How to Show, Not Tell
Telling is informing like a director who says “cut” and directs the actor to look more upset, or to interject sad music. Novelists don’t have those visual clues at their disposal. Novelists must write them into a character’s action or reaction. Telling takes away from allowing the reader to SEE what’s going on . Showing allows readers to deduce the character’s emotions.
Get Rid of All Basic Sensory Words (I heard/saw/smelled etc) (Read through your writing and circle every telling word you can find)(Look for alternatives e.g. how did she react instead of how she felt)
Don’t Use Emotion Explaining Words (She was angry. She felt weak/terrified)
Describe Body Language (Did he step back in fear/or tremble)
Use Strong Verbs (Did she walk versus prance/storm out/stomp?
Focus on Describing Senses (Instead of she hated going to that bar. Perhaps, use the strong smell of tobacco assaulted her nostrils making her want to vomit)
Use Dialogue (Instead of saying I’m so angry. Use “how could the bastard leave me and the children?” “Where’s Julia when I really need her.” “It’s the way it is in this town.”
Focus on Actions/Reactions (Instead of she’s evil, use she kicked the dog/slapped the child/screamed at the beggar)
Examples of showing not telling will follow with tomorrow’s post. If you like what you’re reading. Please follow me.