ENC 1101-B3 & B4: Writing for Discovery

To me, one of the characteristics of a good narrative is when the writer manages to submerge me within the story, when I begin to see/feel/hear the events being described. When the characters seem real. When I forget that the story is being told to me and instead experience the moment.

So how do writers do this? They use the story itself to convey messages, meanings and feelings by "showing" using details and description.

Now, this is different from a more traditional essay, where the writer is essentially talking to the reader. Where the writer is directly "telling" the reader what to think. Where the reader is not necessarily submerged in the experience, but rather understands the writer's meaning from the opinions being given to them.

This may seem a little confusing, so here's an easier way to look at it. You might have used words like "happy," "sad" "confused" within your writing. In these instances, you are "telling" the reader what you think, rather than letting them experience what you experienced and come up with that conclusion on their own. What you want to do instead is render the experience in such detail that it is unnecessary to tell the reader. If you have done your job well as a writer, the reader picks it up from the story itself.

Consider the following sentences. Rewrite them so that they show more instead of simply telling. Realize that you might require more than one sentence to do so:

1. It was a beautiful day.
2. His voice sounded angry to me.
3. She liked him very much.
4. The quarterback threw a great pass.
5. The watch was expensive.

Note: there is a certain amount of telling which has to go on in a story. For instance, in-depth showing through a four sentence description of your car might not be necessary for the story (unless the narrative is centered around your car). Writers strive to show whenever things are important, and tell when things are merely minor details in their narratives.