Here’s the idea:
- We’ll go slowly, through September, each writing a single story
- I’ll take you through some best practices for building a long-term writing practice
- I’ll take you, piece by piece, through my ‘Show, Don’t Tell’ workshop, so that you can polish up–and deepen– your One Story
- We’ll chat in the comments, here.
- There may be some opportunities to gather together virtually…
You can help me shape the challenge by leaving a comment based on these questions (or anything else you think I need to know),
Tell Me This:
How do you feel about the advice “Show, Don’t Tell”?
Do you understand it? Does it come naturally? Do you want more practice?
Tell me anything in the comments, below.
I really need a good deal of practice on ‘Show don’t tell’ to help write my stories. I need to identify where I’m telling. I think this will help me in the writing process. Thanks Julie.
Definitely interested in the idea! I feel like I forget everything about writing as soon as I sit down to do it. Maybe going back to basics and how to write a scene will help.
I love this idea of one story September and the daily inspiration will help keep me focused. I look forward to learning what show vs tell means.
I love the idea of working on one story. And show don’t tell is one of the things I could use some work on. I understand it but executing it can be challenging.
I’m looking forward to this exercise–training my intuition to know when to show and when to tell. I think it’s an easy criticism to give when reading others’ work, or when reading your own stuff–but there’s got to be a time and a place for a little bit of telling 🙂 And I’m wondering if genre/tone also affects that, as well…
I “think” I understand the “show, don’t tell” principle … but as my first drafts clearly indicate, using it doesn’t come naturally to me. I think this “rule” really gets implemented in the revision stage.
This sounds like a great way to explain and reinforce this rule to all of us!
“Show don’t tell” gives me unpleasant flashbacks to undergrad writing assignments. Breaking it down into concrete, manageable steps while focusing on one story is a welcome relief!
Exploring this challenging bit of writing advice with a group to finally pick apart all the nuances is a brilliant idea and I’m all for it! Can’t wait to see how a wonderful brain trust hive mind can parse this hard-to-pin-down distinction!
Bring it on. I love working with other writers on a common ground. It always fascinates me that we can all be given the same assignment and each come up with a completely different take. The power of imagination!
This is a great idea and just the motivation I need!
Working on this type of challenge in September might help me with my November challenge.
Lovely idea! Yes to working on one story, big yes to clarifying “show don’t tell” … after all the craft books/posts/webinars it still is a strange one …
Looking forward to this!
Would love to know more and get tips to practice balancing the two. Great idea, Julie!
I need the practice. I always seem to slip into telling.
I don’t fully understand the concept of “show don’t tell”. Sometimes, my favourite part of a story (as a reader, not a writer) is when there are detailed descriptions that really bring me into the story. I’ll love to learn more about the distinction between these beautiful scenes and when you should show and not tell (also, I’m looking forward to that new name 🤣).
This looks very intriguing. I have a number of story ideas that I want to revise, so this challenge will be useful. I would like to see how ‘showing’ can move a story along and how ‘telling’ can be more interesting to capture the readers’ interest.
I am stalled in my writing and the very idea of One Story for the month of September has me tingling!
I’m excited for a one story challenge! I’m terribly rusty and could do with some prompts about showing versus telling 🌞
Love the idea of working on one story for the month.
I can’t wait to see how all this works within a short story. Curious as to the word count.
This is just perfect to get me started again in fall. Summer has brought visitors ( some will still be here until mid-September) and sunshine, and a reality check on what is doable! This one story seems like a perfect gift for me, an approach to work on one story one prompt over time….
Yes, I am in. As for showing and telling, I know that we need both, but deciding when one approach is better than another is a worthwhile investigation. It depends also on what we are writing( flash fiction or a bit of a longer short story might have the same percentage of showing and telling, but a reader may experience this very differently).
Looking forward to this.
Astrid
One story is a great idea.
“Show don’t tell” takes a little practice for me. It depends on the story and/or the point of view. After five or six rewrites I’m usually satisfied. Unless I change the story (which I have done on several occasions), then it’s back to practice, practice, practice.
I’m game for a story for September. Show don’t tell is challenging sometimes. I could use the practice and the story.
Like the sound of this 🙂 I feel like I can sometimes see when I should ‘show don’t tell’ but the phrase still makes me nervous.
This sounds interesting. Can’t wait to get started.
Concentrating on one story for an entire month sounds good to me. I’ve just started cranking the rusty gears of my writing brain after years of unuse. Focusing on one story- with a brush up on the dreaded “show don’t tell” concept would be most helpful.
