Show, Don't Tell

April 13, 2010

By Vonda Skelton

Posted in: Writing Instruction | Kudos

Show, Don't Tell

Show, don't tell. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You've heard it a thousand times. But it IS the writer's mantra. And it should be.

Instead of telling readers what is happening, we want them to view the scenes as a movie in their minds.

Imagine that you're writing a scene where an old woman with a soothing voice enters the room. As a writer, you can simply tell us, "An old woman toddled into the room. Her voice calmed my nerves."

That's telling. It's lazy writing. And it will get you nowhere with a publisher or an agent.

In her book, Home Another Way, author Christa Parrish gives us an excellent example of "showing" when she describes the old woman who had just entered the room.            

     She looked older than her one hundred years, if that was possible. Her skin, the color of cinnamon sticks, hung loosely over her skull, as if she borrowed it from someone much larger, or bought it off a clearance rack. Age spots clung to her cheeks like leeches. Filmy, sightless eyes peered out from between rheum-caked eyelids, and her earlobes hung nearly to her chin.

     But her voice was a lullaby of fireflies and snickerdoodles. My tense muscles    relaxed under her words.

Oh. My. Goodness. The beauty of that passage brings tears to my eyes. Is that an excellent example of showing or what? Can you see that woman? Can you hear her voice?

That, dear readers, is our goal. To write words that give birth to the emotion, the visual, the creative synapses of our minds. Or simply put, our goal is to write in a way that readers don't have to figure out what "old" looks like. After all, to a kindergartener, I'm old. But to a 90-year-old, I'm a young whippersnapper!

So show, don't tell. And in the showing, you may find an audience hungry for your words...and wiping away a tear at their beauty.

(Danger photo courtesy of FreeImages.co.uk)

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It's Kudos Week!

Congratulations to the following Christian Writer's Den readers. You're doing what it takes...and it shows. So, let's celebrate!

1.     Megan Vance's (PA) article, "What the Little Children Teach Me," was recently published in the online ezine called 4Him2u.  

2.     Nan Jones (NC) has TWO praises to share. First of all, she began a daily devotional blog, Morning Glory, that not only encourages but also helps to establish believers in their faith. She hopes to give them little nuggets of gold from God's Word. And secondly, Nan is looking forward to her first speaking engagement! She will be speaking to a Bible Study group of ladies at Clover Baptist Church in Granite Falls, NC on April 20th. 

3.     Cindy Shufflebarger (VA) Cindy's book, Dancing in the Rain...Finding Joy in the Midst of the Storm, will be released soon! She also will have a piece in the James Bell series, Extraordinary Answers to Prayer series, in Book 5 - Refreshed in the Spirit. PHOTO

4.     Marsha Fisher (NC) has just signed a contract as one of the authors for Love Is a Flame (which she says she found out about on this site!). She also says,  "I truly believe my attendance at last year's Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer's Conference had everything to do with it!"

5.     Ginny Brandt (SC) is ANOTHER Christian Writer's Den reader who will be included in the Love is a Flame anthology! And, as we recently announced, her new book about her dad, Harry S. Dent, will be coming out in July.

6.     Colleen Luntzel (NC) recently had an interview posted on Murray Newlands-Marketing Blog. And if you're one who loves decorating and designing, you won't want to miss Colleen's blog, DesigningDNA. 

7.     Cherene Comick (PA) has started a new ministry and website for ministry wives in crisis. Hope for the Hurting will comfort women whose marriages have been marred or ended by their husbands in ministry.

Congratulations to all these writers!

Be sure to check back next week for a list of writing opportunities. And who knows--maybe soon we'll be celebrating with YOU!

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Do You Have Children Interested in Writing?

If so, be sure to take them to DevoKids, where I have an instructional piece, How to Write a Fictional Character. The article is targeted to kids, but it's good reading for adult writers, too! 

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And as we go into another week, let's remember God's command to show AND tell. Tell them the truth and show them the way.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda