The Write Life for You Series Presents... Showing vs. Telling

Becoming a Lifelong Learner of the Craft of WritingBy author, editor, educator Shon Bacon aka ChickLitGurrl™

The Write Life for You is a series of articles on the writing craft. Past articles have focused on building character, developing a solid plot, and harnessing a writing style. This month, I look at SHOWING VS. TELLING IN STORIES.

Here's an excerpt:



Showing vs. Telling

This month, I’m talking about camping vs. marching. Before I pursued my MFA degree, I knew nothing about this “concept”.

Last month, I talked about camping vs. marching. At first glance, showing vs. telling seems like the same concept, but there is a difference. Both concepts examine how much a writer writes in a story; however, camping vs. marching tends to look at the development of scenes and their connection to the story’s purpose while showing vs. telling looks at the visualization of the things the writer writes in a story.

For example, if a writer has a scene that lulls and doesn’t connect to the story’s purpose, then the writer should cut and march through the scene, develop the scene so that it connects to the story’s purpose, or delete it altogether. This is camping vs. marching.

For example, if a writer summarizes action or tells the reader that a character is happy or sad, then the writer should revise the material to show the reader a character’s emotion or show the reader the action as it’s happening. This is showing vs. telling.

Want to learn MORE about showing vs. telling?

Then head to APOOOBOOKS.COM to read my latest article in The Write Life for You series!

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