#everything about it the art and the dialogue and the characters

[kandicon]

Oooooo!!! Okay so this is really interesting and I absolutely hit the tag limit trying to respond the first time around, so here's take two (though I can't promise it's any better formatted than tags):

I really like all of this, especially how much of a focus it sounds like you have on replayability!! What with so many endings and so much that can be discovered on reruns. However, it all feels really trapped as a game itself? Which I love. It allows players to learn just about everything there is about the murders (which I think the scenarios mechanic is esp good at reinforcing this), but that's most of what a player can ever get from the sounds of it.

Try as they might, play over and over again and again, the satisfaction of uncovering everything about Erica and Haven will be just out of reach. And that adds to the helplessness!! In a way, it feels like a reminder that this is a game contained to a plot, but the antagonists are so much further beyond it. They're so much more than the plot, and therefore, they're so much more than both the player and their experience.

Also I feel like the main strong point of point-and-click style games (in my subjective opinion) is the constant way they'll set a person on edge, to the point someone spends an entire game tensed for a jumpscare if done right. And it absolutely sounds like it'd be a style that works well for this game!!! Both with the long-run payoff of Erica moving like above, and I know for a fact it'd certainly set me on edge for a farm-sim style game to be in such a format within just the first few seconds of playing. Thanks to how much it breaks from the typical genre style expected of a farm sim game, and of the point-and-click aspect itself.

Oh!!! And it's a really nice touch to have the route where you help Erica murder and the one where you don't both have the same ending of getting framed. Considering how many tries it would probably take a player to get the 'murder with Erica' route, and that they would probably get the other framed ending in that time, it would feel like a horrific punch in the gut to do everything right, go back to the farm, and then proceed to get a very familiar not-quite-cutscene!! Absolutely miserable sounding to play, very smart.

What is just as much of a punch, but less miserable, is how Erica's ranged attack for a stalling player and Haven's complimentary dialogue are basically the same thing? At least that's how I view them. Both would horrifically catch a player off guard, and they feel almost as if they're taunting the player for not paying sufficient attention? Like, obviously there's being ridiculously cautious in the fight as you said, but as for the dialogue, it makes me imagine that the easiest way to stumble upon it would be afk-ing around Erica- as she sounds unlikable enough that I have a hard time imagining someone wanting to spend enough time with her to get that line/lines (at least not on a first run). And therefore it feels like such a neat way to throw a player off their guard for daring to feel so comfortable around a character like Erica- or even in a game like this at all- that they would be willing to afk.

As a side note, do you have any place or tag to find out more about your characters? I see your art of them frequently and really enjoy it, and this has only piqued my curiosity more. :]

Stardew Valley-inspired Erica animation, drawn sometime in January while I was sick as a dog. This took ages, and all because I wanted to animate the bloodstains moving properly. The framerate isn't even quite right lol.

[weaverofink]

BRUTUS BRUTUS BRUTUS

full shadow picture below the cut:

siblings :) anyways go listen to brutus by buttress, the eclipse song of all time

[burningcheese-merchant]

Since you written a lot of fics. And I say that because I love reading them! I want to know if there’s any other good fics that you really like and recommend that are written by different people that I should check out (・・ ) ?

Aww, thank you ❤️ I'm happy you like them. They're really not that good though haha. And you'll understand and agree if and when you read...

Literally anything by thebiscuitlabyrinth. They post their works on here and recently came back after being gone for a while. Their writing is beyond superb. Honestly, they're who I wish I was lol. The envy and impostor syndrome live and thrive within me... (Try Echo Paradox especially! It's hailed as the ShadowVanilla bible and rightfully so)

"Jambound" is another outstanding ShadowVanilla fic that makes me feel like a monkey in clown makeup fiddling with a typewriter (please leave them comments! The author likes the encouragement and they deserve it!)

