Thread by @Maria_Tureaud

Alrighty, folks. I'm still sick in bed, so it's time for another #RevPit #RevThread and today we'll tackle "Show, Don't Tell" (quit ur eye-rolling!)

For the purpose of today's thread, I'll be referring to it as SDT for short. Buckle up!

#writingcommunity #writetip #writingtips

Let's address a common misconception that gets people ALL kinds of riled up:

SDT is NOT about mundane description. I REPEAT: SDT is NOT about mundane description.

When you start describing the scene, and every little thing your character is doing...that's all "telling." #RevPit

Your faces right now:

So, what IS SDT?

My good friend @SouffleLumiere described it as follows (and it's the perfect description):

SDT should be renamed as Express (emotion, evoke feeling) Don't Explain (list description, over-act a scene)

#RevPit

How do we express? To express, you need to immerse your reader in the story. To do this, you need to write using the five senses: touch, smell, sound, taste, sight. Don't tell us they're in a restaurant...how does that restaurant smell, taste, sound?

#RevPit

How else do we express? Through use of visceral show: body language--external and internal.

External (action): He balled his fists (physical anger)
Internal (conflict): pulse pounding in his temple (feeling inside)
External (reaction): and exhaled (attempt to control)

#RevPit

Put it together:

He balled his fists--pulse pounding in his temple--and exhaled.

What does this evoke? This is what is meant by "write what you know." You know what anger looks like, feels like, and how you react to it to control the situation. So does your reader. #RevPit

Instead of saying: "He was so angry he could barely control himself," we've made the reader feel the situation, and evoked a memory of a time when they were angry. Now they empathize.

That's what SDT is all about #RevPit

So, when should you use SDT?

Easy answer: When you want to elicit a feeling from the reader/when an event is significant.

There's no need to highlight every little thing in this way. Balance with tell! #RevPit

When I teach workshops or work with clients, SDT is the most popular subject/most common opportunity. And that's okay! Honestly, publishing uses so much vague language/obscure phraseology to try and describe craft that it makes it confusing #RevPit

So, in conclusion:

1. Show when something is important
2. Tell when it's not

That's it. Keep it simple! #RevPit