Showing AND Telling

1. Showing AND Telling and knowing which to choose

2. What does it mean to SHOW-DON’T-TELL? • A telling example, as it suggests, TELLS the reader something, usually using abstract words. The party was fun. • A showing example lets the reader SEE their point with concrete details. We danced until midnight, then shared stories and laughed into the wee hours of the morning.

3. Abstract vs. Concrete

4. “Telling”sentences are often too vague • They make the reader ask questions. • They are summaries of what should be a description or a supported point. • All pieces of writing need telling statements; telling is not bad. • A writer has to determine the best time to tell and when to show by deciding which details are important to the piece.

5. How to turn “Telling” to “Showing” • Remember the five senses. How did things look, taste, smell, feel, sound? • Focus on the verbs. Often telling sentences have “be” verbs (is, am, are, were, was, being, been). • Answer a question that your telling statement begs. My room is a mess. Why do you say that? America is a proud country. How do you know?

6. Ready to Revise Look through a piece of writing you have already completed. Find statements that are “telling” and highlight them. Then chose one that would benefit your piece by providing more details. Revise to show.

7. Example Ruthie never wanted to visit the neighbor’s house. It was a strange place with lots of junk in the yard and Ruthie felt an unusual sensation each time she passed by.

8. These are abstractions: consider the important details to change to concrete Ruthie never wanted to visit the neighbor’s house. It was a strange place with lots of junk in the yard and Ruthie felt an unusual sensation each time she passed by.

9. Revised Ruthie never wanted to visit the neighbor’s house. Rusted nails stuck out from the fence that surrounded it and metal whirligigs squeeked in even the slightest breeze. A tattered couch, rain-soaked and rotting rested on the front porch. Each day when Ruthie passed by her skin tightened slightly, as if she was being watched through the dark curtains of the house.

10. Your turn: choose the important details in this passage and make them concrete The classroom was very rowdy when the substitute finally arrived. She tried to calm them down but they kept acting crazy. Finally, she made them sit down and be quiet so they could get on with the lesson.