"A Cornstalk Fiddle" is... I don't even really know what to say, to be honest. Just go read it. (Whatever speed is best for you, it's admittedly a bit long and not everyone can read long works. I can because I'm insane)

I actually don't read much fic, believe it or not 😅 I don't have the time and, painful as it is to admit it, my patience is a lot thinner than it used to be (college really killed a lot of my love for reading. It took my favorite hobby, something that always both brought me back down to earth and offered me an escape from it, into a complete fucking chore. I've yet to recover from that, though I try when I can). I also just... prefer actual books lol. If you'll allow me to recommend some I feel bad for only citing 3 fics lol:

"The Master and Margarita" is my favorite book in the whole, entire world. Begging and pleading for everyone to give it a shot. It's perfect in every way possible and is such an inspiration to me in ways you don't even know yet

"Les Miserables" was my favorite before TMaM staged a coup lol. I love Victor Hugo so much, dude. Hunchback is great too tbh (it's VERY dark though. The Disney movie REALLY watered it down, believe it or not)

"The Screwtape Letters" is such a fascinating character study to me. You only actually read the POV on one person, through the form of them exchanging letters with someone else. But you learn so much about them, their view of the world, their relationship with that other person, their understanding of their job/role and how they regard their boss... There's so much you notice when you read between the lines, as well. Not to mention the insightful religious commentary haha. Go read it, I won't tell you exactly what it's about. I want you to discover it for yourself

I know they're short stories and poems but... Edgar Allan Poe's stuff, please and thank you. My favorites are "The Raven", "The Cask of Amontillado", "The Tell-tale Heart" and "Masque of the Red Death" (this one especially)

... I like classics lol. (I also read a lot of historical books. Biographies and memoirs and the like. For work and just because I love them. History is the greatest tragedy there is) I've said it before in another ask, but I firmly believe that the best way to learn to write is to read. And I stand by my recommendations being worth the time, so give them some of yours! You won't regret it

You'd think I'd write a lot better than I actually do, considering I've read all of this and more lol. Guess I'm a bad student

[marcmorrigan]

According to the artist, when it was suggested that a smile might benefit the look of the finished portrait, Attaché Nohell reportedly replied, "I thought the purpose of this was to be honest."

Super fun commission of @waterloggedsoliloquy's OC Sicely Nohell (they/them) and their terrible, horrible, no good, very bad lusus figure Commanding Officer.

[veinsfullofstars]

🌌 Memories of wonder 🌌

(ID: Kirby series fanart of the CFAU kids - Bow Dee, Meta, Dedede, and Para Dee respectively - seated side-by-side in their winter garb on top of a snowy hill dotted in footprints, their backs to the viewer, gazing up at the green-blue waves of an aurora glowing overhead across the starry night sky. END ID.)

Part 1 | Part 2 (you're here!)

Sketch started some time in 12/23, render started 01/08/24, finished 03/13/24, updated for color correction 11/02/24. | Childhood Friends AU Masterpost

[lycanpunk666]

Shoutout to that one guy in the black tabby games official server who was really demeaning about my reaction to Smitten's dialogue in the beginning of the happily ever after route and eventually pissed me off so bad because he clearly thought that I was a horror virgin that I literally turned my nickname in the server to "Princess Eater" post playing out The Den SPECIFICALLY so that he'd be squeamish enough to shut the fuck up

[golden-snackoos]

Slowly chipping away at a thing I wanted to release for valentine's day but didn't have the time for

[spookythesillyfella]

I know you possibly don't want this inbox right this second but I wanted to say that you should never apologize for trying to express your feelings, No matter how often or in what way you do it there's nothing wrong with that. This is YOUR BLOG and rightfully so wanting people to ask about you is normal it shouldn't be seen as some sort of crime to WANT ATTENTION especially because you put so much time / effort into everything you do. I know you're hurting right this second... I can't stop anything that you may do but I can at least tell you one last time that I will always try to support you to my compacity. I don't want you to feel as if you're standing alone in an empty room, I've been watching over you for even this short amount of time and you've made such an positive impact on me. It's not phony bologna, It's not me inboxing out of "pity" I just really care about you. It's hard to reach anyone on my end.. One last time though. Thank you everything Thank you for inspiring me through art Thank you for inspiring me through writing even if it meant dissecting song lyrics or writing out headcanons/fanfiction writing Thank you for checking up on me. Associating me with characters I am sorry I haven't done more. I hope in the future more people will be able to appreciate you. Keep your chin up

