Show, Don't Tell - But What Does That Really Mean?
I was thinking about how I've heard "Show, Don't Tell" as a mantra for writers over and over again, and yet it comes through as white noise somehow for me. What does SHOW mean? I know I'm supposed to do it. But how?
I want to write. I have stories pounding in my head constantly to get out. But I don't know if I'm telling or showing or if I'm even labeling stuff right.
Which made me think about the whole labeling thing. Which made me think maybe one way to go is to take the labels off.
Maybe showing is deliberately NOT labeling stuff.
Maybe the idea is to keep the reader guessing.
"Hm…I think Sam's upset here. Yes, I see a tiny clue in his behavior! He is upset. But how upset? Oh, look, and here's another tiny clue. Ah-hah! He's upset because his brother is going into danger without him. Sigh. Poor, Sammy." That way the reader wants to move forward to get confirmation of what they're guessing Sam's feeling, rather than stopping the desire to find out more by just giving the answer. "Sam was angry."
Maybe it's just a matter of taking out the names of emotions and swapping them for little clues.
For Example (Supernatural):
Sam looked angrily out the window. (Tell)
Sam looked out the window his jaw tight. (Show)
Only difference is swapping out the actual word naming the emotion.
Then the context this sentence is written in, what's going on before and after it, gives us the rest of the clues on what emotion Sam's feeling.
For example, if just a sentence earlier Dean growled, "Don't, Sam. Just don't. I'm doing this and you're staying safe this time." Then the reader has a good guess as to why Sam is clenching his jaw and what he's feeling rather than having it identified by name.
Okay, that's my guess as to what Show vs. Tell is, to just UN-label stuff. That's my new mantra. Don't Label The Emotion Give A Tiny Clue Instead.
Does anyone else have something they use like that?
No? Yes?
I bet I shouldn't even start on how I get adverbs and adjectives mixed up too, huh?
I want to write. I have stories pounding in my head constantly to get out. But I don't know if I'm telling or showing or if I'm even labeling stuff right.
Which made me think about the whole labeling thing. Which made me think maybe one way to go is to take the labels off.
Maybe showing is deliberately NOT labeling stuff.
Maybe the idea is to keep the reader guessing.
"Hm…I think Sam's upset here. Yes, I see a tiny clue in his behavior! He is upset. But how upset? Oh, look, and here's another tiny clue. Ah-hah! He's upset because his brother is going into danger without him. Sigh. Poor, Sammy." That way the reader wants to move forward to get confirmation of what they're guessing Sam's feeling, rather than stopping the desire to find out more by just giving the answer. "Sam was angry."
Maybe it's just a matter of taking out the names of emotions and swapping them for little clues.
For Example (Supernatural):
Sam looked angrily out the window. (Tell)
Sam looked out the window his jaw tight. (Show)
Only difference is swapping out the actual word naming the emotion.
Then the context this sentence is written in, what's going on before and after it, gives us the rest of the clues on what emotion Sam's feeling.
For example, if just a sentence earlier Dean growled, "Don't, Sam. Just don't. I'm doing this and you're staying safe this time." Then the reader has a good guess as to why Sam is clenching his jaw and what he's feeling rather than having it identified by name.
Okay, that's my guess as to what Show vs. Tell is, to just UN-label stuff. That's my new mantra. Don't Label The Emotion Give A Tiny Clue Instead.
Does anyone else have something they use like that?
No? Yes?
I bet I shouldn't even start on how I get adverbs and adjectives mixed up too, huh?