“showing” vs. “telling” a.k.a “how to make your writing more interesting”

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“SHOWING” VS. “TELLING” a.k.a “How to Make Your Writing More Interesting”

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Page 1: “SHOWING” VS. “TELLING” a.k.a “How to Make Your Writing More Interesting”

“SHOWING”VS.

“TELLING”

a.k.a “How to Make Your

Writing More Interesting”

Page 2: “SHOWING” VS. “TELLING” a.k.a “How to Make Your Writing More Interesting”

TELLING

Telling – general; doesn’t show the

reader pictures and images; uses

passive voice, simple sentences, and

forces readers to create their own

“mental picture”…boring!

Page 3: “SHOWING” VS. “TELLING” a.k.a “How to Make Your Writing More Interesting”

TELLING

• Example: He gets ready for the race by tying his shoes. Feeling pretty nervous, he examines his shoes. His ankle hurts. He hears the announcer tell the athletes to get ready. After he gets in position, he hears the gun start the race. All his limbs are moving fast and his feet pound on the concrete.

Page 4: “SHOWING” VS. “TELLING” a.k.a “How to Make Your Writing More Interesting”

SHOWING

Showing – very specific; full of details

and examples, elaborated as though the

reader were viewing a picture; uses

active voice, sentence variety, figurative

language, and vivid verbs…exciting!

Page 5: “SHOWING” VS. “TELLING” a.k.a “How to Make Your Writing More Interesting”

“SHOW ” EXAMPLE

Example: “The muscles in his left leg tense up as he shifts the weight of

his body to one side while kneeling down to tie his right shoe. Cross the

first with the second, pull. Loop across, bring around, pull, braiding

together the frayed gray laces of his Adidas spikes as skillfully as a

seamstress weaves with thread. With the pride of even the fleet –footed

Achilles, the athlete inspects his sacred wings of land attentively as he

quickly brushes off few blades of grass and dirt collected on the instep of

his sneaker. His ankle soon begins to throb with a lack of circulation to

his foot; in fact, the knot of his shoe is so tightly laced that he can hardly

feel his toes suffocating inside his shoe like sardines packed in a can.”

Page 6: “SHOWING” VS. “TELLING” a.k.a “How to Make Your Writing More Interesting”

LET’S PRACTICE!

The haunted house was

spooky.

Page 7: “SHOWING” VS. “TELLING” a.k.a “How to Make Your Writing More Interesting”

NOW… YOUR TURN!

Each partnership receives a “tell” statement

5 minutes to turn it into a “show” statement• Focus on ONE SINGULAR MOMENT

• AVOID “AM”, “IS”, “ARE”, “WAS”, “WERE”

• USE CONCRETE DETAILS• DEMONSTRATE SENTENCE

VARIETY