My Tips For Showing In My Writing

Whoops! Sorry, didn't quite get this in last week.  In all fairness I did start a lengthy post about showing instead of telling.  I think it's fairly easy to notice when you have a sample of one writing which "tells" versus a sample which "shows".  I think we can also agree that a lot of writing combines aspects of both showing and telling.  In essence they key is to know when to show instead of tell, in addition to be able to determine what "showing" will look like for your story.  Here are a few things that I'm using to try and help me deal with this aspect of writing:

1) If I can't think of a way to "show", I change my POV (point of view, sorry)
I either write it from the perspective of a completely different character, or change the actual POV to first    person, etc.  Even if this is only a temporary change, it has been well worth it in the end.

2) Vocabulary.  Let's face it, there is only so much one can do with "rippling muscles".  Those are the kinds of "cliches" that I want to avoid.  Use an odd comparison suitable to the tone, or look up a completely different word.  Variety adds spice.

3)  Try mildly mimicking some of the actions if you're having trouble and notice a few things, how your muscles feel when you clench your hand into a fist, how the tendons in your wrist stand out out.  Make a mental or regular note about that so you can include it in your writing.  (Note:  this does not mean you should grab a sword and jump into the street trying to engage in combat) Sure I may look like an idiot now and then, but it's no different than any other day really! :)

4) We take a lot for granted. As writers, it is up to us to make things "new" again.  The feeling of first love, unrequited love, anger.  Even just the wonder of waking up to a day that is so incredibly sunny you can't help but smile.  Maybe the way you stand almost on tiptoe when you stretch in the mornings. It's writing "alive".

Here's my new philosophy on the subject:  if we can feel our writing, and there is a sense that it lives and breathes on its own, then we've done a good job. Does that even make sense or is that just a horror story waiting to happen?  Eaten alive by my own manuscript...

Tell me what you think!  Agree?  Disagree?  Have an idea I left out (there should be lots)?

I'd love to hear from you!