I’m excited about this, I’ve been working on creative memoir, and fictionalizing to show, not tell, but I know sometimes telling is appropriate too! I don’t feel like I understand when and how at all.
Thanks for this!
I love the idea of one story during September. Show Don’t Tell makes sense, however I do not find it easy to do.
Looking forward to this! About showing and telling—With the short story length in particular, sometimes I find that I do a lot of showing early on, then I get impatient and start telling just to speed up the process. And it just doesn’t work.
You hear this advice so many times, sometimes it almost becomes cliche. But it’s really a powerful tool – when used correctly – and I look forward to seeing how my writing grows as I figure out how to work on my SDT! =)
I love this idea! I am familiar with the practice of show, don’t tell, but definitely need to work on it more.
Oh I simply love the idea. Of course I do understand how important it is in a story but yeah, I need a lot of practice.
Thanks!
To be (very) honest, ‘show don’t tell’ is a phrase that gives me the ick. Not because I don’t agree with it but because it comes up so much it feels like the writer’s alternative to be told to run the bleep test in PE lessons. The kind of feedback that makes you grumble, not because it’s wrong but because it feels so laborious. Perhaps re-branding in some way would be useful. When I was on a pain management course a few years ago they didn’t use the word ‘exercise’ because it had so many negative connotations for people. They used ‘movements’ instead. I realise this may be very unhelpful feedback to give you a few days out from September. Sorry about that!
I LOVE this suggestion and am now taking submissions for alt.names for “SDT”!!
Maybe show and tell? Like in kindergarten, both are important?
I’m so excited about this idea, Julie! I love trying to show, not tell, and welcome practice and information! I’m in!
I somewhat understand but would love the practice.
“Showing” instead of just “telling” pulls the reader into the story – also makes the characters come alive. I like the idea of having a workshop that centers on “showing” – especially with short stories, since that’s what I write.
Excellent. I think this is going to be fun.
It’s hard to see in my own stories sometimes when I tell too much and show too little. I think there is a place for both depending on the effect you are looking for, but I definitely need more help in showing more than telling.
It’s such a delicate thing, and so easy to veer too far one way or another.
I’ve developed some ideas about the best times to use each, so let’s play!
This is a great idea! I find it hard to just show and not tell. It will be a good exercise in trying to finish and polish one good story.
Yup, I think it’ll be really satisfying to work through the month on one story, and practice a particular technique at the same time.
Excellent idea! I understand that showing is appreciated by publishers. However, I am finding telling is better for a first draft and, sometimes, flows better? It would be terrific to review the elements of a short story, as well.
I’m glad to hear you say that. I’m planning to build in an ‘elements of the short story’ part…
Looking forward to the updates and this September project…thank you for the inspiration!
“Tell” is what I do in the first draft to get it done. “Show” comes when I read through the draft and see that I’m information dumping rather than sprinkling it along the way. However, I went through a fairy tale course where “telling” was what you went for. But there too, if you wanted to break the fairy tale rules, you did more showing and other techniques. And if you rebel against rules, well…
I have a story started that is rather longish. If this would help me get past the messy middle I’m stuck in, I’m game.
Oh, that’s so interesting. You’re right, there are particular genres that lean more towards one form than the other.
(Maybe that’s why I found the leap from kidlit to Lord of The Rings a bit too much for me…I had to work up to it!)
It’s the same for me, Mary Rose. My first draft is longhand—all telling—got to get the Story down. I begin tweaking the structure as I create a file, and then I start my first official read-through, taking notes along the way. Then, it’s time to get busy with it, and tell my writer-self to go work on another WIP, while Editor-self cleans up writer-self’s mess. 🤣
I enjoy some telling, coming from a background of storytellers. Learning to balance show and tell within the stories will be very helpful.
Happy writing!
I love this idea! The logical part of my brain knows the difference between the two, but the creative part doesn’t always know which would work better while drafting. Practice with this technique would be excellent!!
Awesome. Let’s do it!
Yes I’d love to participate. When I think I’m showing, somebody says no, I’m telling.
That’s fascinating. Ok, let’s dig in!
I’m definitely in 👍🏻
Excellent!
From what you all have taught me, Show don’t Tell is a writer’s way of bringing the reader into the story. Immersing them into the scene so they can really connect with the characters and what is happening.
And you are getting so good at it…
I think that showing versus telling makes for a more active and involving story. It allows the reader to engage their imagination more.
I love the phrase “active and involving”. That’s it, yes.
I’m in!
