Mastering Showing and Telling in Your Fiction

Busy Writer's Guides #4

by Marcy Kennedy

You’ve heard the advice “show, don’t tell” until you can’t stand to hear it anymore. Yet fiction writers of all levels still seem to struggle with it. There are three reasons for this. The first is that this isn’t an absolute rule. Telling isn’t always wrong. The second is that we lack a clear way of understanding the difference between showing and telling. The third is that we’re told "show, don’t tell," but we’re often left without practical ways to know how and when to do that, and how and when not to. So that’s what this book is about. Chapter One defines showing and telling and explains why showing is normally better. Chapter Two gives you eight practical ways to find telling that needs to be changed to showing and guides you in understanding how to make those changes. Chapter Three explains how telling can function as a useful first draft tool. Chapter Four goes in-depth on the seven situations when telling might be the better choice than showing. Chapter Five provides you with practical editing tips to help you take what you've learned to the pages of your current novel or short story. Showing and Telling in Fiction also includes three appendices covering how to use The Emotion Thesaurus, dissecting an example so you can see the concepts of showing vs. telling in action, and explaining the closely related topic of As-You-Know-Bob Syndrome. Each book in the Busy Writer’s Guides series is intended to give you enough theory so that you can understand why things work and why they don’t, but also enough examples to see how that theory looks in practice. In addition, they provide tips and exercises to help you take it to the pages of your own story with an editor's-eye view. Most importantly, they cut the fluff so you have more time to write and to live your life.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Crafts, Reference

85 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 17, 2014

About the author

Marcy Kennedy is a science fiction and fantasy author who believes there's always hope. Sometimes you just have to dig a little harder to find it. In a world that can be dark and brutal and unfair, hope is one of our most powerful weapons.

She also writes award-winning mysteries under a pen name, but that's a secret. Shhhh...

Marcy lives in Ontario, Canada, with her former Marine husband, Boxer mix, eight cats (all rescues), and budgie. In her free time, she loves playing board games and going for bike rides.

Reviews

[Brian 9 ¾ ⚡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ OUTSTANDING

Really help me to understand the pros and cons of ‘Show don't Tell’ advice.

[Stine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kort, humoristisk og fyldt med gode eksempler
Varm anbefaling herfra

[Bonnie Schroeder · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief, no-nonsense look at this often-ignored skill, with specific examples and refreshingly free of long discourses on theory. Basic information, clearly delivered, made this a rewarding read.

[C.M. Skiera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading Showing and Telling in Fiction by by Marcy Kennedy a month ago, and have been meaning to review this excellent how-to guide since I put it down. Eliminating 'telling' is an issue I needed a lot of help with to fully understand and overcome in my own writing, and this book has helped set me in the right direction. In a nutshell, the classic argument states that writing that shows the reader what is happening is more compelling, engaging, and descriptive than writing that tells the reader what is happening (or has already happened).

Showing and Telling in Fiction begins by clearly explaining what defines showing and telling, the differences between them, and why showing is (usually) the preferred choice for exciting, engaging prose. If you like to know the reason behind the rule, you'll find this part satisfying.

Understanding the differences between showing and telling is just the first step in addressing the problem. Chapter Two provides practical techniques to easily spot weak writing in your own manuscript. By identifying the 'red flags' of telling, the book teaches you to recognize the signs in your manuscript.

Kennedy states that using telling to write your first draft may help you capture your story, which can then be edited in the ensuing drafts to turn telling sections into showing. If you're struggling to write your draft by 'showing' everything, using 'telling' to get the words out of your head may be a useful technique.

Obviously, writing that is 100% showing is not the goal of this book. In certain situations, telling can be more effective and appropriate than showing. Chapter Four shows you opportunities for using telling effectively to make your story flow cohesively.

An apt finish to Showing and Telling in Fiction provides you methods to attack your manuscript efficiently, and offers a link to print versions of the revision checklists.

In summary, this concise (88 pages) instructional tome is full of examples and techniques, light on fluff and filler, and currently has a 4.8 star rating on Amazon (48 reviews). I'd definitely recommend this book if you struggle with any part of the showing versus telling battle.

[BLynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very short and quick read on how to use showing in your writing. I found it helpful and that the author seemed to get to the heart of showing and telling in writing stories. I enjoyed the book and found it helpful.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad, a lot of it was covered in the Deep POV book though. The 'Take it to the Page' section makes it worth purchasing.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I turned the last page and jumped for joy.

The information in this book can take your writing to the next level. People always say 'show don't tell,' but Marcy Kennedy shows you the difference between the two and tells when each should be used. There is also plenty of actionable advice to follow on making your current work in progress engaging.

[Beth Gelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

And here I thought I knew what I was doing

Marcy does a terrific job illustrating common errors and, more importantly , how to fix them through wonderful examples. I found at least five things that would improve my writing twenty-five percent. Now excuse me while I go fix my manuscript. LOL

[J.L. Rothstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful Guide

Whether you are just getting started or a veteran of the writing community, this book would work for you. It outlined practical advice, with several examples and exercises. I found it very helpful and easy to read

[Colin DuGray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful book. Regardless of your skill level or experience, you can benefit from this. One of the most commonly misunderstood topics in writing, perfectly explained. I will probably read more of these soon.