You don't need to reply at all. I'll check more on you later on (I'll try to..) I love you so much /p

i honestly don't know what to say that hazn't been said yet – your askz alwayz seem to calm me down . for a moment . and help me reevaluate thingz

i really do appreciate all the thingz you've said . but i really do need to stop talking about my issuez here and seek attention and support from a bunch of people on tumblr ; my purpoze here waz just to make art of my au and sometimez post fanfiction – i came onto thiz platform with the goal of escaping my problemz and being a pillar of support for otherz . to help them feel better in timez of need . and to inspire them with the thingz i make ; it just seemz that . over the past month or so . ive just been expozing the crackz in the foundation . and i've ended up the "high maintenance" person in everyonez livez . instead of helping maintain other people

looking back on it . itz foolish and unrealistic to think that would be the case – and look at me now . i've ended up spilling my gutz onto thiz website becauze i just desperately want people to look at me and care ; looking for pity in placez pity won't be found iz a waste of time and energy . and at thiz point i just want to go back to how it waz before thiz whole decline started . since i just posted art and thatz it – no opinionz . no mishapz about the day . no frustrationz . just entertainment for otherz

but what you've written down truly doez mean a lot to me – you're someone who i look up to an awful lot . and your appreciation and support meanz more than you could imagine ; itz such a pleazure to be friendz with you . and you're probably the best older sibling a guy could ask for . i really . truly mean it 💌💌💌

[infizero]

i just watched a video essay about the decline of paper mario and now im sad and mad thinking about paper mario again. can we have a violent overthrowing of nintendo

[slayingfiction]

Mastering the Art of Dialogue

Dialogue is the lifeline of any narrative. It brings characters to life, propels the plot, and creates depth in the story. However, writing dialogue that feels real and engaging can be challenging. Here are some tips to help you refine your dialogue-writing skills:

1. Listen to Real Conversations

The foundation of great dialogue is authenticity. Spend time listening to how people speak in real life. Notice the flow of conversation, the interruptions, the ums and ahs, and the unfinished thoughts. Real speech is rarely grammatically perfect or fully articulated. Incorporating these nuances can make your dialogue more relatable.

2. Each Character Should Have a Unique Voice

Your characters should be distinguishable by their dialogue alone. A teenager will speak differently from an elderly person; a doctor will use different terminology than a street artist. Think about their background, education, and personality. These factors should influence their speech patterns, vocabulary, and even the rhythm of their dialogue.

3. Use Dialogue to Show, Not Tell

Dialogue is a powerful tool for showing the reader what’s happening without explicitly telling them. Through conversations, you can reveal your characters' thoughts, feelings, and intentions. For example, instead of narrating that a character is nervous, you could show it through their stammering dialogue or their avoidance of direct answers.

4. Keep It Concise

In real conversations, people often meander through their thoughts. In written dialogue, however, it's important to be concise. Every line of dialogue should serve a purpose, whether it’s moving the plot forward, revealing character, or creating tension. If a piece of dialogue doesn’t add value to your story, consider cutting it.

5. Read Your Dialogue Aloud

One of the best ways to test your dialogue is to hear it. Reading your dialogue aloud can help you catch awkward phrasings or unnatural speech patterns. Better yet, have someone else read it to you. This can provide insight into how your dialogue will sound to your readers.

6. Use Subtext to Your Advantage

Not everything needs to be said explicitly. Subtext—the underlying meaning behind the spoken words—can add depth and complexity to your dialogue. Characters might say one thing but mean another, based on their emotions, relationships, or situations. This layering of meaning can make your dialogue more engaging and thought-provoking.

