About This Author
My name is Joy, and I love to write. Why poetry, here? Because poetry uplifts its writer, and if she is lucky enough, her readers, too. Around us, so many objects abound to write about. Once a poet starts with a smallest, most trivial object, he shall discover that his pen will spill out what is most delicate or most majestic hidden inside him. Since the classics sometimes dealt with lofty subjects with a lofty language, a person with poetry in his soul may incline to emulate that. That is understandable. Poetry does that to a person: it enlarges the soul and gives it wings. Yet, to really soar, a poet needs to take off from the ground. Kiya's gift. I love it!
Review #4619676
Viewing a review of:
 
Image Protector
Creating Motion in Fiction Open in new Window. [13+]
How to apply show don't tell principle and adjust the pace of the story
by Joy Author Icon
Review by Cubby Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
Access:  Public | Hide Review (?)
Hi, Joy!

I am reviewing your item as part of the July Challenge in "Angel Review ForumOpen in new Window., which I'm taking part in. Each case color needs at least three reviews (not the same member) plus eight members of my choice, totaling twenty. You, dear Joy, fall into the purple category. *Smile*

I love articles such as this one, challenging me to improve my skill. Showing vs telling is something we as writers don't always think about. And sometimes it's easier just to tell it because we're too lazy to figure out how to show it. *Whistle* But most of the time, at least for me, many of us aren't aware of it.

Which brings me to the exercise you suggest:

A practical exercise is to take an already written piece and circle all the sentences that can benefit from being shown and then re-writing the whole piece.

Great recommendation! This should be something we all do after our first draft of anything!

Another great point you make is:

This means not just the characters but also the narrative need to move with action producing words and sentences, as the expository parts of the work create momentum and evade flatness and boredom.

You mention this because many readers are so strongly conditioned by movies and television, it's easy to lose interest in a novel or short story. I find myself deleting many audio books I begin because they don't grab me right away. I get bored and feel like I'm wasting my time. It's unfortunate because I might be missing a great story! But then again, perhaps there needs to be more motion in the beginning. (I like that you refer to showing as motion.)

You've provided great examples of show vs tell. It's really quite amazing the difference it makes!

Great article!


Have a great day and...*Quill*
  K e e p on W r i t i n g !
Cubby ")
Animated WDC Angel Signature for Premium Members


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!Open in new Window..
   *CheckG* You responded to this review 07/16/2021 @ 9:26am EDT
... powered by: Writing.Com
Online Writing Portfolio * Creative Writing Online