Want to become a better writer but don’t know how to express yourself skillfully? Then this guide is for you! In it, we discuss tips and tricks to add more nuance to your fiction writing. So sit down, get comfortable, and let’s get started!
What Does It Mean to Write Subtly?
Subtlety is an essential quality in writing for many reasons.
- It can help make your writing more nuanced and complex.
- It can help make your writing more accessible to a broader audience.
- It can help your text be more persuasive.
- It can help your text be more memorable.
By its very nature, subtlety is hard to define. But in general, it refers to the ability to convey a message without being heavy-handed or didactic. It’s about finding the right balance between explicitness and implicitness. And it’s about using language in a precise and stimulating way.
When done well, subtle elements can enhance your writing and help you achieve your goals as a writer.
Why Subtlety Is Important in Writing
Sometimes it’s important to be subtle in your writing. For example, if you’re trying to be funny, too much evident humor can fall flat. It’s often more effective to be subtle and use ironic humor or puns.
The same goes for suspenseful writing. The reader may lose interest if you give too much away too soon. It can be more effective to be subtle and give the reader just enough information to keep them guessing.
Generally, it’s often better to be too subtle than too obvious. This way, you make the reader curious for more, rather than bombarding him/her with information they don’t need. However, this needs to be done at the right stage in writing – as we’ll see later in this article!
Subtlety Doesn’t Mean Undermining the Clarity or Directness of Writing
Anyone who’s ever tried to write clearly knows that it’s not always an easy task. Clarity is often one of the most challenging aspects of writing well. That’s because clarity requires a delicate balance between providing enough detail to be understandable while avoiding excessive verbiage that might obscure the meaning.
Subtlety can suggest a subtext or layer of meaning without making those elements too obvious. When used skillfully, subtlety can add depth and richness to text without sacrificing clarity.
It’s important to note that there’s a fine line between subtly enhancing the text and compromising its clarity. Too much subtlety can leave readers scratching their heads in confusion, while too little subtlety leads to unimaginative prose. The key is to find a balance that makes your writing shine.
This is especially important in story structure – we’ll get into that soon.
It’s All About Nuance and Tone – How You Write Subtly
Being subtle can be accomplished through metaphors, similes, and other figures of speech. It can also be achieved by choosing words with multiple meanings or connotations.
Tone is the general mood or feeling of a piece of writing. It’s the attitude the author takes toward the subject. Tone can be lighthearted or serious, playful or sincere, angry or calm.
Achieving a subtle tone often requires finding the right balance between different shades of emotion. Too much of one thing can make a passage seem ponderous or one-dimensional. When done well, however, subtlety can add depth and richness to a text, making it more compelling and memorable.
- In many cases, writers can express more with fewer words. By hinting at an idea or feeling, they save readers the trouble of digging through pages of exposition.
- In other cases, subtlety can make a text more memorable. Understated prose often lingers in the memory long after bombastic texts have been forgotten.
- Finally, subtlety can create a sense of familiarity between reader and author. By asking readers to fill in the blanks, authors invite them to participate in their reading actively.
Subtlety as a Literary Device
Writers use subtlety to create deeper meaning, increase complexity, and engage readers. Subtlety, then, is an important literary device.
It can be done in various ways, but the most common is by suggestion and implication. In other words, an author can imply something without saying it directly.
For example, suppose a character is secretly in love with someone else. The author might make the character seem nervous or uneasy around the object of his or her affection or avoid eye contact. By not stating the character’s feelings directly, the author leaves it up to the reader to draw his or her conclusions.
This can be much more effective than simply telling the reader what the character thinks or feels. It allows for deeper engagement with the story and allows readers to make their connections to the characters.
In addition, subtle wording can add an extra layer of ambiguity to a story, making it more exciting and compelling.
In some cases, a single word can change the entire meaning of a sentence. For example, in the sentence “She wore a white dress,” the word “white” can mean purity, innocence, or even sadness.
Another way to use subtlety is through symbolism. Symbols can be anything from colors to animals to objects and convey various messages depending on their use. For example, a rose can symbolize love or beauty, but it can also represent secrets or hidden thorns.
