
Showing and Telling
Learn How to Show and When to Tell for Powerful and Balanced Writing
Laurie Alberts(Author)
Writer's Digest Books (Publisher)
Published on 5. May 2010
Book
Paperback/Softback
256 pages
978-1-58297-705-8 (ISBN)
Description
Write vibrant scenes and essential summaries
"Show—don't tell." How many times have you heard this standard bit of writing advice? It's so common in writing courses and critiques that it has become a cliche. Writers are often told to write scenes, dramatize, cut exposition, cut summary—but it's misguided advice. The truth is good writing almost always requires both showing and telling. The trick is finding the right balance of scene and summary—the two basic components of creative prose.
Showing and Telling shows you how to employ each of these essential techniques in the appropriate places within a narrative. You'll learn how to:Write scenes and cut exposition
Compress time and summarize background information
Create graceful transitions
Effectively inject interpretation
And more!
Complete with examples from bestsellers and interactive exercises, this comprehensive guide offers an in-depth look at scene development, the role of reflection in storytelling, the art of summarizing, and how to bring it all together.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
F&W Publications Inc
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
330 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-58297-705-8 (9781582977058)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
04/2010
Writer's Digest Books
€6.49
Available for download
Person
Laurie Alberts is the author of 6 books including 3 novels: The Price of Land in Shelby, Lost Daughters and Tempting Fate. She has won several awards, including a Jame Michener Award. She teaches in the MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts.