by Katrina Murphy

Created on: February 04, 2009

When you seek tips for writing good fiction, you will find a variety of rules and regulations; often, such rules will clash and oppose one another. However, one rule will repeatedly appear without opposition- "Show, don't tell". This is great advice, so what does it mean? To understand the concept of "Show, don't tell", one must explore the excitement of reading fiction and compare examples of Show versus Tell.

Ask yourself what makes fiction enjoyable. To many, fiction provides a temporary escape by putting the reader into another world. This other world might be another planet or simply a window into the life of another person. Whatever the setting, the reader wants to experience this other world to fullest extent. The best fiction books are those that plant the reader into the action and allow them to empathize with characters and their struggles. Readers want to experience the setting, characters and action through every sense. To provide this as a fiction writer, thorough description is essential by the act of Showing rather than Telling.

Setting

The amount of description given to a setting depends on its relevance to the story, but you want your readers to see and feel the surrounding environment. To provide examples of this, let us assume the heroine of your story, Jane, is walking through the woods and she is frightened.

*Telling the scenario:

Jane walked through the woods. It was nighttime and she was frightened.

*Showing the scenario:

Jane's pace quickened as she looked into the inky darkness. Silhouettes of crooked trees loomed over her and she imagined the branches plucking her from the path, swallowing her in the depths of the forest. The breeze enveloped her in a warm aroma of pine and dried leaves, though a nearby crackle sent goose bumps over her bare arms. She hoped the sounds were only from wind or small woodland creatures, not the man whose home she had escaped.

Description of sight, sound, scent and events provide a fuller experience for the reader. However, be cautious of using too much description in setting, as it is sometimes irrelevant to the story. Ask yourself if the descriptors further the progression of the story or if it is just added fluff. If your character has an argument in a room with her spouse, it is probably irrelevant that the walls are pinstriped blue and white (unless they are arguing over the wall color).

Character Traits

"Show, don't tell" is equally important for describing the personality traits and quirks of your characters.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>