Comments on: The Art of Story: When Telling Trumps Showing

By: Telling vs. Showing When Emotions Are at Work - Kobo Writing Life

Telling vs. Showing When Emotions Are at Work - Kobo Writing Life — Tue, 05 Feb 2019 16:41:17 +0000

[…] Telling works well when non-emotionally-charged information needs to be conveyed, like writing Jim drove to the library or that Sally booked her flight to Miami. Readers don’t need to see the mechanics of Jim’s drive any more than they need the play-by-play of Sally finding the best flight and hotel package for a weekend getaway. No, readers just want to get to the library scene where mild-mannered Jim touches a book laced with a hallucinogenic and becomes agitated and violent, or read about Sally’s romantic tryst in Miami . . . with her husband’s boss. […]

By: Social Media Monday show vs. tell | Eclectic Bard Books

Social Media Monday show vs. tell | Eclectic Bard Books — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 06:18:20 +0000

[…] https://writershelpingwriters.net/2015/02/art-story-telling-trumps-showing/ […]

By: ANGELA ACKERMAN

ANGELA ACKERMAN — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 18:07:46 +0000

In reply to Lisa Turner.

That’s great Lisa–I hope you find it helpful when your brain needs a nudge. 🙂 Thanks for taking it for a test drive!

By: Kim Headlee

Kim Headlee — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 16:11:37 +0000

These are excellent reminders about finding and maintaining the proper balance while creating descriptive passages in a narrative, but IMO it misses the point about what “showing” and “telling” really are. Consider the following example:

“Who is there?” she stammered nervously.

versus

“Wh-who is t-there?” She gripped the door’s handle with whitening knuckles as she inched up toward the peephole.

The first “tells” the reader that the speaker is nervous, and stammering, but not much more. The second shows the stammer in dialogue, and reveals just how nervous (and yet brave, and perhaps short of stature) she is.

Food for thought. 🙂

By: Lisa Turner

Lisa Turner — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 02:20:43 +0000

In reply to ANGELA ACKERMAN. Thanks so much Angela, you are very generous with your knowledge. By the way, I recently bought The Emotion Thesaurus and loving it.

By: ANGELA ACKERMAN

ANGELA ACKERMAN — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 01:02:47 +0000

In reply to Kai Strand. Yes, that time to breathe is important. Novels that move at a breakneck speed all the way through shortchange readers and keep them from really getting to know the characters on a deeper level...if they can even make it through to the end.

By: ANGELA ACKERMAN

ANGELA ACKERMAN — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 01:00:33 +0000

In reply to Carleen M. Tjader. Glad it helps Carleen!

By: ANGELA ACKERMAN

ANGELA ACKERMAN — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 01:00:14 +0000

In reply to Traci Kenworth. Exactly! If we kill the pacing, readers skim or shut the book, so we have to get this right. :)

By: ANGELA ACKERMAN

ANGELA ACKERMAN — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 00:59:33 +0000

In reply to :Donna Marie. Whoo-hoo! LOL, thanks Donna! As long as I hit the biggies, I'm happy!

By: ANGELA ACKERMAN

ANGELA ACKERMAN — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 00:58:46 +0000

In reply to Jenny. Aw thanks Jenny! Glad this came at the right time! :)

By: ANGELA ACKERMAN

ANGELA ACKERMAN — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 00:58:21 +0000

In reply to Peaches Ledwidge. Thanks so much!

By: ANGELA ACKERMAN

ANGELA ACKERMAN — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 00:58:08 +0000

In reply to Manju Howard (@ManjuBeth). Glad this helps Manju!