What exactly are you trying to tell me ... and why?!

By Fellowship of the Rich

 "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." Anton Chekhov


This is one of my favorite writing quotes! I love the simplicity and the way Chekhov captures the very essence of showing vs telling -- which is, in my opinion, one of the biggest turn offs in writing.

Telling is one of the fastest ways to kill a story. It pulls the reader out of the driver's seat and puts them on the passenger's side.  If you write 1st person, this is just an epic fail. The reader won't relate to your character. They won't feel what your protagonist is feeling. After all, shouldn't a 1st person story be an experience?

I've come across a LOT of (potentially) wonderful stories lately, but the writing has been so ... not enticing. From the opening paragraphs, I find myself cringing and disappointed. This isn't to say I haven't been there or don't have my own struggles in writing. It's just a learning process. And, to be honest, we don't always have the best examples to go on. With the easy and cheap options of self-pub out there, and Tom, Dick, or Sally can be published. 

That brings us here: What exactly is showing vs telling?

Here's an example of something I've seen many times. (This is ONLY an example. It isn't taken from anyone's work.)

"I walked outside and went down the stairs of the old house. The wind started blowing, and a strange feeling came over me. I sniffed and made a face. A mean looking dog waited by the corner of the yard. He growled as I got closer."

Now then, this is boring and senseless sentence. It tells us what the writer might want the reader to know, but sheesh. It's a story, not a police report.

What would happen if we watched and thought through the character's eyes? You don't decide to walk outside and decide to go down the stairs. You don't feel the wind, and think, "Geez, I'm cold." Bring in your senses! How would you react to that chilling wind? What do you see, smell, taste, hear, or feel when you step outside? The reader wants to experience the journey. Make them.

Let's try it again with some F-E-E-L-I-N-G!

"The steps groaned in protest as the rail's paint flaked under my fingers. A gust of wind howled across the yard, raising goosebumps on my skin. The scent of rotting earth and mildew filled the night air. A low growl emanated from the shadows as a hulking dog emerged. I froze. Foamy white drool dripped from his fangs and spattered the dirt."

Okay, this isn't the best in the west, but it gets my point across. You can show what's happening just as easy as you can tell it. The latter, however, gives you more information in a way that's exciting rather than to the point. Use every tool in your physical arsenal to paint a living picture.

I will say this though ... it's okay to tell certain things. You don't want to inundate people with details either. If you're writing a scene where you want the reader to be fully immersed, yes, go sensory all the way. If your character just needs to go from point A to point B, don't weigh people down with senseless rambling. We don't need to know what color the airport is, or the exact angle of a fence post. Think balance :) It's all part of the learning process.

Writing is a journey, but as most authors can tell you, it's never really over. Learn as you go, and enjoy every second of it! And remember, we all struggle with different aspects of the craft. Don't let it discourage you, and never give up!

What are some of things you deal with or bother you in writing?

What Do You Get When Shame Eats Too Much Stupidity? A Pointless Blog Post.

Okay, so I know you've all been waiting anxiously by your computer, shouting at the screen for something amazing to pop up. This isn't it, but I thought you could kill some time while you waited.

It's quotable quotes day! ::throws confetti::

I didn't have anything really earth-shattering to blog about today. Honestly, between trying to post on this site and 2 others, as well as return a jillion emails and play on the social networking sites, my brain hurts. So, for today, I thought it'd be fun to pick a few random quotes that mean little to nothing...unless useless quoting somehow fuels your muse. In which case, You're Welcome.

Some of my favorite tv/movie quotes:


It's the so-called "normal" guys who always let you down. Sickos never scare me. Least they're committed. ~Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman. Batman Returns.

The following are brought to you, courtesy of one of my all-time favs, Steel Magnolias.

Ouiser, you sound almost chipper. What happened today - you run over a small child or something? ~Clairee Belcher

What's the matter with you these days, M'Lynn? You got a reindeer up your butt? ~Ouiser Boudreaux

He is a boil on the butt of humanity! ~Ouiser Boudreaux

There's so much static electricity in this room, I pick up everything but boys and money. ~Truvy

Then there's King of the Hill. Oh, how I miss thee, Hill family.


That boy ain't right. ~Hank Hill

This taste like turtles. ~Bobby Hill

Hoo-yeah! ~Peggy Hill

Look at that one, bouncing around in front of God and everyone. Would it kill a tree if she wore a bra? ~Hank Hill

This is what happens when shame eats too much stupidity! ~Dale Gribble

Let's not forget Juno!


