Today, we're continuing our discussion of show-don't-tell so we can learn how to find the telling in our work and show those passages instead. (For information on what showing and telling are and why showing is typically preferred, see Part One of this series.) We've already learned that showing … [Read more...] about Writing 101: Showing vs. Telling, Part Two
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Writing 101: Showing vs. Telling
Show-Don't-Tell is one of the cardinal rules for authors who want to engage readers and pull them into the story. But it's one of the most challenging to understand and apply in our stories. So let's break down the difference between the two and why one is usually better than the other. What's … [Read more...] about Writing 101: Showing vs. Telling
Flashbacks vs. Dual Timeline: What’s the Difference?
For strong storytelling, we need to focus on what’s important and relevant to current story events. That means we shouldn’t info-dump a bunch of irrelevant backstory just because it’s interesting or it’s something we enjoyed developing about our character, as we instead need to keep this story … [Read more...] about Flashbacks vs. Dual Timeline: What’s the Difference?
7 Ways to Find Telling in Your Writing
I’ve been obsessed with the concept of Show, don’t Tell for years. I could geek out about it all day long, and don’t get me started if I find a book that drags me into its pages with Showing details and makes me skip meals, sleep, and time with my family to find out what happens at the … [Read more...] about 7 Ways to Find Telling in Your Writing
Scenes vs. Sequels: What’s a Good Balance?
We use the terms scene and sequel for so many definitions when it comes to writing that it can be difficult (not to mention confusing) to discuss Dwight Swain’s ideas of “scenes and sequels” (from his Techniques of the Selling Writer). But if we understand his insights, we can take a deeper look at … [Read more...] about Scenes vs. Sequels: What’s a Good Balance?
Expressing Cardinal Emotions: Masculine vs. Feminine
We thought since we've profiled 130 different emotions and their physical and mental cues in The Emotion Thesaurus, we'd take a look at some of the Cardinal Emotions, and some generalized differences you may see between how males and females (or those who identify with one of these genders) may … [Read more...] about Expressing Cardinal Emotions: Masculine vs. Feminine
5 Ways Trauma Makes Your Character an Unreliable Narrator
Trauma is defined as anything that’s overwhelming or unpleasant that causes long-term mental or emotional problems. It rewires the brain and causes disordered thinking. So, if you’re looking for a way to SHOW a character’s trauma background, the WHY behind poor choices, and irrational behaviour, use … [Read more...] about 5 Ways Trauma Makes Your Character an Unreliable Narrator
Writing 101: Dialogue Mechanics
Strong dialogue isn’t just about the words being said—it’s also about how those words are presented on the page. If you’re newer to writing, there’s a lot to learn about storytelling—from big-picture techniques like show-don’t-tell to the more foundational aspects surrounding punctuation and … [Read more...] about Writing 101: Dialogue Mechanics
After the First Draft: Revising Your Plot
Ok, writers. Raise your hand if you love revising. *crickets* Revision freaks a lot of people out because it can be overwhelming. When you start drafting, you’ve got this really clear image of what the story should be, and by the time you type “The End,” it’s hardly recognizable. It’s a mess, … [Read more...] about After the First Draft: Revising Your Plot
“No, Don’t Tell Me”: How & When Should We Use Foreshadowing?
Foreshadowing is a literary technique we can use in our stories that gives a preview or hint of events that will happen later. While many might think of foreshadowing for mysteries, this literary device can be used in any genre. In fact, most stories need foreshadowing of some … [Read more...] about “No, Don’t Tell Me”: How & When Should We Use Foreshadowing?
Point of View: Is Deeper Always Better?
Until relatively recently, most stories were written with an omniscient point of view (POV), which follows the story and characters from an all-knowing distance. But over the past several decades, storytelling techniques have trended to a closer POV, focusing on one character and their experience at … [Read more...] about Point of View: Is Deeper Always Better?
Show-Don’t-Tell Help
Show-Don't-Tell is one of the most common pieces of advice...so common that many writers get sick of hearing about it: Yeah, yeah, show, don't tell. I got it, I got it. (But if it was easy to 'get' then editors, agents, and critique partners probably wouldn't red pen those three words so often, … [Read more...] about Show-Don’t-Tell Help