7. Balance Dialogue with Action and Description

While dialogue is critical, it should be balanced with narrative description and action. This balance helps maintain the pacing of your story and ensures that your scenes are visually and emotionally compelling. Action and description can also provide context that enhances the meaning and impact of your dialogue.

Conclusion

Great dialogue can transform a good story into an unforgettable one. By applying these tips, you can craft dialogue that captures the essence of your characters and engages your readers on a deeper level. Remember, writing is a craft that improves with practice. Keep experimenting with your dialogue, and don't be afraid to rewrite until it sounds just right.

Writing dialogue is a skill that can be honed over time. The more you practice and read, the better you'll become at capturing the essence of conversation on the page.

[flowerandblood]

Ask Game for readers who would like to tell their favorite authors that they love them and their work

copy, paste and send to your favorite writers the phrases that you think best reflect their work and make them smile

👀 eagerly await updates from you every day ⏰ admire how fast you write and that you publish regularly 💀 your scenes of violence grab me by the throat 💌 love your answers to other people's asks about your stories 🤡 love the way your characters use irony 💖 adore literally everything you write 🥵 your smut scenes make me die of thirst 💔 your angst scenes ruins me every time 🍓 your fluff scenes always make me feel pleasantly blissful 🩸 living for your terrifying, disturbing psychos 🎀 you describe tender, soft intimacy wonderfully 🧠 love how your brain works and how you solve plots 🌺 you make me root for your heroes every time 🍄 love how crazy some of the scenes you write are 🩰 have been waiting for a writer like you all my life

🌞 reading your works cheers me up and makes me feel better ⭐️ everything you write draws me in immediately 🎨 Iove your references to art, history, mythology, culture 💡 your ideas are always fresh and surprising 🧸 often go back to your old stories to re-read them 🍀 you can describe emotions and feelings perfectly 📗 when I read your story I feel like I'm reading a book 🧩 adore how you connect different threads together 💐 love your female characters and what they are like 🧶 your dialogues are as if real people were talking to each other 🧊 the changes your characters make don't feel forced 💎 you perfectly portray the mind and thoughts of your characters 💧 there were times when I cried reading your stories 🌌 I love that your stories create whole additional universes 😱 your fics have amazing, unexpected plot twists 🎵 specific songs remind me of your stories 🍇 your intimate scenes are written with great taste 🍆 love the way you write male characters 🪀 your stories are very easy, quick and enjoyable to read 🔮 when I think that nothing will surprise me anymore, you do it 💣 you can build tension in your stories incredibly well 🎬 love to imagine your stories as if I was watching a movie 🎱 you write very satisfying, non-obvious endings 🎩 while waiting for your new chapters I read old ones 🧛‍♀️ crave your new stories like a vampire craves blood

[diushek]

Well, he (user: HeavenlyPillar666) is just a guy who only reads a webnovel out of boredom after his martial arts classes and finds himself unfortunately trapped- the plot is uninteresting in the first instance, the descriptions are long and absurd (SERIOUSLY, FIVE PARAGRAPHS TO DESCRIBE A DAMN PLANT? TEN PARAGRAPHS TO DESCRIBE A MONSTER? More action scenes than dialogue!? Who the hell is that IcedBlueBeast and why the hell does he insist on making everything SO DENSE AND SLOW?), but... one of his characters? DEFINITELY HIS FAVORITE CHARACTER IN THAT HORRIBLE WORLD. HIS MISUNDERSTOOD BLORBO. HIS BELOVED.

