Showing vs Telling

[K2]

SHOWING vs. TELLING

what IT is and how to master IT

WHAT IT IS
o Showing, versus telling. Two different types of writing. Telling is more commonly used, showing is normally better writing, but there are times when telling is necessary to provide a quick image. What are they?o SHOWING: Writing something that in real life you could put a microphone or a microscope too, something that actually happens. TELLING: Exactly the opposite, stating something that you can not put a microphone or a microscope to.

SIMPLE EXAMPLES

oTELLING ::

QUOTE David was very tired. He longed for the warmth of his bed. He couldn't wait for class to be over. oSHOWING :: QUOTE David leaned back in his chair and yawned. His eyes half closed and turned to the clock, his foot tapped gently on the floor along with the clock's second hand. He put his hand in his chin and stiffled another yawn. MASTERING IT o To master showing and telling you have to know how to check for it. When reading over a piece (or writing one) find each line and say to yourself, "Dear self, can I put a microscope or a microphone to this?" (Yes, you must include the 'dear' or you might offend yourself  ) If yes, then it's showing, if no then it's telling. o But you know this already. The thing to know is when to use showing and when to use telling. Well, you want to use showing as much as you can, even the majority of whatever you are writing should be showing. It makes for a much more detailed piece, for example: [/color] QUOTE "Phillip was sad" is much shorter and less detailed than: QUOTE "Tears trickled down Phillip's face and he hung his head, hands on his red eyes." . This isn't to say that telling should never be used. In fact, telling, well placed and well written can assist your piece a lot, but it shouldn't be your entire story. Something like the following is a good example of the placement of telling. o QUOTE "Phillip hung his head, hands gripping his nose, right underneath his red and tear-stricken eyes. His body was limp, except for his tensed up shoulders which had crept up, and he was leaning back in his chair as he cried steadily. His mother was dead." o The telling is bolded. Telling is also good for conveying things, like for example that Phillip's mother was dead, which showing would probably not be able to convey. So while showing is great writing, telling is also necessary in order to make a good piece. Tada! LITTLE GAME o Get what it is? Good. If you want some practice look below and try to figure out which ones are telling and which ones are showing. Remember, showing = microscope or microphone. Telling = narrator. oEXAMPLE .oo1 QUOTE David's mind was filled with memories of his dead grandfather. oEXAMPLE .oo2 QUOTE Ella was so hungry she could eat three camels. oEXAMPLE .oo3 QUOTE A tear trickled down Billy's cheek, and he quietly wiped it away with his sleeve. oEXAMPLE .oo4 QUOTE Tony began to think about the fun two days he and his mother had shared in the sun at Disney Land a week ago. oEXAMPLE .oo5 QUOTE Nini grinned at the boy in front of her and shook  her long blonde hair behind her back. o Hopefully that was pretty easy! Thanks! The answers: TELLING: 1, 2 and 4 [][] SHOWING: 3 and 5 This documentation made by sunny of the RPG-Directory. Do not steal or claim as your own or take off the copyright.