The proliferation of the wattle, and the annual blaze of gold at the base and along the top of Fife Ridge, had been a mocking torment that near sent the grazier insane. His son Ian had the resilience to emerge relatively unscathed, emotionally, from a man whose mind never recovered from a trauma in his youth.
Those are words above have just been eliminated from my novel in my current editing process. Far too much telling my reader. It is much more fun for both reader and writer to show the story though actions instead of telling the story.
If you ever study writing course you will hear the words “show, don’t tell.”
Here are some tips that will help make your writing involve more showing and less telling of the story.
1. Use dialogue
Dialogue allows the reader to experience a scene as if they were there.
Don't tell your reader that Bill is angry make him say something that indicated this and kick the dirt as he says it. Let you reader hear the anger for themselves:
2. Use sensory language
Involve all six senses in your story. Let the reader see, hear, taste, smell and touch the world and the extra sensory around them. Use language that incorporates several senses, not just sight.
3. Be descriptive
Don't use weak descriptive words like little, nice, seek out words that convey emotion. How is the hero feeling? Does unhappy say it? of is he desolate. Skip adding unnecessary words that weaken phrases. he isn't very unhappy he is inconsolable. Being descriptive is more than just inserting a string of descriptive words. Choose the right word and know one well chosen descriptive word carries more punch than a string of descriptions.
Those are words above have just been eliminated from my novel in my current editing process. Far too much telling my reader. It is much more fun for both reader and writer to show the story though actions instead of telling the story.
If you ever study writing course you will hear the words “show, don’t tell.”
Here are some tips that will help make your writing involve more showing and less telling of the story.
1. Use dialogue
Dialogue allows the reader to experience a scene as if they were there.
Don't tell your reader that Bill is angry make him say something that indicated this and kick the dirt as he says it. Let you reader hear the anger for themselves:
2. Use sensory language
Involve all six senses in your story. Let the reader see, hear, taste, smell and touch the world and the extra sensory around them. Use language that incorporates several senses, not just sight.
3. Be descriptive
Don't use weak descriptive words like little, nice, seek out words that convey emotion. How is the hero feeling? Does unhappy say it? of is he desolate. Skip adding unnecessary words that weaken phrases. he isn't very unhappy he is inconsolable. Being descriptive is more than just inserting a string of descriptive words. Choose the right word and know one well chosen descriptive word carries more punch than a string of descriptions.
