As new authors embark on their writing journey, mistakes are often made in the craft of writing. While common to all of our efforts, one error pops up frequently in the beginning. Telling, in certain instances, makes for vague, uninteresting writing and fails to engage the reader.
What I’m discussing today is Showing vs Telling in our writing. There are natural points when telling is appropriate such as when we need to summarize or add exposition to our story. In other cases, telling should not be done when conveying emotion or when action is needed. Instead, this is where showing shines the brightest. Failing to spot the difference may trip us up, but it can be overcome with hard work.
Let me illustrate with some examples:
Telling - Skye was angry.
Showing - Nostrils flaring, Skye slammed her cup on the counter.
The telling above is too vague, but the showing helps us to identify more with the feeling.
Telling - Ivan ran to the store.
Showing - Frantically glancing at his watch, Ivan rushed to the florist.
The telling above is boring, but the showing adds more detail. The reader would then hopefully keep reading to discover if he made it.
Telling - The sunny day caused me to smile.
Showing - I grinned as the sunlight bathed my face, reminding me of a childhood spent under its rays.
Used rightly, showing draws readers in with vivid detail. Creating awareness of this skill will greatly improve our ability as writers. It isn’t easily obtained so we must work hard at it. Let’s not give up and we’ll find it worthwhile in the end.
Press on!
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