Communities

Writing
Writing
Codidact Meta
Codidact Meta
The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors
Photography & Video
Photography & Video
Scientific Speculation
Scientific Speculation
Cooking
Cooking
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Judaism
Judaism
Languages & Linguistics
Languages & Linguistics
Software Development
Software Development
Mathematics
Mathematics
Christianity
Christianity
Code Golf
Code Golf
Music
Music
Physics
Physics
Linux Systems
Linux Systems
Power Users
Power Users
Tabletop RPGs
Tabletop RPGs
Community Proposals
Community Proposals
tag:snake search within a tag
answers:0 unanswered questions
user:xxxx search by author id
score:0.5 posts with 0.5+ score
"snake oil" exact phrase
votes:4 posts with 4+ votes
created:<1w created < 1 week ago
post_type:xxxx type of post
Search help
Notifications
Mark all as read See all your notifications »
Q&A

Posts tagged showing-telling

This tag doesn't have any usage information yet.

This tag doesn't have a detailed wiki yet.

71%
+3 −0
Q&A How to make the reader think that the *character's* logic is flawed instead of the author's?

Following up on my previous question, "How to make the villain's motives understandable if his logic is flawed?", how can I let the reader know that the lack of logic is on the character's side, in...

9 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Yuuza‭  ·  edited 3y ago by Monica Cellio‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A What is the balance between 'stating a problem clearly' and Hemingway's literary iceberg?

At a writer's critique group, one piece of feedback to me was: people didn't understand where I was going until the very end. They suggested stating something explicit at the very beginning so the...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by DPT‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Writing differently when following different character POVs - mainly age difference. (3rd Person)

I'm writing a sci-fi novel with more than one main character. Since I'm not an experienced writer, I still struggle with some basic "rules" within writing that may or may not exist. This issue ...

4 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by storbror‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Why are writers so hung up on "show versus tell"?

I write primarily science, which I readily admit can be very bland. On occasion I read fiction, but have found over the years that my tastes have changed considerably. Overly descriptive scenes lea...

5 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Richard Stanzak‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How do you use showing in animal fantasy?

When I read showing in stories with people, they describe facial expressions for showing (among other things). What can a writer use in an animal fantasy? I'm sure it depends on the animal, but a...

3 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by johnny‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A How to demonstrate an evolution of magic without it seeming like it is improvised?

I'm writing a fantasy novel, in which the story progresses over a number of years. Throughout the story, I want to display an evolution of the magic, much like technology evolves in our world. The...

6 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Mike.C.Ford‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Should you "Show, Don't Tell" when your character is recounting events?

"Show, don't tell" is a popular ethos amongst writers, and one that is very important to writing engaging stories. However, I'm in a situation whereby my protagonist is recounting an event from a p...

1 answer  ·  posted 9y ago by Dan Hanly‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Is straight-up writing someone's opinions telling?

When I first learned about the "show don't tell" guideline, I believe it applied to everything. I have now learned there are many grey areas, like for example exposition, and that the most importan...

5 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by A. Kvåle‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Delivering sarcasm

Most of us who have spent more than a few days reading things and interacting with people on the internet know how difficult it is to convey sarcasm. There is no tone there is only the words on our...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by AGirlHasNoName‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Making him into a bully (how to show mild violence)

Joe is the worst. Nobody likes him, not even the so-called friends he teams up with at school, filling other students with terror. He's sarcastic, nasty, and a bit of a racist, and especially ant...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Cyn‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Describing something that doesn't exist [closed]

I'm in the middle of my first draft for my novel, and I can't seem to properly convey to my audience the image I'm trying to describe. That's what I want to show my readers, but it's coming acro...

5 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Aspen the Artist and Author‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Working with hints/clues - Show vs Tell vs Nothing -ish

This is about the hints that the readers should notice as the story progresses - and should definitely notice upon re-read. First off, I looked around for a bit and didn't see any questions on th...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by storbror‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A Are there any guidelines for writing a fiction story in a non-fiction style?