It’s important to note that subtlety isn’t the same as vagueness. Vagueness is when an author is unclear or cannot convey his or her ideas. On the other hand, subtlety is a conscious decision to imply something without saying it directly.
Situations in Which We Need to Use Subtlety in Creative Writing
There are situations in which a writer must be subtle. This can be for various reasons, such as avoiding shocking or alienating the reader or gradually revealing crucial information. In these cases, more tact is needed to avoid being too heavy-handed.
One way to achieve this is to use indirect language. This means implying something rather than saying it directly. For example, instead of saying, “John was angry,” you might say, “John’s face turned red, and he clenched his fists.” Giving the reader small pieces of information allows them to put the puzzle together for themselves, which can be much more effective than just telling them what’s happening.
Another way to write subtly is to use symbols. This means that an object or action stands for something else, usually on a more abstract level. For example, a character may wear specific clothing that symbolizes their social status, or a storm may represent a protagonist’s inner turmoil.
When a character learns that their mother has died, you could have them come across an old photo of their parents beforehand. This way, you can give these events greater impact, especially since the reader will already be familiar with the meaning of these objects and events.
When you use symbols in your text, you can convey complex ideas without having to say them directly.
Subtly Write Quiet Moments in a Novel or Short Story So That the Drama Comes Through Later
In any good story, there needs to be a balance between quiet moments and dramatic scenes. The quiet moments let the reader know the characters and understand their motivations. They also help create a sense of tension and anticipation, which makes the later dramatic scenes all the more compelling.
One of the best ways to use quiet moments in a story is to write them in a way that foreshadows later events. By hinting at what’s to come, the author can increase the tension and make the ending all the more satisfying.
For example, suppose you’re writing a scene where a person receives devastating news. In the scenes leading up to that moment, you can give hints about what’s to come. Perhaps the person seemed anxious, distracted, or premonitions that something terrible would happen. By building up this tension ahead of time, you can make the reveal more shocking and upsetting.
Another effective technique is to use quiet moments to contrast the dramatic scenes’ chaos. This can help emphasize the magnitude of the events and make them more impactful.
However they’re used, quiet scenes are essential to any good story. Through careful writing, authors can ensure that these scenes are compelling.
How Subtle Writing Can Bring Out Emotional Bombshells in Your Text
Most writers are familiar with using big, emotional scenes to make a powerful impact on their story. But what about the opposite approach? What if you want to create a moment of great emotional intensity without resorting to melodrama? In these cases, subtlety can be your best friend in compelling storytelling.
One way to be subtle is to use suggestive language. This can mean that you hint at something without saying it directly. For example, you might say, “I can’t believe she’d do something like that,” instead of directly saying, “She cheated on me.” The former is more effective because it allows the reader to draw conclusions and adds to the emotional impact.
Another way to be subtle is to use indirect references. Instead of mentioning something directly, you can refer to it indirectly. For example, instead of saying, “My parents got divorced,” you could say, “My family fell apart.” This indirect reference is more effective because it allows the reader to imagine what happened, thus increasing the emotional impact.
Subtle Writing as a Way to Draw the Reader Into the Story
Subtle storytelling techniques are a great way to draw the reader into the story. It can be used in any kind of text, but it’s beneficial in stories because you can use it to create a sense of mystery and intrigue from the beginning.
The first example that comes to mind is John Steinbeck’s classic novel Of Mice and Men. At the beginning, Steinbeck introduces us to George and Lennie: two men looking for work on a farm in California during the Depression. The author doesn’t give us much information about their backgrounds or personalities; instead, he focuses on what they’ve in common: They’re both looking for work as farm laborers, which means getting enough money to feed themselves and their families each week. We don’t know where they’re from or how long they’ve been together – but we do know that they’re looking for work together because they want something better than what they’ve now.
That makes it impossible not to root for them! It’s a beautiful study in character development.
