On Writing- Show, don't tell

It's the writer's mantra and I really do hate it.  It sounds so simple and strait forward but, for the beginning writer or anyone who is still trying to define their craft, it's hard to read those three words and instantly apply their finite wisdom to your writing.  Explored more deeply, these three words can become tomes of dos and don'ts about writing and storytelling.

I really began to dissect the very concept of “show, don’t tell” because I’ve found myself helping a lot of beginning writers over the years, even though I’ve never published word one.  How does one teach a writer to show more than they tell?  I've thought long and hard about this question and I've come up with many answers and none of them are simple or strait forward. 

I tried rewording the phrase.  "Readers want a writer to take them on a journey, not tell them about a journey someone else went on."  That seemed pretty good.  When I pick up a book I want to experience the story as if I were there.  Offer to take me on a journey and I will go with your eagerly.  Tell me about your journey and I'll get bored, resent you for leaving me behind and seek out other adventures whose guides are more generous.

I then realized that sometimes this comes down to a writer not really getting the difference between telling a compelling story and summarizing events.  Summary is for unimportant bits in the story that happen between the important scenes and move the story along.  If a writer finds that they are writing entire pages in summary form, that's way too much.  The things they've summarized probably aren't important and, in those copious amounts, should be left out of the story.  Storytelling is about immersing the reader in exciting, emotional, interesting events that tell an overall story.  Detail, dialog, action, reaction, drama and spectacle define real storytelling.

Remember that readers like to forget that they are reading and can only do that when the story carries them away.  Write dialog, action and description so that they can feel like they are there, not listening to someone say they were there.  If someone talks too much, don't say that they talk too much, show it through dialog where they actually do talk too much.  Let the reader figure that out.  Show the frustration of the characters who have to interact with this person because of the excessive tongue wagging.

Many beginning writers don't trust their audience to be smart enough to figure out what they are trying to convey.  By spelling things out for people you are dumbing it down and no one likes to be talked down to.  You could say "The building was run down." or you could say "I tore through the caution tape and proceeded up the uneven walkway to the front doors.  I could already smell mold and rotting drywall before I forced the protesting metal door open and slid through the narrow gap into complete darkness."  Do I have to tell you the building was run down after reading the second example?  No.  Plus, it moves the story forward.

Readers are typically a lot smarter than we want to give them credit for.  You don’t have to front load to catch them up to what your world or characters are all about.  Drop them in the shit and let them try to keep up.  Create questions for them to ask.  If a man walks into a crowded restaurant on Friday night in downtown NYC with a double barreled shot gun and blows the guts out of a politician in front of everyone, then exits back out the front door I’m gonna want to know what the fuck just happened.  Who was that dude and why was he so brazen?  Did the politician have it coming or is he a victim?  I’ll read on because the scene shocked me and made me ask questions.  Now I have an emotional investment in this story and want to see a return on that investment.

There’s so much more I could say on this topic and I may yet.

Listening to: NIN- Dead Souls