Jorge Luis Borges wrote a lot of short stories describing fictional things and places directly to the reader (like The Library of Babel). For instance, let's see one excerpt of Decline and Fall o...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by Chaotic‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Is it okay to include world-building facts by "telling" instead of "showing"?

I know we need to show and not tell, but is it still okay to sometimes tell instead of having to show it? For example, I wanna let the reader know that humans in my story are actually the same spec...

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Klara Raškaj‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

66%
+2 −0
Q&A Recounting events in dialogue

In my story, the MC goes through a number of events with a common theme, each told in separate scenes. At the end of the story, he tells a friend about the things he experienced. Both the events an...

3 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Llewellyn‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How do I show and not tell a backstory? [closed]

In my novel, Matt's girlfriend Ella gets kidnapped and Matt is held responsible by the kidnappers. As it wasn't for ransom but as a revenge of something Matt did. And then Matt storms into my MC's...

3 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by codeNewbie‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A How do I write "Show, Don't Tell" as a person with Asperger Syndrome?

I have been told by my friends that my writing seems a bit blunt in the sense of I rarely practice "Show, Don't Tell" (SDT) in my stories. However, I personally find SDT hard because...I just don't...

4 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Realdeo‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Should I "tell" my exposition or give it through dialogue?

When my work was being critiqued, one of the critics said that the exposition given away in my dialogue was forced and unnatural. Though, this exposition is crucial, so leaving it out is out of the...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by A. Kvåle‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How do you describe sentimental human physical interactions?

For example, Amanda just lost a battle in her life. When she met her best friend and mother, she lost it and started crying. The other characters comforted her with a hug, some talks, and some pats...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Benjamin‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How to show the same emotion multiple times?

I think everyone has heard the "show don't tell" rule. My question is how can I show same emotion multiple times without the description being the same. For example if my character is scared I can ...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by Lymaba‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A Is writing big facts about a character's background good when first introducing them?

I hope this question is not mainly opinion based, I'm really just looking for a writer's handbook/source/acclaimed author saying this is either good, okay or bad. I think it might not be so good, w...

4 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by A. Kvåle‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How to write about characters and places you aren't personally familiar with?

What do I need to do, as an Indian writer, if I want to make British or Americans the main characters in my book, and make the whole story revolve around them in any other country? In general, is ...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by user31307‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A How do you keep a villainous character from being offensive to a particular group?

If the villain of your story is a member of a certain group, how do you keep the story from being offensive to members of that group? For example, one of the villain in my book is a WWII veteran. ...

5 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Amoeba‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A How to show a character being bored for multiple chapters without boring the reader

When my protagonist is learning to use their magical skill, they must remain in hiding. Because they have not yet mastered their magical skill. My protagonist is bored from being holed up for so ...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by DPT‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Is Jaime Lannister a "telling not showing" example?

Warning: spoilers of A Song of Ice and Fire. I was reading through this site that you should avoid telling what a character is by using other characters, example "Dan is the funniest person I know...

2 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by IamVeryCuriousIndeed‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How to present details about the setting in a fantasy world without telling? [closed]

One of the rules of good writing is the show, don't tell rule. I want to create a realistic fantasy world, so I've thought about details like astronomy, geography and so on. For instance, this wor...

2 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Chaotic‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How to help the reader wrestle through historical atrocities which would be considered normal to the POV character

I'm writing historical fiction which is set in ancient China. My MC is a historical figure who really did go into battle as a woman. Women in the ancient world were abused and mistreated. Males sl...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Caspian‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A How to make clear what a part-humanoid character looks like when they're quite common in their world?

How can I describe an unconventionally part-humanoid character, so the reader knows clearly what they look like, while in a world where these people are normal and it's not unusual at all for chara...

5 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Nadeshka‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How do you show character reactions without making them do something physically that is unrealistic?

I've read stuff like these: she sat up. Startled. His face flushed (how does that happen in real life) He felt his neck muscles tense up, his temples started bulging, he started breathing more he...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Mugen‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A How do I handle English speaking where the language used isn't English but is translated in it? [closed]

I'm kind of having trouble with portraying one of my main character's English speaking foreign friend. My character and the country he is in don't really use English as the language they communicat...

