Em's story writing team helpline

Topic: how to use show-not-tell

Hi, greetings from the Author. Today in my blog I will be sharing a topic in writing - Show-not-tell.

This idea came from my teacher as she told us to use the technique but most of us don't. What is show-not-tell?

Show-not-tell like any other writing technique, is a technique that make your story more interesting. It replaces feelings with actions, thoughts, and many more. Look at this example:

"I waited nervously while waiting to take my exam."

Is this line interesting? Probably you'd say no. Show-not-tell can fix this and make it interesting for you.

Follow the steps on how to use show-not-tell

1. Take feeling from the line.

The feeling is nervous from the word "nervously".

2. Character thought

How can we use the word nervously to create a thought? You could use these examples or your own:

1. What if I failed my exam

2. My Mom will scold my if I fail

3. I won't get Ice- cream If I don't get 100 marks

Let's go with option 1.

3. Apply the Actions

What was the character doing? For this example he could be fidgeting or maybe in the toilet. You can choose one from these examples if you can't think of one.

1. he was fidgeting with his pen

2. he dashed to the toilet

3. he was sitting on the seat

Let's go with option 1.

4. rephrase "nervously"

You can rephrase "nervously"by using good phrases like "a chill ran down his spine"or "he clutched his cold, clammy hands"

Lets go with "he clutched his cold clammy hands"

5. Join it together

lets join all of them and here is the results you will have:

I waited for my exam as i fidgeted with my pen. What if i failed my exam, I thought, clutching my test paper with my cold clammy hands.

It's done!

Your Em's story writing helpline ends here