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IWW
Practice-W Exercise Archives
Exercise: Show and tell (v.2)
These exercises were written
by IWW members
and administrators to provide structured practice opportunities for its
members.
You are welcome to use them for practice as well. Please mention that
you found
them at the Internet Writers Workshop
(http://www.internetwritingwor
kshop.org/).
Prepared by: Rhéal Nadeau
Posted on: Sun, 23 Sep 2001
Reposted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2002
Reposted on: Sun, 5 Mar 2006
Reposted, revised, on Sun, 18 May 2008
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Exercise: First, write a short "telling" statement about something--a
character's mood, perhaps, or an action. Then, in 300 words or less,
write a passage "showing" us that mood or action.
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"Show, don't tell" is a basic writing "rule." Usually, it's more
effective to show something (an emotion, an action), through actions or
direct observations than simply to tell the reader what's going on.
Showing allows the reader to experience the scene first-hand.
There are exceptions, of course. A piece of information may not be
important enough to warrant any extra effort on the writer's or
reader's part. Or telling can be used to de-emphasize information--in
some mysteries, for example, the author wants to play fair and provide
clues to the identity of the malefactor, but wants to slide it by the
reader's attention.
In most cases, however, showing is better than telling, though often
harder. This week's exercise is intended to explore the difference
between showing and telling.
For example, a "telling" statement might read this way: "John was
afraid, knowing the enemy was closing in on him." Write one like that,
and then begin your 300-word "showing" passage. It might include things
like these: How did John know the enemy was coming? How did his fear
manifest itself, externally or internally? How does he look, what does
he do, where does he move? Does he hear sounds? Did someone send him a
warning, or is he just being paranoid? Is he crouched under bushes in
the forest, knowing a band of men with guns is looking for him, or is
he sitting in an office, waiting for lawyers to come through the door
with papers?
This does not have to be an action scene, of course--a routine event,
or something more abstract, can also be shown rather than told.
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Exercise: First, write a short "telling" statement about something--a
character's mood, perhaps, or an action. Then, in 300 words or less,
write a passage "showing" us that mood or action.
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When critiquing, point out how effectively the writer has shown the
desired information, and indicate how the passage might be improved.
Note cases of "tell" that should have been "show."
Web site created by
Rhéal Nadeau and
the administrators of the Internet Writing Workshop.
Modified by Gayle Surrette.
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