Write to Be Seen

I am sure you know what I am getting at when I say this – yes, it’s the old show-don’t-tell mantra. But even though I and no doubt you, have heard this a gazillion times, lately I have developed a keener sense for what it actually means.

Here is my simple example: you walk into a room. Any room in your house. Go ahead – you are likely reading this on your phone anyway — and stand in the middle. Now slowly circle the room, and while you do so, describe what you see – ALOUD. I mean everything about what you see: the color of something, the feel of it, the smell. If it makes a sound describe that too. Now take another walk around to each thing you described and think of a better way to say it. How? Think about what it reminds you of; how similar it is to something else. Then sit and write a sentence about each thing.

I guarantee that once you do this, you will better understand what it means to show. Showing is specific. Showing is detailed. Showing is creating a word picture for someone else to see. You do it all the time in conversation. The next time you are in a Zoom meeting and someone tells a story pay attention. Nine times out 10 they are going to use the phrase, “it was just like a…’ or ‘she looked like a…’ or ‘he reminded me of…’ This is the stuff of showing.