She eagerly thumbed through it, looking for the beautiful paintings she remembered so well, only to discover the book had no illustrations.
What actually happened can emerge in realistic dialogue as the story progresses.
“What are you going to do about Bill? He feels terrible.” “Just because you’re in this hospital because you were nearly killed in that wreck when Bill was driving, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t forgive him.” Instead of telling, with clunky dialogue like this: Riveting dialogue breaks up narrative summary, differentiates characters (through dialect and word choice), and allows a story to emerge naturally, rather than your spelling out every detail. “Let me tell you another story,” he said. Showing: I barely touched my food, riveted by Tim. Telling: I had a great conversation with Tim over dinner and loved hearing his stories. Showing: She wore coveralls, carried a plunger and metal toolbox, and wrenches of various sizes hung from a leather belt. Telling: She was a plumber and asked where the bathroom was. Showing: Leaves crunched beneath his feet. Showing: Suzie felt for the bench with a white cane. Showing: Bill’s nose burned in the frigid air, and he squinted against the sun reflecting off the street.
Telling: The temperature fell and the ice reflected the sun. Showing: When she wrapped her arms around him, the sweet staleness of tobacco enveloped her, and he shivered. Telling: When they embraced, she could tell he had been smoking and was scared. What could be better than engaging your reader-giving him an active role in the story experience? Examples: Rather than having everything simply imparted to him, he sees it in his mind and comes to the conclusions you want. When you show rather than tell, you make the reader part of the experience. Another character might say, “Didn’t you sleep last night? You look shot.” Your character pulls her collar up, tightens her scarf, shoves her hands deep into her pockets, turns her face away from the biting wind.
When you show, you don’t have to tell.Ĭold? Don’t tell me show me. Rather than telling that your character is angry, show it by describing his face flushing, his throat tightening, his voice rising, his slamming a fist on the table. Or when posing for a photo, he has to bend his knees to keep his head in proximity with others. If your character is tall, your reader can deduce that because you mention others looking up when they talk with him. Showing paints a picture the reader can see in her mind’s eye. You might report that a character is “tall,” or “angry,” or “cold,” or “tired.” You’re supplying information by simply stating it. When you tell rather than show, you inform your reader of information rather than allowing him to deduce anything. The Difference Between Showing and Telling
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