Show, Don’t Tell

Question 1

How do you spot red flags for telling?

Answer 1

1. Conclusions - to show, provide enough ‘evidence’ so they can come to the conclusion themselves
2. Abstract language - vague language is telling. Can you visualise what’s happening? Can you film it?
3. Summaries - people want specific details. Try act out what the character is doing if unsure.
4. Backstory - reporting things that happened in the past is telling. A good indicator is the use of ‘had’
5. Adverbs - replace weak verb/adverb combinations with a stronger verb
6. Adjectives - adjectives can be telling if they are weak/abstract/vague
7. Linking verbs - weak, static verbs that don’t show us action. E.g. was/were, is/are, felt, appeared, seemed, looked
8. Emotion words - instead of naming emotions uses actions, visceral reaction, body language to show the feeling
9. Filters - verbs that describe the character perceiving or thinking something E.g. smelled, heard, felt, watched, noticed, realised, wondered. Readers are forced to watch the character from outside their head

Question 2

How do you describe emotion?

Answer 2

1. Physical, visceral response
2. Body language & actions
3. Facial expressions
4. Dialogue
5. Internal monologue
6. Setting description
7. The five senses
8. Figurative language

Question 3

When is telling the better choice?

Answer 3

1. Unimportant details - showing signals what’s you’re writing about is important
2. Transitions - use telling to summarise a span of time or distance and debrief what happened in between scenes
3. Repeated information
4. Repeated events
5. Pacing - showing too much slows down the pace. Whenever it would disrupt the forward momentum, tell instead
6. Context - telling can sum up slow development or set up a routine that is interrupted by something out the ordinary
7. Suspense - telling can create suspense by arousing an expectation in readers
8. First drafts - don’t get it right, just get it written

Question 4

How do you turn telling into showing?

Answer 4

1. Use the five senses - describe what they can see, hear, smell, taste, sense
2. Use strong, dynamic verbs - avoid weak and static verbs E.g. to be, there was/were, to have, started to, began to. Weaker verbs are fine if action isn’t important
3. Use concrete nouns - be specific to create the image you want in reader’s minds. The best descriptions reveal something about their personality too
4. Break activities into smaller parts - break generic activities into smaller parts if it reveals character or moves plot forward
5. Use figurative language - a simile compares two things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. A metaphor compares two things more directly.
6. Write in real time - let action unfold in real time, instead of summing up what happened
7. Use dialogue - show action in real time through writing dialogue
8. Use internal monologue - showing what the character is thinking can reveal emotions without naming them
9. Focus on actions & reactions - actions speak louder than words. Let them see how the character acts and reacts to story events
10. Describe what the character would notice - given their background, personality and situation

Question 5

How do you reveal backstory?

Answer 5

1. Don’t be afraid of unanswered questions
2. Anchor readers in the present first
3. Don’t dump large blocks of backstory
4. Reveal only the bits that are important to the present
5. Use the iceberg principle
6. Turn backstory into story by bringing the past into the present
7. Reveal backstory through dialogue with characters who don’t know
8. Add conflict