Show Don't Tell Writing Techniques

Show Don't Tell Writing Techniques

Is this an interesting story?

It was morning. She walked to the store. She saw a car speeding down the road. She got mad! The car wouldn't stop. She kept walking to the store. At the store she saw the man driving the fast car.

The story is good - the writing is...not.

Today, we're going to learn how to bring awesome stories to life! There is a trick in writing called "Show, Don't Tell" and it helps your reader get more interested in your story.

The story you read was ALL TELL and NO SHOW.

Let's go sentence by sentence and make this story more fun to read!

We'll use some tricks to help make writing easier

It was morning.

Why would the author just TELL you it was morning. There are so many wonderful things about morning that we could use to SHOW your reader that it was morning.

Let me show you...

Open Ended

What are 'sounds' you might hear in the morning?

Open Ended

What are some smells that you might smell in the morning?

Open Ended

What are some events or actions that may happen in the morning?

Let's use some of your answers to write a better sentence. Remember, the original sentence is: It was morning.

She walked to the store.

Another BORING sentence where the author just TELLS you what happened. Let's think of some clues that may help your reader engage in the story.

Open Ended

What are some sounds, sights, events, actions, or even smells that the main character would notice while walking to the store?

Let's see how we can change this sentence: She walked to the store.

Open Ended

The next sentence is: She got mad! Rewrite the sentence to SHOW the reader that she got mad. Remember to include details like sound, actions, sights, and events that may give your reader clues that she is mad.