[Naiá Lusvarghi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eu tinha baixas expectativas para este livro (achei a capa meio besta), mas ele é muito bom. Com informações úteis e dicas aplicáveis. Vale a pena.

[Emmett J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valuable book

Clear advice, with great supporting examples and author comparisons. A must read for all authors and writers at all stages.

[Nancie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was excellent. I highly recommend it.

[Delisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

very helpful

I found this super helpful. Easy to read. Simple language. Practical. Working on the rewrite process now. Worth the money!

[Sera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS BOOK... I recently finished my first draft of my first novel and I sat down and read this book and then used just a few of the plentiful pointers in the book to revise my first chapter and my writing group noticed a marked improvement from the first draft to the second version of the chapter. Ms. Kennedy's doesn't just tell you how to show she shows you, which I suppose given the title of the book makes sense, but she provided many examples of both telling and showing to back up her statements about why one is better than the other. She also explains when telling is okay and gives examples of that. However the part I got the most use out of though was her "Take it to the page" section at the end of the book that gives tips on how to implement her advice and the easiest ways to find your instances of telling and determine if they should stay or go. Over all I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be a better, more prolific writer.

[Jordan Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never heard of Marcy Kennedy before picking up this book, but this has to be THE BEST book I've ever read on this particular subject. For writers, new and experienced, I cannot recommend this book enough. I'm a slow learner. I have been all my life. I've always gotten good grades and made honor rolls, etc., but I've had to work very hard and long to achieve them. I am the type of learner who needs a lot of examples. This book delivers and how! Not only does Marcy give a ton of examples, along with how to FIX them, she also put in word searches so you can look for 'tell' places in your own work. I was so thrilled with her approach that halfway through the ebook I ordered the paperback version. I'll be ordering her dialogue book next.

Other than reading 55 books this year, I'd planned to delve deep into craft. This book will definitely help me achieve my goal.

[Sharon Hughson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book during a promotion, and I'm glad I picked it. I give it a strong 4.7 out of 5 stars. The true test will be when I use the information while revising my current manuscript.
What I loved about this book was the multitude of examples Kennedy gives for every principle. This is where other craft books often fall short. I feel like I truly understand the difference between showing and telling and when to us telling rather than showing.
The appendices are helpful additions. There is a code at the back of the book to access printable versions of the resources and links to every one she mentions in the book.
This is a quick read, but I believe it will be an invaluable resource as I strive to improve my writing. A must-have for every writer's bookshelf.

[anonymae anonymae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend Mastering Showing and Telling in your Fiction a Busy Writer's Guide (MST). MST not only explains the difference between conclusory and evidence based narratives, it also provides techniques to help writers identify and transform a conclusory based work in progress into well-balanced work of fiction, i.e. where well-placed elements of conclusory statements work within the overarching framework of an evidence based narrative.

Armed with such knowledge, writers are now able to create richer more compelling works of fiction for their readers.

Thank you Ms. Kennedy!

[Daph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet, and to the point. Marcy has provided lots to chew on in this practical guide to showing and telling. She breaks down the examples used to clearly point out opportunities for deeper POV and guides the reader/writer through revisions. Her 'Take it to the Page' section will be a great benefit to my writing and editing. I've already purchased a few more of Marcy's titles; I like her teaching style.

This is a great addition to any writer's reference library. I know I'll be coming back to this one often.

[Katia M. Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very short book but very useful. It gives clear definitions, examples and rectification of telling versus showing. It provides a process by which you can check your writing easily. It gives options for further reading that will help a writer improve their showing skill. I will be using this quick and easy guide whenever I am editing my writing until I feel confident enough not to fall into the telling trap.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm currently doing a part time online degree in creative writing and like many new writers, one of my faults is too much telling and not enough showing. I bought this book to help me learn how to change that. I've found it invaluable and the concepts have been broken down into bit size pieces that are easy to understand. For anyone struggling with show don't tell I'd recommend you read it. I'm just about to start my second assignment. Guess I'll see if I can put this advice into practice!

[Ally Cabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great examples!

This book is short and to the point. She uses clear examples to illustrate the difference between showing and telling and when to use each of them. She also has a checklist of clues to look out for when editing. I will definitely use this as a reference during the editing process.

[Kimiko Alexandre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing when you want to go up a notch in your writing. It tells you all the things you never learned in regular writing how-to's.

This book is all about learning to trim and polish your book and is a MUST on every writer's shelf.

[Leticia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very helpful, with direct and goal oriented tips for finding balance between showing and telling in your writing. I will use it while revising my first draft and I definitely recommend it.

[Bart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tells you everything you need to know about showing and telling, with clear and obvious examples. It may not even tell you something new, but it states it all very clear and in a comprehensive and concise way.

[Nina Arce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pedagogical and to the point! Despite its short length, there is a lot of information within the pages of this book. I particularly appreciated the section containing an abbreviated version of the content in the form of a checklist to work through when examining your own work.

[Val O. Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource and examples of "show, don't tell"!! Lord knows I'm guilty of plenty of telling. This will be a must-have guide as I make my way through my next novel. Thanks for the recommendation for The Emotional Thesaurus, too!

[Veronica Sicoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well explained, well exemplified, overall useful. Could have been more extensive.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great writing resource--goes into helpful details of how to cut down 'telling' and improve 'showing' in one's writing--including a list of 'tell' words to do a search, find and replace for!

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource that gives you a nuts and bolts primer on how best to improve your writing. Highly recommend.