Why do readers read books? Readers want to get involved in a story. They want to experience emotion through the lives and adventures of fictional characters. They want to get swept up in other people’s dramas. And to immerse ourselves in the experiences of those characters, we need to feel them as the characters themselves feel them – which is real time, minute by minute.

Show and Don’t Tell Telling Is factual. Is brief. Is an efficient way to communicate data. Prefers to avoid detail, and is happy to convey broad overarching messages. (“It was cold.”) Is not necessarily human-centred, and as a result . . . Does not, in general, stir the heart. Showing Is human-centred (usually, though sometimes only by implication). Is a slower, richer, more expansive way to communicate. Is not efficient – quite the reverse! Loves detail Tends to place the human subject right at the centre of things, and as a consequence . . Can often stir the heart.

Dramatise! “Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” ― Anton Chekhov Another way of thinking about showing is that you are dramatizing. Dramatise, Dramatise, Dramatise! How can we do this: 1 | Write your scenes so that they take place in real time. Use description, action, and/or dialogue to put your reader in the story, but be careful to give just enough detail to trigger their imagination. Avoid telling your readers about your characters’ emotions. Instead, show what they feel. And be careful not to repeat what’s already shown in dialogue and action. If done well, the reader will get the point without reiteration.

The Difference Between Showing vs. Telling When you tell rather than show, you simply inform your reader of information rather than allowing him to deduce anything. You’re supplying information by simply stating it. You might report that a character is “tall,” or “angry,” or “cold,” or “tired.” That’s telling. Showing would paint a picture the reader could see in her mind’s eye. If your character is tall, your reader can deduce that because you mention others looking up when they talk with him. Or he has to duck to get through a door. Or when posing for a photo, he has to bend his knees to keep his head in proximity of others. 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. When you show, you don’t have to tell. Cold? Don’t tell me; show me. Your character pulls her collar up, tightens her scarf, shoves her hands deep into her pockets, turns her face away from the biting wind. Tired? He can yawn, groan, stretch. His eyes can look puffy. His shoulders could slump. Another character might say, “Didn’t you sleep last night? You look shot.” When you show rather than tell, you make the reader part of the experience. Rather than having everything simply imparted to him, he sees it in his mind and comes to the conclusions you want. What could be better than engaging your reader—giving him an active role in the storytelling—or should I say the story-showing?

Show and Don’t tell: get us in the scene Telling: Suzie was blind. Showing: Suzie felt for the bench with a white cane.   Telling: It was late fall. Showing: Leaves crunched beneath his feet. Exercise: Develop these from telling to Showing Johnny was a good musician Sally was happy. He was angry. It was hot. Agnes was impatient

Telling Three days later… There is a place for telling To move plot on quickly – to get to the drama without boring the reader A year went by…