Woo-hoo!
I like to think I know what ‘show don’t tell’ is and that I can apply it appropriately.
If a character has to drive from one place to another – just say they drove there – unless you really need to know about which street and if it was a left or right turn or what was playing on the radio. Maybe something about the traffic or the street conditions.
A time for summary, tell and a time for details, show.
It would be great to have the prompts and feedback to provide guide us instead of letting us wander around.
I love the fact that you have a good handle on it and yet are also up for a month of focusing on mastery.
Know what it is but want to put that into practice. How to make the reader feel the scene not just hear about it.
I don’t think I quite understand when it’s better to show or tell. I try, but if given the choice to overly describe something or just say what’s going on, 82% of the time, I will over-describe…
Aaaand, then you just have to get good at editing 😉
Show don’t tell is such an important part of writing. Any opportunity to improve or develop the skilll is very welcome.
Excellent. There’s so much to think about, I’m happy to direct your focus for a small window of time 😉
Great idea, Julie. Looking forward to it. Though I have read a lot, both as a Student and Teacher of English, about the concept, practice and importance of “showing instead of telling” especially while writing the stories, I unknowingly or unmindfully tend to tell more in my stories which make them drag and dull as a result. But ‘showing’, I am sure you will agree with me, is never easy and comes with a lot of practice and expertise.
Anyway, count me in as, without your prompts, I, most often than not, do not have the urge to write the stories or engage in any writing at all!
Here is wishing everything that you do, all Luck and Success.
Stay blessed, always.
And then there’s the problem of too much ‘showing’ making things drag too. It’s never easy. Great when it works though 😉
Yes for the one story idea! Tips for how to “show” and when to use showing vs. telling would be greatly appreciated.
I love the idea of focusing on a single story over the course of a month and of learning more about how to show more and tell less. My stories tend to be tell-heavy, and I would like to learn more of the art of showing.
Love it. Let’s do this.
Definitely interested in joining. I have a love, hate relationship with ‘show don’t tell’ because sometimes telling is the best practice for the scene and other times showing is. However, I think it’s the same concept as ‘i before e, except after c’. It’s a great saying and holds some merit, but is only applicable in certain circumstances.
Haha!
Ditto what Taylor said! Show-don’t-tell has led me to create some agonizingly dull prose in which I attempt to show something I could have told in a fraction of the words. I get the concept but still struggle to find the right balance.
Agreed. I think there’s a place for each, and we’ll explore some of that next month.
Finding the balance for “show don’t tell” especially for short stories can be a challenge for me. Would love to hear more of what this workshop would entail!
Great. Short fiction is all kinds of challenging, isn’t it? I’m working on the details now…
Sometimes you show, sometimes you tell.
There were saturday serials, short, black-and-white episodes of things like “Rocket Man” from a bygone era by the time I was watching them in base theaters (Dad was Air Force) where, every saturday, they showed you a key episode from one of the serials. A favorite was to show the hero fall into a pit of snakes, with no home of not landing amonst all the snakes.
The next episode of the serial began, “Once out of the Pit.”
This second episode is a perfect example of Telling, not showing. -tc
A bit of a giveaway, wasn’t it?!
Maybe they didn’t want you to be too stressed 😉
I agree with Marta that “show, don’t tell” is a useful rule that has to be kept in its place. Telling can be a way of slowing down the narrative, or creating distance between the narrator and the events. Sometimes the rule can be used as an unhelpful bludgeon in critique. But I agree it’s a pitfall, an easy escape from immediacy, and something I need all the help I can get to avoid, when it’s not intentional. So yeah, I would welcome some help in avoiding it.
This concept occasioned two uses of the word “bludgeon” in the comments, which I suspect hints at why we have a love hate relationship with the advice…
I have a new genre I’m itching to try out, so this would be perfect.
I agree with those who say that “show don’t tell” is one of the rules one needs to be wise and subtle about breaking – this is a whole art on itself that i would like to practice and master. Actually i do like stories i read to talk to me and tell me stuff, but not always, and i would like to explore just when is the right time for what (What i appreciate less is “show *and then* tell. This annoys me, like i can’t be trusted to understand things). Anyway, thank you!
@Raya, yes yes! When people show AND tell it makes me think they don’t trust their own skills –or me to be smart enough to get it 😉
Intriguing…
I’m a very verbal person, and showing/not telling doesn’t come easily for me, so I’d really appreciate some examples and tips for how to do it better.
Excellent
For some reason, I have a hard time with “show, don’t tell” in longer works (short stories as opposed to flash or micros). I totally need more practice.