In a summary not summarized, a story about two twin brothers who were separated at birth, and both found their way to cultivation world in different ways. Reunited first like disciples and then Peak Lords of different peaks of the same sect, suddenly, the brother who remained with his wealthy family - Shen Yuan - was seen as something of a villain for having had kind and lovely parents, a home and an education, always portrayed as the spoiled rich kid who bought his way into the Sect, while the REAL SCUM VILLAIN ACCORDING TO HEAVENLYPILLAR666, that bitch Shen Jiu who was stolen from his family and raised as a slave and then on the streets, ended with basically a harem of peak lords, fanning himself with his fourth-rate victim role.

And the rest of that pathetic novel it's just... shit full of dramas, betrayal and eternal descriptions being an ode to finding the hundreds of ways in which Shen Yuan's inherent kindness was misinterpreted as manipulation, judged and accused of wanting to do something bad just because he comes from a rich and well-off background.

And how it should be fair after all that gaslighting and psychological torture, Shen Yuan finally agree with them!

Crack under the pressure and the mistreatment of everyone, he just decide that if everyone thought he was a villain, then he was one!!

Allying with the demons first as an informant spy and then rising to power among the court, he ended up being something like a emperor-demonic cultivator eager for revenge and proving that no matter where he came from, he would show them what he was capable of! If the Cang Qiong Mountain Sect believed that a powerful cultivator was only forged through hard work and suffering, look at him now!

So all that good revenge plot would go to shit with Shen Yuan start to fucking monsters in scenes that were almost fade to black despite the deep descriptions and CHEMISTRY between the passionate Shen Yuan and the mythical creatures to have more power for the revenge that never seemed to come... To end with a completely unsatisfying shitty ending in which Shen Yuan gave up his revenge for filial love and the power of forgiveness, giving his own life to save his fucking damnit brother's life!

Where was the cruel revenge?! The taking over of the world?! HeavenlyPillar666 is RAGING, more than anyone else in all those damn comments!! Dumbfuck author, dumbfuck novel!!!!!

...

Yea, the user HeavenlyPillar666 shouldn't have said that while choking on his damn glass of water. It's not that he thinks he could die by drowning in a glass of water, LITERALLY. That's ridiculous. It's the height of ridiculousness.

But now he is dead, and he has transmigrated into one of Shen Yuan's less filial disciples who would ultimately be the person who would hurt him the most when he turned his back on him, after having been practically raised and adored by Shen Yuan, this damn disciple who always treating his Shizun with contempt and disdain knowing his invented reputation, but despite that, he was so dear to Shen Yuan who more than once was capable of putting himself at risk for him...

No, nothing like that!! No more of that trash!!! Shen Yuan deserves MORE, and the one who now is Luo Binghe is going to make sure Shen Yuan has all of it. A happy ending, a filial disciple, someone to count on, someone to stand up for him when no one else will. Someone by his side when he decides to destroy the cultivation world, someone to HELP HIM DO IT AND GET REVENGE ON ALL THOSE ASSHOLES SONS OF A B-

If only that fucking System would stop yelling at him for being OOC. Luo Binghe already knows!!! Fuck you System!! He's not going to respond that rudely to his Shizun, he is a beautiful little sun, what's wrong with you!?

[a-hermit-pining]

I saw this on Twitter (i forgot the @), but it really got me thinking. What would your hc be if the boys were playing the game and you were the mc? I hc that Caleb would save every "y/n laughing compilation" he comes across, rafayel would edit y/n's face on random fish and make crack edits and from his alt account he would drop the most gorgeous fanart, and for some reason I feel like sylus would use "quality time" religiously

Hi anon, thank you for sending this in ^^

I completely agree with your takes. Here is my take to compliment yours.

Rafayel: Is the undisputed Fanart King, sketching your character from every angle, in every possible outfit. If an art contest exists, he has already submitted three entries before anyone even knew it was happening. But beyond his artistic obsession, he is also the cursed glitch hoarder. While normal people would be horrified at a headless version of you appearing in-game, Rafayel takes screenshots for exclusive content, considering it a divine blessing from the tech gods. Despite his god-tier art skills, he has zero patience for level locks that force him to wait before progressing, so instead of playing at a normal pace, he rage-quits for months, then returns to binge the game in one sleepless week. His camera roll is half fanart, half stunning in-game scenery that he edits like it’s going in an art gallery.

