Writers Helping Writers^®

Show Don’t Tell

5 Techniques for Adding Subtext to your Story

June 14, 2012

5 Techniques for Adding Subtext to your Story

June 14, 2012

By Ollin Morales About 90% of the time, we human beings don’t say what we mean to say. Instead, we speak in subtext. The beauty of subtext is that it makes…

How to Write Unforgettable Settings: the Right Location

January 4, 2011

How to Write Unforgettable Settings: the Right Location

January 4, 2011

As writers, we often underestimate the power of setting. Who didn’t want to visit the Hundred-Acre Wood? How much of our Bilbo-love is wrapped up in Hobbiton, my precious? And…

The Writer’s Bane: Describing a Character’s Physical Appearance

April 26, 2010

The Writer’s Bane: Describing a Character’s Physical Appearance

April 26, 2010

I’m going to be totally honest here. There is little I detest more than trying to describe how my character looks. The reasons are numerous. I think it sounds boring.…

Setting Description…Writing More Than What You See

March 22, 2010

Setting Description…Writing More Than What You See

March 22, 2010

Today’s Question: What is the best way to describe a place in a really special way, without sounding too visual? I like this question, because it’s what the Setting Thesaurus…

Writing 101: How to Show, Not Tell (Part Two)

August 8, 2008

Writing 101: How to Show, Not Tell (Part Two)

August 8, 2008

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…

Writing 101: How to Show, Not Tell (Part One)

May 18, 2008

Writing 101: How to Show, Not Tell (Part One)

May 18, 2008

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…