《How to Write Stories People Will Love》12. Demonstrate, Don't Explain
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As a writer, you will hear this day in and day out: SHOW DON'T TELL!
Maybe you're tired of hearing it. Maybe you're not even sure what it means. The concept is simple: Instead of explaining what emotion the character is experiencing, demonstrate it through physical cues.
That's it. It's not complicated. It just takes practice. Here are several examples so you get a sense of how this works...
She was frustrated and angry.
Her nostrils flared and her hands balled into fists.
I can't believe how embarrassed I am.
My face flushes hot and I want to run off the stage.
He was the most intimidating guy in the crowd.
He towered over everyone else, and his steely eyes dared anyone to cross him.
The dog was so excited.
The dog quivered as its tail wagged broad strokes through the air.
I felt like the group was about to attack me.
Their eyes burned with hatred and their hands tightened around their pitchforks.
He looked so sad, I just wanted to hug him.
His shoulders slumped and he wouldn't meet my eyes. It made my heart ache.
As you get the hang of this, you might find that your inventory of physical cues is limited. There are ways to build it up. Here are a few:
1. Imagine how you would physically react to the situation you are writing about.
2. Observe people in parties, airports, malls, and other group settings.
3. Watch movies. Examine how actors portray their emotions.
4. Get The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression, by Angela Ackerman. This is a great reference tool that I still use sometimes, offering lists of different ways people express certain emotions. (I've included a link to the book in Amazon as an External Link. Or type this into your browser: https://amzn.to/2Mz9Whm)
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