Show, Don't Tell - part I
a brief guide28 total reviews
Comment from L. Kalere
Having just read Show Don't Tell, Part III, I thought it might help to read Part I, and if that helps, go on to Part II. Eyes are open wide, ears are perked, nose lifted to the air...ready for Part II.
Thank You,
Linda
reply by the author on 22-Apr-2022
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Having just read Show Don't Tell, Part III, I thought it might help to read Part I, and if that helps, go on to Part II. Eyes are open wide, ears are perked, nose lifted to the air...ready for Part II.
Thank You,
Linda
Comment Written 18-Apr-2022
reply by the author on 22-Apr-2022
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Much appreciated, once again. G
Comment from juliaSjames
I read and reviewed Part 2 first. The keyword I took away from both your posts is "balance". Like everything it can be taught. Some lucky writers are born with this gift. But even inborn skills can be honed.
For this reason, I like that you're including exercises in your posts.
Thanks again for sharing excellent advice.
Stay safe and blessed, Julia
reply by the author on 13-Apr-2022
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I read and reviewed Part 2 first. The keyword I took away from both your posts is "balance". Like everything it can be taught. Some lucky writers are born with this gift. But even inborn skills can be honed.
For this reason, I like that you're including exercises in your posts.
Thanks again for sharing excellent advice.
Stay safe and blessed, Julia
Comment Written 12-Apr-2022
reply by the author on 13-Apr-2022
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I think storytelling is a gift but writing isn't the same thing which I think a lot of folk forget. The technical side of writing is incredibly important, not so with the art of storytelling which is a more oral tradition.
Comment from Malcolm Rothery
Thank you, that was very inciteful. Just goes to show how difficult getting it right can be. Some people would accuse Chekov of using too many adjectives. I lust think he had a silly accent on Star Trek!
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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Thank you, that was very inciteful. Just goes to show how difficult getting it right can be. Some people would accuse Chekov of using too many adjectives. I lust think he had a silly accent on Star Trek!
Comment Written 12-Apr-2022
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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Yeah, and he missed season one, too. Many thanks. G
Comment from paige_a
Thank you for providing a well-written and easy to follow commentary on the importance of balance in writing. Show don't tell is, indeed, something all writers have heard at least once in their process. Reminding writers that there is such a thing as TOO much show is just as important.
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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Thank you for providing a well-written and easy to follow commentary on the importance of balance in writing. Show don't tell is, indeed, something all writers have heard at least once in their process. Reminding writers that there is such a thing as TOO much show is just as important.
Comment Written 10-Apr-2022
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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Many thanks. G
Comment from Bill Schott
As my eyes transformed the available sunlight, beaming into the room past the fault in the curtain's attempt to prevent such an intrusion to my ignorance, and the printed words of your essay, into a wrinkle in my brain, I noted that this sentence was getting longer than that night I had to walk home from the university parking lot in the snow.
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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As my eyes transformed the available sunlight, beaming into the room past the fault in the curtain's attempt to prevent such an intrusion to my ignorance, and the printed words of your essay, into a wrinkle in my brain, I noted that this sentence was getting longer than that night I had to walk home from the university parking lot in the snow.
Comment Written 10-Apr-2022
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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Very nice, Bill. lol G
Comment from K. Lang-Slattery
Thanks for this very good explanation of the why and how of showing rather than telling in our writing. I look forward to future segments. I especially like this bit of advise: "(but be careful of naming the senses - that veers away from showing to telling)." It was a great idea to use two exercises at the end to fully engage the reader who is a writer.
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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Thanks for this very good explanation of the why and how of showing rather than telling in our writing. I look forward to future segments. I especially like this bit of advise: "(but be careful of naming the senses - that veers away from showing to telling)." It was a great idea to use two exercises at the end to fully engage the reader who is a writer.
Comment Written 10-Apr-2022
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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A lot of folk think they're showing when they say heard, felt etc but it's the opposite that's true. All the best G
Comment from Pantygynt
Excellent advice of course and concentrating on sensory details and context clues is an excellent way to 'show'.
Many writers here seem to think dialogue is the best way. It is certainly the easiest but unless some sensory details are included it ends up in a vacuum like those awful 'dialogue only' contests.
A graphic artist carries a selection of brushes in his box and he will use them all to create different effects. We writers likewise have many ways of showing and the should all be used to create a truly interesting word picture.
More strength to your elbow with this series. I'm listening and I hope the rest are too.
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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Excellent advice of course and concentrating on sensory details and context clues is an excellent way to 'show'.
Many writers here seem to think dialogue is the best way. It is certainly the easiest but unless some sensory details are included it ends up in a vacuum like those awful 'dialogue only' contests.
A graphic artist carries a selection of brushes in his box and he will use them all to create different effects. We writers likewise have many ways of showing and the should all be used to create a truly interesting word picture.
More strength to your elbow with this series. I'm listening and I hope the rest are too.
Comment Written 10-Apr-2022
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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I love the analogy with the artist. It's really apt. many thanks, my friend. G
Comment from Begin Again
even treble that size. (triple)
Nice job of reminding us to pay attention to how we express the action in a story by making it jump off the page instead of remain tied to the words. Well done!
Smiles, Carol
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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even treble that size. (triple)
Nice job of reminding us to pay attention to how we express the action in a story by making it jump off the page instead of remain tied to the words. Well done!
Smiles, Carol
Comment Written 09-Apr-2022
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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Many thanks for your thoughts on this one, Carol. G
Comment from Pam (respa)
Thanks for sharing the image and essay, G. It was informative and interesting. Story writing isn't my strong suit, but I like to try it. I saw your contest about the same word having opposite meanings, and my thoughts took me to a story about a family whose names or interests could refer to different things. I got to the third character, the daughter, and she wasn't as easy to write about, and it ended up being narrative.
I don't want these to be long, but if you have a few minutes, maybe you could offer a suggestion or two. This girl is a teenager, and they can be complicated. I also don' want to get into too many other characters.
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Thanks for sharing the image and essay, G. It was informative and interesting. Story writing isn't my strong suit, but I like to try it. I saw your contest about the same word having opposite meanings, and my thoughts took me to a story about a family whose names or interests could refer to different things. I got to the third character, the daughter, and she wasn't as easy to write about, and it ended up being narrative.
I don't want these to be long, but if you have a few minutes, maybe you could offer a suggestion or two. This girl is a teenager, and they can be complicated. I also don' want to get into too many other characters.
Comment Written 09-Apr-2022
Comment from nor84
Great! And I almost never give out 6 stars. Fanstory writers need to learn this, if they can. And I hate pronoun characters. So many of the short, short stories that are posted have a nameless main character. He's just 'he' and She's just 'she'.
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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Great! And I almost never give out 6 stars. Fanstory writers need to learn this, if they can. And I hate pronoun characters. So many of the short, short stories that are posted have a nameless main character. He's just 'he' and She's just 'she'.
Comment Written 09-Apr-2022
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2022
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I hear you. I hate that... just give them a name. It's not difficult and it helps the reader identify. Really appreciate the six. I'm like you, I rarely have none left. G