Twin Moment

Writers. Twins. Biologically unrelated. Laughing at
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Showing Instead of Telling

Written and posted by Maggie at 7:34 PM
Just a quick post about something I've been turning over in my mind lately.

You all have heard it before: SHOW, don't TELL. And you all know how true that remains to this day. I especially have always been aware of it in other people's writing, pointing out where more should be shown, not told.

Then I found out it was a problem in my own writing.

I think one of the easiest places to overlook it (at least for me) is in relationships and emotions. When you say "she's her best friend", it does not have the same effect on the reader if you're not SHOWING the best friendship. If you say "he was angry" it definitely won't be as obvious as if you had your character throw something across the room.

It's easy to slip into tell mode because we're TELLING stories. You might tell a hundred things that could've been shown.

So for you: what are some things you struggle with remembering to SHOW rather than TELL?

Hope you're enjoying your Saturday as much as I have. I got out in the sunshine today and soaked it up. Vitamin D must make you happy, because I'm happy. Or maybe it's still my new story idea. *squeal*

Best Part of Today: Absorbing the sunshine.
Currently Craving: Frozen yogurt.
Music Pick: "Pony (It's OK)" by Erin McCarley
I'm Reading: "Graceling" by Kristin Gashore (love!)
WATM: Plotting and preparing Blink


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3 epic comments:

Constance
July 24, 2011 at 9:11 AM

First, I love that song. TM. :)

Second, this is wonderful. And thinking about your examples, showing really is better.
Sometimes I feel like a want to make a giant list of things that I should remember to do while writing. This would go on such a list, for sure. :)

 
André
July 25, 2011 at 7:35 AM

I actually tend not to think about it too much, because it's something that's easy to fix in the second draft, for me. When I'm writing a first draft I just need to get the story down, so "She was angry" works just fine. When I go back and edit, I can talk about how her nostrils flared and smoke billowed out her ears.

But I do think I tend to show stuff automatically, now, even though I don't think about it...I don't know. I'm probably good and showing some things while just telling about others without even realizing it. XD

 
Amanda the Aspiring
August 1, 2011 at 10:14 PM

Showing vs. telling used to be a problem for me, b/c in fixing my telling, I was only doing a slightly less obvious version of telling that was kinda showing but not really. Now I go all the way! It really helps me to just remember to put myself there, what am I feeling, what am I smelling, tasting, hearing? Seeing is the easiest, so I usually leave that for the last sensory detail to really think on--the story is more real for me if I have more senses involved, and sight will always be there. =)

 

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