I’m away for half of September this year, but I’d love to join you for what I can! Always happy to learn more. I love playing with words so yes, I often show rather than tell. Other people’s takes on that are always good though! Thanks.
I think I understand Show don’t tell, but find it more difficult with shorter word counts. I’d be interested in learning more about how to do that.
A lot of famous writers use telling rather than showing in their writing. It moves the story along until getting to the ‘showing’ component of the story, in the present action. Then the characters in the story show how they respond in their relationships to each other, to the environment, etc.
I’m interesting in joining in this workshop.
I think that’s got something to do with so-called ‘airport fiction’ or ‘beach reads’ being page-turners, quick to read, but not attractive much critical praise (and vice versa for the sometimes ponderous ‘literary’ hits).
A balance is, as always, the magical thing…
I would love this challenge! I don’t automatically show instead of tell when I write a story. I’m not even sure when I should show instead of tell.
Like many rules, “show, don’t tell” has its place. But I don’t think “telling” is always a terrible thing. Knowing when to show and when to tell is the tricky bit! Do I understand it? Possibly? Maybe I think I do but don’t. Does it come naturally? I dunno. I don’t want to imply it can’t be learned. Do I want more practice? Sure!
Nice to know you’re definitive on at least one of those questions 😉
I think SDT’s (Show, Don’t Tell is) a great pain, if I’m on the same page as everyone else. I did it throughout high school, then forgot how, so I’m back to try again.
At the moment I don’t bother if I can help it, since the amount of thought to devise such a story takes a great deal of effort I’d rather dedicate to research something new. When I began to strive for graduate study, I told my class all they needed to know about my project so they could see for themselves what they wanted on their own and if there was anything else about it.
However, I’m still here, since I’m interested in seeing if there is anything new in the field of storytelling, and for the month of September I will make an exception to my life rule of tell, not show, and see how that works.
Possibly there’s not much new, but there are always techniques to delve more deeply into.
I’m interested in the idea that you could tell the class all they needed to know about the project. Wouldn’t really work for something that was going into bookstores and being read by strangers, I guess…
Love, love, love this idea! I really like meeting times to talk about the process.
I understand what’s meant by showing instead of telling but as others have commented, it can be harder sometimes in practice and I think there’s a place for showing more details (paining a picture) and for telling in order to move a story forward. I think there should be a balance.
And yes, I love the idea of this challenge. I have had a hectic summer and really could use some motivation in September to focus on my craft.
Would be quite interested in practicing Show, Don’t Tell in the flash fiction format!
So, I have some qualms about “show, don’t tell” as advice. I think it’s something that has been reduced too much and is used a bit too much as a bludgeoning tool that gets applied to things it’s not meant for. There are certain types of stories that telling works better for, and certain scenes where it’s better to tell to get through to the important parts of the scene.
@Fleet I agree, especially on the ‘bludgeoning’ part. Hopefully by the end of September everyone will have the confidence to stare down critique partners and say “No, actually, I’m very comfortable ‘telling’ at this point in the story…” 😉
I’ve been writing a long while and still attempting to understand it. Any help I’d definitely appreciate as even though I have books I’m more visual learn in action.
I love this idea! Going deep on technique and taking time to develop a piece sounds wonderful to me.
“Show don’t tell” is something I understand and try to do. I find it variably challenging depending on narrative voice / pov. “Telling” can sometimes feel appropriate if a third person pov is voicey in certain ways, like a fairy tale for e.g. In the context of first person pov, I do find it harder to identify spots where I could show vs tell, since the narrator is **telling** their own story. A deeper dive on show vs tell would be great!
Awesome!
Show don’t tell is NOT something that comes naturally to me. I have to remind myself to go back through the story and edit the narration to illustrations where possible. It is something that definintely needs practice but i also feel that it is not always clear where you are telling and not showing. I wonder too if it is subjective for each reader.
I *may* have been accused of writing scenes that felt like they were taking part on a completely white set, in the past, so I too have struggled with this. 😉
Oh I definitely can get behind the show not tell of storying. I could use a crawl through September on spinning a yarn…
Fire up your spinnerets!
I like the idea of learning slowly how to write a story. I understand the concept, and welcome ideas of how to maintain writing practices.
Great idea Julie. The show, don’t tell aspect of storytelling- there it is ‘telling’ not ‘story showing’ is probably one of the most important, yet most at times hugely challenging.
It would be so much simpler if it was all one or the other, but nooooo, we have to love a complex art form….