0 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Richard Last‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A Do my characters need to have different mannerisms in order to be perceived as different?

My editor returned to me with her initial critique of my novel, saying some characters were too similar, and that they had the same likes and dislikes and flaws. The characters she mentioned were ...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Klara Raškaj‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A How to make the villain's motives understandable if his logic is flawed?

In a story I'm writing, the villain has his motives for his attitudes. However, he is very mentally disturbed, which makes the logic of his motives be kind of illogic to other people (including the...

0 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Yuuza‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How do I convey that a relationship is platonic?

I've been toying around with the idea of writing a novel. The story revolves around two characters, one male and one female, and the perspective will shift between them. One of the central ideas...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Belgabad‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A How to express Nihilism without explicitly stating it? [closed]

In my novel, the character is sitting in a café sipping coffee, and she is watching a busy street of people rushing towards London underground after the office hours. I want to express the thoughts...

0 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How can I convey an absolute truth from the author to the reader without a mentor character?

There are sometimes moments in works of fiction where the author needs to convey something to the reader without ambiguity. Let's say the situations around the characters get so weird that the auth...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Andrey‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Is inner monologue a bad way to show character traits?

Is directly showing a characters inner thoughts and conversations with themselves too telly or cheesy?

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Allan Smithy‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A Is show not tell less useful advice in first person

Following the first answer for this question What does Show don't Tell actually mean I followed to the Chuck Palahniuk exercise and tried applying it to my current work. From this point forwar...

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Andrey‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A How would a mature teenager behave?

I'm writing about a mature girl (15ish). But I'm not sure how she should act other than being polite. The way I think a mature person would act would be someone who doesn't swear, but some mature p...

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by iiRosie1‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How do I show the confusion my character feels?

I am trying to show the confusion my character feels (first person narrative) but am not sure what techniques to use. I have tried to achieve this using questions that arose through my character's ...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by dngr193‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How much dialogue in a first date scene?

Something I always get stuck with is how to describe a first date. E.g. I have a story where 2 characters are on a blind date, so they have to get to know each other. How much of the date should be...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Claudia Pascali‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A At what point do you draw the line of showing, and not telling, or vice versa?

I often get confused in writing about whether or not something is showing or telling. For example, if my character wears a mask through which he can’t see, and I as the all-knowing narrator/writer ...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by Klara Raškaj‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A How to tactfully inform readers of differences in the book world to the real world?

I want to write a fantasy novel, but there are a few issues that I have with the way that I should write it. One of my questions lies in the problem of how I, the narrator/book-writer, can inform m...

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Better Ways of Showing Fear

In my current novel, I'm dealing with very scary creatures that never fail to fill my protagonist with fear, but I always have her doing the same thing. My character always seems to simply widen he...

1 answer  ·  posted 6y ago by Nicole Skye‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A How can you show that a character is feeling amazing?

It's easy to show hesitance, fear or angst, you can have a character smoking 5-10 cigarettes in a row, linger for way too long, act out, or something like that. But how can you show a character tha...

1 answer  ·  posted 7y ago by Himmators‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Writing my Watson trope

I've been advised to sharpen my sidekick from an "intriguing second tier" character to the delegate for the readers. Is there a tried and tested formula succinctly captured somewhere? I'm looking t...

1 answer  ·  posted 7y ago by Brereton‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

60%
+1 −0
Q&A What does Show don't Tell actually mean

I am asking this question because I think we need a precise definition of what Show Don't Tell means if we are to decide if it is good advice or bad, or if it is a valid suggestion for certain pass...

3 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Mark Baker‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A What are ways to "Show, don't tell" without simply listing bodily actions?

Tell: Andy looked angry Show: Andy scrunched his eyebrows together, he gritted his teeth and glared. His skin turned a bright red making him look like a raging demon. Are there other ...

3 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by user8727‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

50%
+0 −0
Q&A Writing techniques or exercises to improve ability to show rather than tell?

Does anyone have any effective writing techniques or exercises that you use to help you focus more on showing the reader what you mean rather than just telling them about? I know I often find mysel...

3 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Steven Drennon‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