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Show-Don’t-Tell Practice

The Rich Writer: Show-Don’t-Tell Practice

The Rich Writer

How to Thrive on the Writer's Road

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Show-Don’t-Tell Practice

iStock_000009339689Large As I crank through the rewrite of my current WIP, I’m finding an awfully lot of “telling” that I need to replace with some better writing. In the spirit of show-don’t-tell, I attempted to come up with five ways to show that it’s cold without saying “it’s cold.”

1. Let the character experience the cold: Gooseflesh prickles up my bare arms as soon as I push off the covers.

2. Let her observe the cold: Ice filmed the inside of the cabin windows. I started shivering even before my feet touched the frozen floorboards.

3. Let her think about the cold: I didn’t expect the day’s chill, not in June. If I’d bothered to check the weather, I might have brought along a sweatshirt or jacket. Instead, I’m here in shorts and a tank top, resisting the urge to curl into a ball or warmth.

4. Let her worry about the cold: As the sun drops beyond the mountains, shadows lengthen, bringing with them the sharp-edged chill of the coming night. It pierces through my thin sweater and I wonder how long it will take before I turn into a human icicle. I have to find the cabin. Quickly.

5. Let her discuss the cold: Brrr!” I tuck my hands into the sleeves of my rain slicker, drawing deeper into the sheltering overhang. “My fingers won’t bend, they’re so frozen.”

Not masterful prose, perhaps, but the exercise helped to get my brain moving in the right direction.

Do you have a technique you’re trying to master? A bit of concentrated practice can help you learn incorporate a new technique smoothly into your writing, the way a batter might practice hitting a hundred balls before the actual game. Pretty soon, the technique becomes second nature. Give it a try!

:-) Cheryl

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2 Comments:

At January 10, 2010 at 5:06 AM , Blogger Tia Nevitt said...

Cool idea! I try to become my character as I write. Kind of like playing a role. It helps but I'm going to try this.

 
At January 12, 2010 at 8:17 AM , Blogger Cheryl Reif said...

Hi Tia--I know what you mean. I try to get inside my character's head as I write, experience what they experience, too. This exercise helped me with the craft side of getting words on the page. Thanks for stopping by!

 

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