Lesson Four

Lesson 4: Choose A Viewpoint Character To Tell Your Story

This is the fourth lesson in the How To Show And Not Tell In Short Stories course.

NOTE: If you want a downloadable, printable PDF of this course, you can buy one for a small fee from our store. The workbook is an advert-free, easy-to-download version of the online course.

In the previous lesson we explained how zooming-in, or ‘writing small’ made it easier to ‘show’ instead of ‘tell’. In this lesson, we will look at using a viewpoint character to help you write small and to create an emotional connection.

When we move into a character’s head, we immediately narrow the focus of our story, we ‘show’ character and create emotion. Viewpoint controls, among other things, the distance between the reader and the story.

“Viewpoint is not about pronouns. Viewpoint is about character.” ~ Kristen Steiffel

Each viewpoint has advantages and disadvantages, depending on the story you are telling. Using a narrator, or an omniscient viewpoint, for example, will keep the reader at a distance.

In a short story using one viewpoint character, and moving into their head, helps to ground your story, and gives us one character to focus on. In short stories with longer word counts, you may find time and words for additional characters, but even then, it helps your story to focus on one character, and their thoughts and actions.

‘Showing’ is easiest for me with one viewpoint character. You can decide to use first, second, or third person attached. But, whichever you choose, pick one head to work from. There are writers who excel at telling, who can tell huge short stories with multiple viewpoints, but most of the writers I’ve worked with benefit from starting small, especially for stories of 2 500 words or less.

Example 1

Tell: The busy restaurant buzzed with excitement and long necks as the police tried to work.
Show: Detective Vasquez turned her back to the brunch crowd as she lifted the sheet. The crowd hissed. The phrase ‘Mimosas and Murder’ twirled in her head.

Example 2

Tell: The man limped down the road.
Show: Alex grimaced with each step. He just needed to make it to the next corner. He’d be safe then.

Exercises

Choose a viewpoint character and rewrite the following ‘telling’ sentences into ones that ‘show’:

1. It was estimated that there were more than 430 people trapped on the boat.
2. The mall was very busy.

Recommended Read:  

In our next lesson we will discuss using the senses to ‘show’.

Please click here for Lesson Five

NOTE: If you want a downloadable, printable PDF of this course, you can buy one for a small fee from our store. The workbook is an advert-free, easy-to-download version of the online course.