Quick Link: The Basics of Show Don’t Tell

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Quick links, bringing you great articles on writing from all over the web.

I know, I know. We share a lot of “show don’t tell” posts. But in my defence, I think it is one of those subjects that seems easy until you try and do it and this is a really great post by  at Pub Crawl. She has some excellent examples.

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The Basics of Show Don’t Tell

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Hi all; Julie here! Today’s post goes back to basics with a discussion of Show Don’t Tell. (For other approaches to this rule, you can read JJ’s piece on balancing the mix of showing and telling, Pub Crawl alum Susan Dennard’s post on using showing and telling on macro and micro levels, and Kat’s approach to when to show and when to tell.) There are few rules of craft that can be applied to a draft that will lift the level of the writing with the same effect as this simple rule. With every first draft I write, I find I fall into the lazy habit of telling, and with each revision, I look for places I can show more. Some basic rules are basics for good reason. 🙂
Let’s start with the real nitty-gritty. What does it mean to “show” or “tell” in your writing?One simple way of thinking about it is this:

  • Writing that “shows” creates a mental image and lets the reader draw conclusions about what’s happening.
  • Writing that “tells” explains what’s happening and provides the writer’s own conclusions.

For example:

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If you liked this article, please share. If you have suggestions for further articles, articles you would like to submit, or just general comments, please contact me at paula@publetariat.com or leave a message below.

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