Subtle Storytelling Openings
Good writing always starts with a good hook, which grabs the reader’s attention and doesn’t let go. There are many ways to find a good hook, but one of the most effective is to start with a subtle hint of what’s to come. You can entice readers to keep turning the page to learn more by giving a few tantalizing hints.
One of the best examples of this comes from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. In the very first chapter, Rowling introduces readers to the Dursleys, a seemingly unremarkable family that’s “normal” in every way except for a tiny detail. At the end of the chapter, we learn that Harry’s Aunt Petunia is his mother’s sister, which immediately raises the question of why she’s so reluctant to talk about her family. This simple revelation paves the way for a whole series of books about unraveling the mysteries of Harry’s past.
Another example can be found in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games. The story begins with our heroine Katniss hunting in the forest with her friend Gale. We learn that she’s in a desperate situation – her family can’t afford enough to eat, so they must find alternative sources. Katniss is the provider and protector of the family. As the novel progresses, Katniss volunteers for the Hunger Games (a brutal winner-takes-all death match staged for entertainment and societal control) to save her younger sister, Prim. By beginning with a subtle hint of what’s to come, the author draws readers into the story and builds anticipation for what might happen next.
This isn’t to say that all good stories must begin with subtle hints of what’s to come. But subtle hints draw readers into the story and excite them about the characters.
Subtlety as a Means of Getting Readers to Suspend Their Disbelief and Enter the Dream World of Fiction
For readers to overcome their disbelief and enter the dream world of fiction, the author must use language subtly. By staying within the realm of believability, the author allows the reader to let go of their knowledge of the real world and immerse themselves in the story world.
An author may describe a character’s movements to feel like we’re watching them instead of reading about them. Or he or she may use expressions and metaphors that help us paint a vivid picture in our minds. Doing it skillfully can help create a strong sense of immersion that transports us into the story’s world.
If you’re writing about a ghost who lives in an old mansion and wants revenge on the family that once lived there, you could describe all sorts of things about your character’s life and personality: what he looks like (and how he dresses), what he eats for breakfast, where he goes to school, etc.
But suppose instead, you describe him simply as “a young man with dark hair” who lives alone in an old mansion and has a mysterious past. In that case, that description gives us just enough information to imagine everything else – and it also leaves room for our imagination to fill in the rest.
If you’re writing a story about a girl who’s been kidnapped by a mad scientist and locked in a basement, you can’t just say that. Instead, you’ve to imply it. You could describe how she’s always hungry or how she’s to walk up three flights of stairs every day.
Don’t overdo it with the hints, though, because if the reader knows right away what’s going to happen, they’ll lose interest. But if they don’t understand what’s happening until halfway through the story, they’ll keep reading because they want answers!
So it’s all about finding the right balance so that your readers know what’s going on without giving away too much of the plot or something that might happen later in the story. And that’s where the subtlety of storytelling lies.
Don’t Try to Bring Subtlety Into Your Writing on the First Draft!
Many beginning writers make the mistake of thinking that subtlety is the key to a good book. In most cases, however, getting a handle on the story is much more critical. Once the story is in place, the writer can add subtleties.
If you’re working on a first draft, you need to have all the essential parts of your story figured out before you move on to perfecting it. You need to know who your characters are and what they do, their relationships, what’s at stake for them, and where they’re going.
If you don’t have these things in mind before you start writing, the whole story can blow up in your face if one detail turns out wrong or poorly thought out.
Take a deep breath and realize this is just a draft – it doesn’t have to be perfect! Rather than worrying about it being perfect all the time, worry about telling your story well. If you do that well enough in the first draft, you can focus on what needs to be improved as you revise, rather than trying to improve everything at once.
Trying to perfect your writing in the first draft will only slow you down and make the process more difficult. It’s better to get the story down on paper, even if it’s not perfect than to stare at a blank page for hours trying to make every sentence perfect.
Examples of Writers Who Use Subtlety Beautifully
- Neil Gaiman
- J.D. Salinger
- Bret Easton Ellis
- Chuck Palahniuk
- Ernest Hemingway
- Raymond Carver
- Flannery O’Connor