Xavier: Does not play games for casual enjoyment. He plays for answers. He is a speedrun menace, hitting the first dialogue option before the text box even fully loads. If he gets stuck, he immediately transforms into a lore-devouring beast, reading every spoiler possible just to figure out how to proceed. The only thing keeping him from fully losing his sanity is his refusal to buy premium currency, his pride dictates that he must grind every last diamond by sheer willpower alone. And so, he hoards gems like his soul depends on it, progresses at breakneck speed, and once he’s finished all available content, he descends into 3 AM theory rabbit holes instead of doing something sane like, you know… sleeping. He probably has a color-coded spreadsheet tracking all the route impacts.

Zayne: No one would ever suspect that the infamous, critically acclaimed AO3 writer Frozen Seal, master of soul-crushing angst and tender, breathtaking romance, is actually the stoic, overworked cardiologist Zayne. His fics have a reputation for being so emotionally devastating that readers leave essays in the comments. His update schedule? Completely dictated by his hospital shifts. His author’s notes? Usually something like "Sorry, a patient coded. Will update later." Writes the most heart-wrenching, steamy romance scenes with surgical precision, leaving readers sobbing and sweating in equal measure. Has the smut writing skills of an ace author- which are god tier. Daydreams about you constantly, except when he’s actively resuscitating someone (Even he has limits.)

Sylus: Sylus owns everything. Every premium outfit, every pose, every CG. His entire paycheck is funneled into this game, and no one will ever know the full extent of his power. If questioned about how he maxed out every possible feature, he simply smirks and says, “Skill issue.” But despite single-handedly funding the dev team, he is infuriatingly secretive about his content. His in-game gallery? Locked. His premium screenshots? Hidden. Some speculate he has developers tied up in his basement feeding him exclusive content, but according to Sylus, it’s simply the fruit of his labor. Strangely enough, despite having literally everything, he still has beef with the gacha system and will cuss out the algorithm if he doesn’t get his way.

Caleb: Is cursed with abysmal gacha luck, pulling three-star memories every single time without fail. He suffers, but at this point, he embraces the suffering like a tragic hero. His nights are spent watching crack compilations at 2 AM, laughing silently to himself like a man on the verge of losing his mind (he is this 🤏🏻close). By all accounts, he plays the game rationally until your character appears, at which point all logic is abandoned. He has every single one of Zayne’s fics bookmarked, and he doesn’t just skim he analyzes them like scholarly literature, leaving long, heartfelt comments. And, of course, in the quiet solitude of his room, a freakishly realistic body pillow of you sits on his bed. If questioned? He doesn’t even blink. "It’s a limited-edition collector’s item."

[kizzer55555]

Little Artist

So I saw this

and had an idea for Danny X Damian. Where Danny likes making various stories he publishes online. Everyone said he needed a hobby and he can’t be an astronount (or join a sport since it would be more suspicious if he left in the middle of a game or practice for a ghost attack) and Ghost Writer got him to try writing, saying it’s relaxing. And honestly? It was. Danny enjoyed making stories. Sometimes he would just type what crazy thing happened to him that day while tweaking names and a few details to not give away his identity. Sometimes he made fanfiction of some stories he liked. And sometimes he tested out making original stories, taking and first hand knowledge from various ghosts and cultures to make his writing more authentic. And after much encouragement from Jazz, he posted some of his work online.

Cue Damian coming across one of his brother’s laptops. He didn’t mean to look for long but he thought the file was for a case and wanted to know more about it. ….then he got invested.

There was an author on this sight who wrote amazing stories. The emotions captured were so vivid, and he even fact checked a few historical facts and languages used. Everything from the dialogue, to the accent, and culture. Each new story completely enraptured him.

It made his fingers twitch for a piece of paper. Some paint, perhaps charcoal?

