As most of us know, “show don’t tell” is more than a simplification—it’s wrong. Yet knowing when to show and when to tell is tricky. In this webinar we’ll study how to identify and evaluate each mode in published works (both fiction and memoir) as well as our own, so that we can gain clarity on how the modes are intricately woven. We’ll study how showing helps create impact and immerses the reader directly into story and how telling helps with pacing, creates context, foregrounds voice, and clarifies insights and turning points. We’ll specifically look at how the modes, alone or in tandem, operate in dialogue and description, at heightened story moments, and in quieter moments of reflection and interpretation. Finally, we’ll recognize how the balance of showing and telling varies considerably, according to a writer’s individual style and sometimes genre.
As most of us know, “show don’t tell” is more than a simplification—it’s wrong. Yet knowing when to show and when to tell is tricky. In this webinar we’ll study how to identify and evaluate each mode in published works (both fiction and memoir) as well as our own, so that we can gain clarity on how the modes are intricately woven. We’ll study how showing helps create impact and immerses the reader directly into story and how telling helps with pacing, creates context, foregrounds voice, and clarifies insights and turning points. We’ll specifically look at how the modes, alone or in tandem, operate in dialogue and description, at heightened story moments, and in quieter moments of reflection and interpretation. Finally, we’ll recognize how the balance of showing and telling varies considerably, according to a writer’s individual style and sometimes genre.
