show vs. tell – Confabulator Cafe

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On the Construction of Action Scenes

Ashley M. Hill - March 9, 2012

Action scenes are a special kind of hell. Even now, writing about action scenes is literally painful. You see, action is not my strength; it’s basically carefully crafted description that paints a moving scene. Add the need for carefully chosen pacing — ugh. It’s a nightmare. During a conversation I can count on the dialogue […]

POV Corrupts

Ted Boone - March 8, 2012

Here’s my new saying: “POV corrupts. Omniscient POV corrupts absolutely.” Alright, I’m butchering the popular euphemism about power and corruption, but I think I can use my new quote to make a fair point. Bear with me. When writing fiction, I only have a few choices for point of view. I’m going to ignore the […]

Show and Tell on a Dark and Stormy Night

R.L. Naquin - March 7, 2012

There’s a reason we hear “show, don’t tell” all the way back to elementary school. It’s sound advice. It’s the bedrock of a good story. It’s not just a good idea—it’s the law. Despite being repeated forever, the advice isn’t entirely clear, especially to early writers. In fact, the advice is very “telly” and not […]

Is that a banana in your pocket, or are you trying to kill me?

Kevin Wohler - March 6, 2012

I’ve already blogged here and elsewhere about my difficulty writing description. My prose tends to be terse and action-oriented, much like the television, movies, and comic books that have influenced my work. I think in pictures, and write only what needs to be shown. This was not always the case. Back in college, the most baffling […]

Handing Over the Keys

Jack Campbell, Jr. - March 5, 2012

“All meanings, we know, rely on the key of interpretation.” – George Eliot The axiom in writing is always “show, don’t tell.” With due respect to the originator, sometimes in writing, you should tell. In fact, that is one of the advantages of prose over screenwriting. In screenwriting, you are forced to show out of […]