Damian started putting heavy encryption on his computer and search history. And locked his art room up. Then came a story that truly resonated with him. An original work about a boy from a different place, trying to fit into his new reality and the new rules and expectations placed on him…worried if his family would accept him. It sounded so much like when Damian first came to Wayne Manor. And it sparked his inspiration. He spent days working on his newest piece. Trying different angles and lighting, mixing colors. It looked like a collage between charcoal and watercolor, showing someone leaving a world of darkness into the light, yet this new world was unstable and strange compared to the rigid structure of his old one. When it was finally done, Damian felt like he was both looking at himself and a stranger. The character from the story brought to life.

It felt both freeing and settling, like he finally had a name for what he had been feeling. AstroBoi13’s fics always had that affect on him.

And for the first time, Damian did something he thought he’d never do. He snapped a picture of his masterpiece and sent it to the author. Quickly so he didn’t lose his nerve.

It was fine. It’s just one picture. It’s not like this would be a repeat occurrence.

[little-hermit-crab56]

I've been writing for a while so I thought I'd share some writing tips I've learned along the way.

1. Never sacrifice the flow for a quirky line.

That bit of dialogue or flowery paragraph you really like but it kinda disrupts the flow? Scrap it. I know it hurts, but you need to. If you really want to keep it, find somewhere else to put it where it actually fits in.

2. Dialogue is a dance.

Dialogue should go at the pace of an actual conversation, back and forth with little breaks and pauses. Add as little dialogue tags as possible while still making it clear who is speaking. You can also describe what is happening during a pause in the conversation rather than saying they paused, unless the pause is important.

3. Show don't tell is a guideline, not a rule.

Show don't tell is a very useful guideline, but if you're ALWAYS showing it can get exhausting to read. Skip the boring bits and just tell us what happened, then we can get to the good stuff.

4. If it's boring to write, it's probably boring to read.

If you can cut out a whole scene with little consequence to the story, you probably should. As I said before, you don't always have to show us, you can always tell us.

5. Everything needs to have a purpose.

I know there are probably lots of interesting or cute scenes where your characters are just fucking around, but if it doesn't develop character, relations, conflict, or plot, why should we care? Definitely still write them if they make you happy, but if you're gonna add it to your final draft, make sure it matters.

6. You don't need to explain everything all at once.

I know it feels tempting to put all the lore, and all the character's intentions, and reasonings into the first few chapters, but please refrain, you can reserve that for your character and worldbuilding sheets. Instead, take the time to let us get to know the characters, and the world, in the same way we'd get to know a real person. Make your exposition as seamless and natural as possible. It will take practice to know when to reveal information and when to let us wonder, but you'll get there.

7. Write in a way that comes naturally.

I know you probably have an author you wanna write just like, but that is unlikely to happen. Embrace your natural writing style and perfect it, rather than trying to be something you're not. Writing is an art, you need to find your own style and polish it as best you can.

8. Try to make us feel connected by cutting out certain words like "felt".

"Chad felt like a glass of water." Can be replaced with, "Chad was thirsty, so he reached for a glass of water." Both sentences tell us Chad wants a glass of water, but one makes us feel more connected to Chad than the other. Though both sentences have their time and place, you want to make your audience feel as close to their protagonist as possible. Make them feel like they're there, rather than just an onlooker.

9. We don't need to know every physical detail of your character.

I know you probably spent ages creating the perfect characters and you want to give us the perfect image of what they look like, but it can get monotonous and boring, why do we care that your character has brown eyes unless the colour has some sort of significance? Try to list off only the most notable features of your character and put focus only on the relevant details. Sometimes you can even not describe them at all and throw in little bits of information about their appearance for the audience to put together. We read to imagine, not to have a perfect image painted for us when we could be getting to the plot.

