Top New Release
- Amy Lynn McConahy
- 11 hours ago
- 5 min read
Hello All! Wow! What a week! Top New Release in Literary Criticism Reference for our ebook version and Top New Release in Catalogs & Directories for our paperback version. I feel so blessed that we have flown some Amazon flags once again. Thank you also to our direct subscribers and Patreon subscribers. With your help, we were able to distribute so smoothly to the Clean Fiction Community and have grown a loyal reader base. If you would be willing to share how much you enjoy our publication or maybe share some stars, we would be really appreciative. Information about the Small Spotlight Giveaway for Summer and Story Fodder can be found below.
May your day be bright and your reading be epic!
~ Amy Lynn McConahy, Clean Fiction Publisher
SMALL SPOTLIGHT GIVEAWAY
The Small Spotlight Giveaway is a quarterly giveaway hosted by Clean Fiction Magazine that puts a spotlight on independent authors and small presses.
Authors or publishers can send in a paperback, bookmark, sticker, keychain, or other book-themed merchandise to Clean Fiction to be given away to one lucky winner. All items will be featured on Clean Fiction social media and in Clean Fiction newsletters. If you would like to send an item to be included in the giveaway, mail it to Clean Fiction Magazine, PO Box 5044, New Castle, PA 16105. All donated items will be given away in a randomized drawing once a quarter.
The Summer Giveaway will be accepting ticket submissions from May 18-June 13. For any questions or more information, email Amy Lynn McConahy at info at cleanfictionmagazine.com.
Show your support for the Clean Fiction Community by checking out the list of sponsors! The Summer Giveaway is Sponsored By: Author Jenny Marcelene (www.jennymarcelene.com), C. E. Stone (starganauts.net), and Author Amy Lynn McConahy (amylynnmcconahy.com)
Our Advertising Deadline is May 16th for the Summer Edition 2026.
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VISUAL SHORTHAND
In my opinion, the best authors and screenwriters are proficient at what I like to call visual shorthand. I'm sure the high brows have some sort of fancy name for this, but I was not traditionally educated in university-level English. The following information is based on my own observations as an avid reader of fiction and consumer of media.
What do I mean by visual shorthand? Visual shorthand is when a writer uses a gesture or a depiction of a character’s actions to help the audience understand the character's emotional state. I add “shorthand” to “visual” because, in using these widely accepted and understood gestures, it gives the writer a shortcut to the desired emotion. Instead of saying that a character is angry, they would say that their fist tightened. Instead of having a character say everything is going to be okay, they have the character wink at another. Instead of having your character say I want to be close to you, they have them lightly touch the other's shoulder. All readers and consumers of fictional media understand these cues without thinking about them. It doesn't matter that things like this are repetitive because most don't recognize that they are actually reading these signals. This explains why some movies and books have so much more emotional impact than others. Of course, things like cinematography or the use of word choice play a part. But I am of the opinion that if you pare it down to its most basic, a lot of the emotional impact that is derived from building relationships in a story comes from cues like these.
What I also find interesting is that some of these cues work across cultural lines as well. I watch a lot of Asian media, and a couple of examples of their crossover shorthand include walking with fingers entwined, meaning that the couple is very close in their relationship, and brushing a lock of hair behind a girl's ear as a symbol of interest. These are both common symbols used in building romantic relationships in Western media as well. Then there are others that do not cross between Western and Asian visual shorthand. A dramatic example of this would be in Asian culture when a character spits blood. Depending on the context, this visual shorthand could mean overwhelming anger, that they are expelling poison, or that they're going to die. We don't have anything like this in Western culture. The closest I can think of would be a person's hand going limp as a symbol of death.
Most visual shorthand is a more elegant way to say something to your audience. You don't just say characters love each other; you have them give each other a long look. You don't just say that two characters are about to fight; you have them adjust their stance or draw their sword. You don't tell the audience that these two characters are going to be best friends; you have one friend pound the other on the back. All of these things are obvious when they are pointed out blatantly like this, but typically, our brains just process them as the unspoken language that is around us. The reason a piece of fiction feels more real is that it uses the cues that we use in real life to tell if people are close in a relationship, if they don't get along, or if they don't know one another at all. There are so many more visual shorthands than what I was able to write here. Do you use visual shorthand in your work? Or do you think it is unnecessary? Let me know via email or in the comments.
CLEAN FICTION: SPRING EDITION 2025
Wonderful Reads for the Quirky & Discerning Book Lover
Clean Fiction Magazine strives to place amazing CLEAN FICTION in the hands of those who would enjoy it. We specialize in Indie Fiction and Small Presses, which means that the books you find here you may not find anywhere else. If you are interested in reading a Christian-based publication that reviews and promotes both religious fiction as well as clean secular fiction, you have found the right magazine.
In This Edition You Will Find:
Fantasy & Fairy Tale
Speculative Fiction
Romance & Real Life
Mystery & History
Audio Dramas
Illustrative Fiction
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