The lesson thread is linked in the external link.
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What is show, don't tell? What does that even mean?
If someone tells you, "show, don't tell," they're basically telling that you need more details. Showing draws the reader into the story, convincing them of the world you're creating, while telling just tells them to believe what is told. Showing is obviously the sign of better writing. But, telling can be necessary sometimes. (More on that later).
Here is an example of going from telling to showing:
Telling ~
He sat on the couch with a guitar.
Showing ~
Slumped on the couch, he cradled the guitar in a lover's embrace, his calloused fingers brushing the strings.
Not only is this a longer, smoother sentence, this sentence also gives us some clues about this character. "A lover's embrace" indicates he loves the guitar and "calloused fingers" indicate he's been playing for a really long time.
Before I continue with some tips on how to show, what are your ideas? What do you think makes a good "show" sentence? -- Post your answers to this question below, THEN keep reading.
A few things to take note of:
1. You need to reach a happy medium, using enough showing and telling to clearly convey your message.
2. If the whole book is showing, then it's going to get rather boring. So how does one still show but not bore their readers while doing so?
3. How exactly does one show?
How do you "show?"
Some quick tips to showing, not telling:
1. Use sensory language.Sensory language, like the name suggests, uses all five of your senses to transport the reader to the scene. An exercise to practice sensory language: close your eyes and walk around a familiar room. Use your OTHER senses to maneuver, then describe your walk. We rely far too much on sight when our other senses are equally as important.
2. Be descriptive! Use adjectives and adverbs (though use the latter sparingly). Strong adjectives, verbs, and adverbs can be really effective as well. This is basically the core of showing.
3. Use figurative language. Figurative language is language that does not directly inform the reader... Hmm, what does directly informing the reader sound like? (Hint: the answer is telling!) Figurative language is the foundation of good showing. I'm sure you've all heard about metaphors and similes. They're not just for poems or cheesy soliloquies. You can insert them into your story to make your writing more sophisticated, complex, and descriptive.
4. Be specific. Vague details really don't transport the reader to the scene; that's why adjectives like "small" and nouns like "child" won't cut it in a good show sentence. You need to get as specific as possible -- substitute "toddler" for "child" and describe how small this toddler is.
How does a writer show, not tell, but still make the story interesting to read? Hint: consider Harry Potter.
Another point to discuss: when is it OK to tell, not show? Is it okay? ~ Post your answers to the questions THEN keep reading.
Those of you who want some show, not tell practice, turn these tell sentences into show sentences/paragraphs. Post them here and I will comment on them. I encourage you to comment on your fellow students' sentences too! This class is all about working together to improve as a whole.