10. You're allowed to be vague.

Allow your audience to assume things, with some things you can just be lazy and let your audience's imagination do the work for you. Of course, don't do this with important things, but you can save so much time you might've spent researching an irrelevant topic when you can just be vague about it. You don't have to know everything you're writing about, so long as you know the bits that matter.

11. Writing is a skill that takes practice.

Don't be so hard on yourself if your writing is a bit cringe, we've all been there. The important part is that you research how to get better and keep writing those super cringe chapters. One day you'll reread something from a while ago and realize you're actually not as bad as you thought.

12. Leave your work to rest.

I know you wanna start editing right away, but once you've finished, leave it for at least a month. The longer you leave it the better, but that depends on your attention span. A month to six months is good if you're really impatient but want a good result. If you keep writing in that time your skills will continue to improve, then you'll be editing that draft with fresh eyes and fresh skills.

And if you're a fanfic author, I usually leave my chapters for a week before editing and posting.

Hope this helps anyone struggling, I thought this might be especially relevant now with nanowrimo.

I recently realized how much knowledge I've been accumulating over the years, I definitely have more but this is all I can think of for now.

I'm no writing guru, but if anyone has anything they're struggling with, I can do my best to help you out, so dont hesitate to ask questions.

[xyywrites]

Subtle Foreshadowing: Leaving Breadcrumbs

Foreshadowing is like seasoning—too much, and it overpowers the dish; too little, and the story feels bland. When done subtly, it’s a literary breadcrumb trail that readers can follow and later admire when they realize everything was right under their noses.

1. Use Everyday Details

The best foreshadowing hides in plain sight. Something that seems unimportant now can hold major significance later.

Example: A character mentions that they always lock their bedroom door at night. Later, it becomes crucial when someone tries to break in but fails.

2. Leverage Symbolism

Objects, colors, or recurring imagery can subtly point to future events.

Example: A withering plant in the protagonist’s room mirrors their deteriorating mental state, foreshadowing a breakdown.

3. Play With Dialogue

A seemingly casual line can become significant in hindsight.

Early in the story: “You’d have to be crazy to hike that trail alone.” Later: The protagonist ventures down the same trail, setting up a tense, isolated confrontation.

4. Introduce Red Herrings

Foreshadowing doesn’t mean making the ending obvious. Throw in details that distract or mislead while keeping the real clues subtle.

A character keeps looking at their phone nervously, making readers suspect they’re hiding something. The twist? They’re planning a surprise party, not plotting betrayal.

5. Use Minor Characters

Minor characters can be the perfect vessels for foreshadowing. Their insights or actions may seem trivial but later connect to the main plot.

A street vendor tells the protagonist, “Storm’s coming,” as they pass by. Later, this line doubles as both literal and metaphorical foreshadowing for the chaos ahead.

6. Drop Inconsistencies

Small contradictions in a character’s story or behavior can hint at hidden truths.

A character says they’ve never been to a certain city, yet they recognize its landmarks in a photo. This inconsistency later ties into their secret past.

7. Use Setting Details

The environment can hint at future events.

A creaky floorboard that annoys the protagonist early in the story becomes critical later when they use it to detect an intruder.

8. Plant Emotional Seeds

Foreshadow not just plot twists but emotional arcs as well.

A character who lashes out at small inconveniences foreshadows a larger anger issue that causes them to make a catastrophic decision later.

9. Utilize Themes

Tie foreshadowing into the story’s overarching themes for subtle yet powerful hints.

In a story about trust, repeated mentions of locked doors, broken promises, and hidden diaries all build to the climax where a betrayal occurs.

10. Trust Your Readers

The key to subtle foreshadowing is restraint. Trust your readers to connect the dots without spelling it out for them.

Instead of saying, “The cracked photo frame symbolized their fractured relationship,” simply describe the frame and let readers infer the connection.

Foreshadowing is an art of balance. It should enrich your story without pulling readers out of the narrative. Think of it as a game with your audience—leave just enough breadcrumbs so that when the twist hits, they’ll gasp and say, “Of course!”