Comments on: Make POV Work for You: Show Don’t Tell (Part 2)

By: Kaye Dacus

Kaye Dacus — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:58:40 +0000

Amber–
Try using track changes when you do your edits. That way you can go back and see what you’ve changed.

By: Amber

Amber — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:56:30 +0000

Thank you for these lessons. I’ve suspected I have problems with my WIP and haven’t been able to nail down exactly what is wrong. I get it now, and I’m happily rewriting my manuscript.

Now if I could figure out how to get MS Word to LEAVE all the words highlighted after I start editing them, I’d be a very happy camper.

By: Becky Miller

Becky Miller — Sat, 09 May 2009 21:16:55 +0000

Janie B. Cheaney's Wordsmith curriculum is the best I've seen for teaching writing to young students, period, and especially the best for teaching "show not tell." My mom used Wordsmith in teaching me and my brothers writing (I was homeschooled), and I have used it to teach and tutor other students in writing, and I find that Wordsmith-taught writers really know how to show with all 5 senses. Wordsmith also produces writers who love writing. I am a writer and editor by profession, one of my brothers is about to graduate college with an English degree and start grad school, and my other brother writes (excellent) poetry and prose. My brothers are working on a novel together using Google docs across the miles...one is in Iraq and the other in Colorado.

By: Liz Johnson

Liz Johnson — Sat, 09 May 2009 15:55:33 +0000

These are really greats tips. I find myself using the sense words a lot in my writing. But you’re absolutely right that it is telling, not showing. Your examples are great and helpful, thanks!

As for passive verbs, I totally agree that they can really hurt writing, but what do you do when you can’t find a better action verb? Do you ever get stuck with a was or were and can’t figure out how to change it?

By: Alexandra

Alexandra — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:38:22 +0000

I am soooo bad with all these words. I will definately have to go back through my manuscript and work on this! Thanks so much for doing this GREAT series!

By: Kaye Dacus

Kaye Dacus — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:22:49 +0000

Mom–
Yes, it was used properly, just amusing that all six or seven writers chose to use that one verb for the action of taking a quick, surreptitious glance.

By: Renee

Renee — Thu, 07 May 2009 03:42:34 +0000

Although I am NOT a writer, I totally get where this is coming from. As a history major most of my professors refused to read papers that contained the phrases “It was” or “I am.” I definitly would rather “see” something than be “told” about it. Thanks for these free writing lessons!

By: Mom

Mom — Thu, 07 May 2009 03:32:39 +0000

I just hope the verb was supposed to be “peeked” as in “snuck a quick glance” and not “piqued” as in “piqued his interest.”

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:26:58 +0000

Sigh – sorry the post above was by me. I forgot I was still signed into my wordpress account. You’ll be hearing more on that in a couple weeks If you could delete that comment and leave this one. Posted my original comments below.

Thanks, Jennifer

“I have to remember to avoid “thought”. I actually use knew and wondered occasionally, but not that often. I usually catch these on the edits though. It was interesting going from third person to first person. I actually found it (once I got used to writing in 1st person) easier to avoid telling in first person than in third.”

By: The Damsels

The Damsels — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:24:28 +0000

I have to remember to avoid “thought”. I actually use knew and wondered occasionally, but not that often. I usually catch these on the edits though. It was interesting going from third person to first person. I actually found it (once I got used to writing in 1st person) easier to avoid telling in first person than in third.