Leaving hints and clues

[sweetmamajama]

2 minutes ago, InvidiaRed said:

Word choice as in are you disguising things. Are events transpiring openly or is there more going on that what’s readily being presented on the surface. Context can paint a very different picture of whats going on. A single well placed clue can do more than a ton of less subtle hints. How are you disgusing things if things are not as they appear.

Ex: It seemed as though a trick of light but the ruby seemed to have an inner fire all its own for an instant. (A set up that the ruby isn't normal) 

Ex: Is it really the ticking of a clock or is it a timer steadily ticking down? What kind of tick is it? Is it a tick tock. or is it a steady tick tick tick… BOOM

Ex: Molly felt uneasy being locked in this room. The grand father clock’s ominous ticking didn’t seem quite right it was as if the ticking wasn’t perfectly synched.

The obviousness of the sudden lack of sound brought attention to its sudden absence.

“Oh shi-” Molly didn’t have time to finish as the room upended in a sudden conflagration. 

Bringing attention to certain details or lack of details. Etc..

Oh ok I get it now. tnx Bob

may the Bob bless you

[PenStoryTeller]

Leaving breadcrumbs is fun but dangerous.  You have to ask. WHo am I leaving these crumbs for? SOmething that will be apparent to people from one cultural or educational background. may not be apparent to another.  The problem is, you don’t want to hint too much since people with certain knowledge of genre conventions run the risk of figuring things out first.

The best clues, are the ones the reader picks up the second time they read. They will ideally remark. “ohhhhh so that’s why showering in spite of the watter being cold. It was to wash off the blood and mud.” Once your story is resolved and you’ve basically completed your final draft. Go back and sprinkle some details here and there. Not additional details but rather details that one could otherwise infer from what was already there.