I'm already pregnant, so what other kind of shenanigans could I get into? ~Juno MacGuff

You better pay for that pee-stick when you're done with it. Don't think it's yours just because you marked it with your urine! ~Rollo

Juno: I mean, can't we just, like, kick this old school? Like, I have the baby, put it in a basket and send it your way, like, Moses and the reeds?
Mark Loring: Technically, that would be kicking it Old Testament.

You should've gone to China, you know, 'cause I hear they give away babies like free iPods. You know, they pretty much just put them in those t-shirt guns and shoot them out at sporting events. ~Juno MacGuff

That ain't no Etch-A-Sketch. This is one doodle that can't be un-did, Homeskillet. ~Rollo

Today's Top Story: Flying Monkeys Feed on Joy

(Photo: Greg Springer)


It's Quotable Quotes day again! On the agenda: Positivity. <--I had no idea that was a real word.

"Thoughts are energy. And you can make your world or break your world by thinking." -Susan S. Taylor

Now there's a true statement if I've ever heard one.

Like so many writers, I tend to live too much in my head. My friends laugh at me because I joke about being happy/sad/excited/angry/etc over a situation that never happened. I assume I know how something would go down in real life (should it occur at all!), and I react accordingly. The problem is, more often than not, it's not real. It's just a flying monkey in my brain, howling about how someone might steal his unicycle.

As sad as it is to confess, I've been angry with my husband for something he never did or said. I know him well, so I figure, "Hey, if I blah, blah, blah, he'd just come back at me with blah, blah, blah." BAM! Now I'm mad! No, it doesn't make sense, but that's the way my mind works. Flying monkeys, people.

Needless to say, I've had to learn to rework my brain.

"Yeah, but what does this have to do with your thoughts being energy and the rest of the sane world who doesn't flip out over nonexistent issues, you freakish woman?" you might ask on a really long breath. And my answer to that is, "A lot."

So many people stress over things that are way beyond actual fact. Just like me, they assume then the monkey kicks in. Take this thought for example: "What if so-and-so doesn't like my book? What if they give it a bad review? Maybe I should just scrap the whole project, give up on writing, and become a monk!"

Well, first of all, calm down and take a step back. Now then, you can go two ways here. A) Shut your brain off, which is super hard and oftentimes leads to death, or B) Rewire the crazy thoughts and direct them toward something useful or relaxing...like origami.

Seriously though, why worry about something that might never happen to begin with? Why get angry at someone who may very well LOVE your story? Why? Don't focus on things outside of your control, and don't worry about tomorrow--it'll take care of itself. When you do this, you carry that energy with you. And we've all heard it in various forms: You are responsible for the energy you bring into a room. Why make that energy bad?

My wonderful friend Chi and I have these unspoken rules.
* We only send positive vibes out into the universe. No doubting allowed.
* We say when this happens instead of if when it comes to goals. We expect it no matter what.
* We have guidelines in place so one never focuses too much on the outside world's idea of what works. Goodness knows that is never a great idea!
* After a fit of irritation, we take a deep breath and find the good things that are happening.

It's been pointed out in the past, your mind is a battlefield. Good thing is, you're the one waging war and you get to decide what thoughts are on the front line. Angry monkey or relaxing origami? Choose wisely though. I wholeheartedly believe your energy will carry you as far as you like!

What does your energy say about you?

My name is Hope, and I'm a write-a-holic

"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love."

Today's Quotable Quote comes from the supreme genius of modern German literature, Johann von Goethe. Goethe is right about that, no doubt. I'm a self-proclaimed write-a-holic, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Writing is my escape, a place where I get to do anything and be anyone. There's something magic about conversing with a group of characters in my head. They show up at the most random, and oftentimes inconvenient, times demanding attention and resolution. They want me to explore their world, to share in their joy and pain. And I enjoy it almost as much as I would with my "alive" friends.

Sharing the trials of your MC and overcoming their obstacles is powerful stuff, and building a world your imaginary friends are proud to call home is a notable goal. Granted, you may only ever be recognized by that group of non-existent beings. If you're a true writer though, that will be all you ever need to drive you on to more.

Every setting in my life, every experience, every song, every person becomes a story in my head. I think about how I could work that into a usable plot and just image the characters coming to life. I would say 90% of my (waking) life is spent in writer mode and even more so when I'm sleeping. I have multiple streams of thought, but one is always focused on a story.

Some say it's a curse that writers can't be happy. There's always more to do, more to accomplish than one has the time. For me though, it's just awesome. I know nothing will ever be exactly what I want. I've learned that much in this process. But it will never stop me from trying or enjoying every second of it.

So for Goethe to say we are shaped by what we love...yeah, I would have to agree with that. I've become who I am now, shaped by my love for writing.

What shapes you?