Exploring Writing - Gary Robert Muschla 2011

Exercise 2.6 Show, Show, Show
Showing and Not Telling
Part 2. Writing the Draft

Good writers understand that they must show and not tell about ideas in their writing. Because showing requires action, authors who show, and do not only tell, write with clearer imagery.

Exercise 2.6 Show, Show, Show

Study this example to see the power of showing over telling:

✵ When the toy broke, the little boy was upset. (telling)

✵ When the toy broke, the little boy stamped his foot and started to cry. (showing)

In the first sentence, the writer tells that the boy was upset. In the second sentence, stamped his foot and started to cry shows that the boy was upset. Showing provides action that the reader can visualize in her imagination, making the idea clear.

Here is another example:

✵ The sunset was pretty. (telling)

✵ The sun drifted lower in the bright red sky. (showing)

The second sentence provides action—The sun drifted lower—and visual details—in the bright red sky—that sharpen the idea of the sun setting. The second sentence is an example of stronger writing than the first.

Write some examples of your own that show rather than tell.

For more practice, do Worksheet 2.8 at the end of this section.