[stylist] Showing versus telling

Sun Oct 30 21:25:12 UTC 2016

Bridgit,
Another keeper.
Thanks

Jackie Lee

Time is the school in which we learn.
Time is the fire in which we burn.
Delmore Schwartz	 

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit
Kuenning-Pollpeter via stylist
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2016 9:43 AM
To: 'Writers' Division Mailing List'
Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Subject: Re: [stylist] Showing versus telling

Chris, who made the particular comment about showing vs. telling, is indeed
published. I'm also published and have advised to show vs. tell. Lynda, who
is quite published, has offered similar advice. So have many others on this
list who also boast publishing creds, and not just self-publishing.

What these writers advise is advised by a majority of the writing community.
Having studied in a formal setting with published authors for instructors,
I've been taught this lesson as well. It's not something trite and
controversy we suggest. It's widely accepted among those who not only write
but instruct writing.

The classics tend to lean on a lot of techniques and devices that have been
recycled but also reinvented. Literature has undergone transformations
through the centuries. There is good and bad to take from it, just as today.

When literature started moving from the romantic into realism in the late
1800s, we saw more of this employed. Literary devices switched a bit,
different methods were used. Then we moved into modernism and eventually
post-modernism. Scene has always been an important aspect of creative
writing, but a heavy emphasis has been placed on it since the late 1800s,
building steam through the beginning of the 20th century. During the 40s and
50s, a lot of experimentation happened with literature, fiction, poetry and
nonfiction. A lot of what literature is built upon today in terms of
narrative and devices and technique comes from this period, but it grew out
of existing threads.

But you also have to understand what exactly showing and telling means.
There should be a balance in writing, first of all. No one here is advising
anyone just tell or just show. It takes a calculated effort to find the
balance in respective writing. Some find more telling can work to the
advantage of their story, while others find more show works best. But it's
agreed upon in most writing circles that showing is the strongest part of
writing.

You also have to understand that backstory, or exposition, isn't necessarily
only telling either. Exposition can show just as much as it can tell, in
terms of literary devices. Show relies on scenic development, descriptive
language, relying on strong nouns and verbs, sometimes employing metaphor
and imagery, but the focus is scene. Similar to a movie when there's no
dialogue, but a lot can happen, informing the audience through image. That's
what a scene accomplishes in creative writing. These are the most powerful
moments if crafted right. They draw a reader in, make them a part of the
moment, as opposed to just an observer, which is what telling does.
Exposition does this just as much as any other part of writing. It's not a
given that backstory is folded into the narration; it often happens in
scenes.

For characterization, showing seems to work best. We learn a lot about
characters when they are in action, not internal dialogue or authorial
interjection. Narration is important, but scenes are what carry weight.
Scenes are what we take away from most literature. Even with classics,
there's a strong emphasis on character. We love those books because of the
characters, because of the moments characters are placed in. We remember
them for their moments in scene more than in narration.

Dickens, Austen, Melville-- the classic authors used scene too. Some, like
Melville indulge in long, philosophical diatribes, like Hugo did as well,
but most people who read these books don't enjoy those sections near as much
as the action. The action is what drives the story along. The action is what
makes the story come to life. There is a reason these books are considered
classic, and in part, it's because they found a narrative device in which to
tell a story. They compose scenes along with narration.

As Ishmael begins his tale, we delve into showing. We are placed in time,
setting, given description. He shows us his story as he narrates it. I think
you're confusing this concept. As Ahab fights the wale, we see this happen
on the page. This is all done as showing instead of telling. Scenes have
been created. We watch Lucy and Charles fall in love in scenes. When Sydney
makes the selfless decision to take Charles's place all in scene. Madame
Defarge's characterization comes largely through scene. Scene tells us a
lot, it's just done with action.

And since it was brought up and the discussion pushed out into the day of
light, it's easy to point fingers at others, assume they know nothing about
writing because they lack publishing credits, but quite frankly, anyone can
self-publish. No one rejects the material, comments on what could strengthen
it. Self-publishing is not an automatic stamp of approval stating someone
knows how to write a story. That's why self-publishing still has a stigma
because anyone can do it- good or bad writers. No one has to approve a
manuscript, send it through drafts of revision and editing. No one in the
literary community says this is strong or not. Those who go through
traditional publishers are confronted with all this. Whether they had a
great working knowledge of literature or not before, they often come out of
a round of publishing much wiser, armed with a lot more knowledge. It's
easier to take criticism from people who have spoke with and worked with
those who usually are well-versed in literature and writing.

Bridgit

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joanne Alongi
via stylist
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2016 8:36 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Cc: Joanne Alongi <salongi712 at yahoo.com>
Subject: [stylist] Showing versus telling

And a note on advice. I have noticed a few things that I'd like to point
out. The first thing is I'd like to give you a challenge. Have any of you
read lately any of the great American or English literature authors? trollop
Charles Dickens, James Fenimore Cooper, and the gentleman who wrote Moby
Dick Herman Millville. These are specific others that I can site. My
challenge is take any one of these authors works and compare the number of
telling scenes with the number of showings sings I believe you will find the
great preponderance of them will be telling scenes. American, English, world
literature professor is all call these classics. There is a great value in
both scenes. There is a great value in both types of writing. I would like
to encourage you that in order to understand how to write a truly great work
you must have both types of scenes because we always need backstory. I just
wonder how many of you including myself have read these works because you
will find a great number of telling scenes as opposed to showing.
Now the second thing I want to point out is that I have noticed that the
people who offer of the greatest amount of advice on this list do not have
anything published that I have seen. I have noticed that those who withhold
their advice from this group are the ones who are published. Now, I could be
wrong I don't know everything but I have noticed that. Perhaps we should all
work on publishing something and dispensing with less advice. Just a note
from the peanut gallery. Now this is a list and we are all talking about
writing so I understand that but I do notice that more lies comes from
people that I have not seen any published works for him not even in our
newsletter. So, I will not respond to any comments so if you wish to take
this topic and run with it enjoy yourself. I do think that the more valuable
comments here are about the showing in versus telling at least on my part.
OK. I have to finish my second draft and get ready for my book signing and
read more American and English literature. I have been reading Charles
dickens a tale of two cities and believe me there is a lot of telling scenes
in that book. Good luck keep writing,

Shelley, Queen of bells out! 
Trespasser by Shelley Alongi (Hardcover) - Lulu Trespasser by Shelley Alongi
(Hardcover) - Lulu ]]

]]]]

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