tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2273801961681111400.post2090329861990583414..comments2023-07-15T02:37:26.626-06:00Comments on Esther Jones: I Just Live Here: Show and TellEsther Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07688983385593428361noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2273801961681111400.post-37712299388838632862012-06-30T21:19:02.316-06:002012-06-30T21:19:02.316-06:00Whoa, that comment was longer than I thought... :O...Whoa, that comment was longer than I thought... :OSFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126306619182458823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2273801961681111400.post-52699934253424063542012-06-30T21:18:41.110-06:002012-06-30T21:18:41.110-06:00At some point, this comes down to your own persona...At some point, this comes down to your own personal style. But I definitely think the "show don't tell" writer-wisdom is worth pondering and practicing. If you're no longer taking ten pages to describe the minutiae of your setting, that's a first step. Then, using active, colorful verbs and weaving in description instead of throwing it out in chunks becomes another goal. But that's already getting into my personal preferences. (I also have a problem with under-description. If I remember correctly, you do as well, right? I think part of that issue--for me, at least--stems from my hatred of "telling" sentences and my occasional lack of ideas about how to "show" description instead.) <br /><br />I think "showing and not telling" characters' emotions is just as important as doing so with setting. I also personally find this easier than "showing" setting. You just kind of put yourself in the character's shoes and observe how your body and your voice and your train of thought and your facial expression adapt to those emotions. <br /><br />Also--might as well mention it--in case you're looking for more blog-flash-fiction to read, <a href="http://thefeatherandtherose.blogspot.com/2012/06/in-which-susan-refuses-to-move-plot.html" rel="nofollow">Part IV of our "Blog-Epic"</a> is up! I wrote it pretty fast, so I'm not sure if I lived up to "show don't tell" rule. ;) <a href="http://thefeatherandtherose.blogspot.com/2012/06/summer-blog-epic-part-ii.html" rel="nofollow">Part II</a> was probably better on that count...SFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05126306619182458823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2273801961681111400.post-77211043463419620902012-06-28T10:33:09.231-06:002012-06-28T10:33:09.231-06:00Don't worry about it, no one actually knows wh...Don't worry about it, no one actually knows what "telling" and "showing" mean. "His head ached" and "His head throbbed like a bass drum" both say the same thing--that his head hurt--just the latter does it fancier.<br /><br />Then you get all those geniuses who say you should "show" through dialog. That makes no logical sense as dialog is obviously telling. I mean "tell" is another word for the action of speaking so really people, come on.PT Dillowayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09394481476862013009noreply@blogger.com