrites]

Blood and Thorns Short Story "Negotiations" now available to read!

Marcus and Rosalind are engaged! And while he has every hope things will go well, they still have a lot to plan and a major hurdle to leap, namely his father. Theodore seems neutral about his choice of partner, if not thrilled they are from the coven's suspicious Second Family, but will that last when the marital negotiations begin? And will Rosalind allow their future father-in-law to bully them into getting his way, or will they stand their ground?

(Story takes place after the events of Blood and Thorns and contains spoilers for it - read at your own risk!!)

[novaalexanderwrites]

Like, okay, if I’m writing an AU that isn’t fantasy, I have to give Rosalind SOME WAY of being a little feral if they aren’t a necromancer, right? Like, the thing about B&T’s witches is that they all play at being proper and High Society 🫖 but the true nature of magic and consequently witches is that it’s wild and unexplainable, barely controllable, and the Spirit Magic Rosalind’s family is known for is ESPECIALLY so.

Which we will see more of in Blood and Thorns: Restructure, the magic is kind of gross. Seriously, I had to use the words “moist chunks” and I was satisfyingly horrified.

Alright fine, I’ll talk about it.

(Nobody asked)

Not only am I incredibly unhinged about my Blood and Thorns series, but last year I wrote a 180k WORD MODERN EROTICA AU with my MAIN CAST. AND I DONT TALK ABOUT IT. Like??? I’m sorry, I just like making my OCs fuck in threesomes that would NEVER HAPPEN in the original text! Is it the most PC thing I’ve written? ABSOLUTELY NOT. It’s got some pretty gnarly concepts in it, but is it also kind of my favourite thing? A little bit! Its got kinky, I can’t help how hot you are, baby I miss you can we fuck mushy romantic love, sexual contracts that trap people in relationships they don’t want to be in but it’s better than what was left behind UNTIL IT ISNT, a little bit of petty drama that turns just a little a lot sadistic, and perverts finding true love. Sorry, not sorry, this is what the people (me) asked for.

Anyway, if you wanna read something like that let me know lol

[novaalexanderwrites]

NO WAIT I HAVE A FIFTH ONE. I AM UNHINGED FOLKS.

Between the three AUs, Blood and Thorns collectively has probably close to 800k words written. Wtf Nova.

Alright fine, I’ll talk about it.

(Nobody asked)

Not only am I incredibly unhinged about my Blood and Thorns series, but last year I wrote a 180k WORD MODERN EROTICA AU with my MAIN CAST. AND I DONT TALK ABOUT IT. Like??? I’m sorry, I just like making my OCs fuck in threesomes that would NEVER HAPPEN in the original text! Is it the most PC thing I’ve written? ABSOLUTELY NOT. It’s got some pretty gnarly concepts in it, but is it also kind of my favourite thing? A little bit! Its got kinky, I can’t help how hot you are, baby I miss you can we fuck mushy romantic love, sexual contracts that trap people in relationships they don’t want to be in but it’s better than what was left behind UNTIL IT ISNT, a little bit of petty drama that turns just a little a lot sadistic, and perverts finding true love. Sorry, not sorry, this is what the people (me) asked for.

Anyway, if you wanna read something like that let me know lol

[novaalexanderwrites]

Like I can’t stress this enough: I wrote porn fanfiction of my own work! And I have ANOTHER AU on top of this! B&T HAS THREE ITERATIONS. And I have a fourth rumbling around in my head.

Alright fine, I’ll talk about it.

(Nobody asked)

Not only am I incredibly unhinged about my Blood and Thorns series, but last year I wrote a 180k WORD MODERN EROTICA AU with my MAIN CAST. AND I DONT TALK ABOUT IT. Like??? I’m sorry, I just like making my OCs fuck in threesomes that would NEVER HAPPEN in the original text! Is it the most PC thing I’ve written? ABSOLUTELY NOT. It’s got some pretty gnarly concepts in it, but is it also kind of my favourite thing? A little bit! Its got kinky, I can’t help how hot you are, baby I miss you can we fuck mushy romantic love, sexual contracts that trap people in relationships they don’t want to be in but it’s better than what was left behind UNTIL IT ISNT, a little bit of petty drama that turns just a little a lot sadistic, and perverts finding true love. Sorry, not sorry, this is what the people (me) asked for.

Anyway, if you wanna read something like that let me know lol