How To Show And Not Tell In Short Stories

How To Show & Not Tell In Short Stories

In this post, we show you how to ‘show and not tell’ in short stories.

‘Show, don’t tell’ is good advice for any writer, but even more so for a short story writer. The limited word count means our writing has to work harder. We really need to pack a punch. Here’s how.

How To Show & Not Tell In Short Stories

1.  Express emotion as action:

How To Show And Not Tell In Short Stories

2.  Choose a viewpoint character:

By choosing one character to focus on you make it easier for yourself to simplify your scene and make the most of it. Write small.

How To Show And Not Tell In Short Stories

3.  Use the senses:

Write a list of what your character sees, tastes, smells, hears, and touches. Then write about it without using the words see, hear, feel, touch and taste.

How To Show And Not Tell In Short Stories

4.  Be specific:

The more specific you are with your descriptions and actions the easier it will become to show.

How To Show And Not Tell In Short Stories

5.  Avoid these ‘telling’ words: is, are, was, were, have, had

How To Show And Not Tell In Short Stories

6.  Use dialogue:

This is one of the simplest tools to use. The moment your characters start talking, showing becomes easier.

How To Show And Not Tell In Short Stories

Show, don’t tell is a very powerful writing tool. Keep practising.

(You can also try our FREE COURSE: How To Show And Not Tell In Short Stories)

Happy writing.

Top Tip: If you want to learn how to write a short story, sign up for our online course.

 by Mia Botha

If you enjoyed this post, you will love:

Posted on: 20th September 2017
(83,122 views)