I'm a highlighted post! I'm so proud
Seriously the help has been great and, finally, I think I am getting to grips with this. The information sheet was really good too, I have it printed out and it's already a little dog-eared.
Take care and thank you for all the suggestions,
Tracy

Tracy, only just seen this...

My writing mentor (an experienced and successful novelist) says that when you're writing fiction the reason for 'showing' is to fully engage the reader with the story, but that 'telling' is important for details which need to be imparted but which the reader would not be interested in being shown in detail (eg, 'It was late in the evening..'.

I think it's a matter of balance, and I hate the mantra 'show don't tell' because it's misleading.

It is very important to learn how to 'show' effectively, because that's what will suck the reader in, but telling is also important in its place.

Deb

when you're writing fiction the reason for 'showing' is to fully engage the reader with the story, but that 'telling' is important for details which need to be imparted but which the reader would not be interested in being shown in detail (eg, 'It was late in the evening..'

This seems absolutely right, Deb. The main things not to 'tell' are about the characters, their personalities, etc. But doing some telling to scene-set or to advance the action is not only admissible but inescapable. It's getting the balance right that's tricky, I reckon.

Rosy

I agree about the balance, yes.

I also think that, when starting out, it can be tempting to tell too much because it's often quicker and easier than showing.

I know we've often talked about this on WW, but I do dislike dictatorial mantras that are bandied around about writing technique, esp when they are only partly true and can be so misleading! I think it's potentially very damaging to new writers, who can spend years clinging to such 'rules' without realising their weaknesses.

Deb

I think it's a matter of balance, and I hate the mantra 'show don't tell' because it's misleading.

I think the point of balance is very important. I have been rewriting a story for a competition using the show and tell point as my main editing tool. What I don't want to do now is go too far the other way.
Hopefully I will get the balance right, if not it has to be better than it was before, doesn't it?
As always the advice here has been really helpful, thank you everyone.
Take care
Tracy

Best of luck, Tracy...

Deb

Thank you.

This thread has been really helpful, thanks everyone. 'Show don't tell' has been the bane of my life at times - I have thought I have cracked and then when a friend has read it she has said I was telling - needless to say it makes me want to scream! I have come to the conclusion that there is a great deal about this idea that is subjective. I suppose it's like most things, individuals will interpret things in their own way. Having said that I can recall some books with pages and pages of description that was so dreadully dull I wanted to cry! I am not sure this post actually adds anything to the discussion but I thought I would chime in with my erratic thoughts anyway.

Lixxy

I have come to the conclusion that there is a great deal about this idea that is subjective.

I think this is true. It's partly a matter of taste, and context. Fairy tales are very tell-y, for instance, but we positively expect it.

The key seems to me to learn to understand the difference, not put a blanket prohibition on 'tell'. If you really absorb and understand the underlying whys and wherefores, you'll find yourself using what's best for the context for your writing. But it'll always be a matter of taste in the reader too - all you as the writer can do is get it right for yourself.

Emma

The key seems to me to learn to understand the difference

Emma,
That would definitely help. I have to admit this is seriously taking the pleasure out of writing for me at the moment. However, about five minutes ago 'Solutions for Writers' by Sol Stein arrived from Amazon, so hopefully that will help a little or preferably a lot!

Take care
Tracy

Tracy,I've just got 'Self-Editing for Fiction Writers' - very high review rating on Amazon and though I haven't started reading it yet, the blurb on the back says it's worth reading just for the section on Show and Tell. Susiex

Tracy, I gather the Sol Stein's very good, so I hope it helps!

I know I've said it before on WW, but I think there's almost an inevitable stage, when you first have pointed out to you a new technique or way of thinking about what you write, when it makes the writing worse. It's the ugly-duckling stage, when you understand it in principle, but you haven't internalised it to the point where the right thing happens naturally. It's a bit like when you're first learning to spell, say, and you can either worry hard and spell words right, or get scribbling a story, but not both. But eventually the spelling sinks in to the point where you don't have to think about it, and you get scribbling and it (almost) all comes out spelled correctly.

Emma

Sol Stein also wrote Solutions for Novelists which I can recommend for those who have already finished their first draft.

Sol Stein also wrote Solutions for Novelists which I can recommend for those who have already finished their first draft.

Naomi,
The book seems to have two different titles I think. Either that or there's one for novelists and one for writers!!!
I started reading 'Solutions for Writers' last night and I have to say it is brilliant. So helpful. I'm on page 61 and already I'd recommend it to anyone.

I've just got 'Self-Editing for Fiction Writers' - very high review rating on Amazon and though I haven't started reading it yet, the blurb on the back says it's worth reading just for the section on Show and Tell. Susiex

Suzie,
I shall go and have a look at this too. I have a huge re-write to do and will need all the help I can get.

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice on this.
Take care
Tracy

Yes, they are two books, Tracy. The first one - Solutions for Writers, takes the writer through the process of constructing a novel.
The next book, Solutions for Novelists, goes through the most common mistakes found in completed manuscripts, and discusses the editing stage - the author is a professional editor as well as being a published novelist.
I particluarly like the examples he uses in the second book to show where mistakes have occurred.
(Although including extracts from his own novels as 'the correct way to do it' does get rather tiresome after a while.)
I particuarly like the chapter about looking at your storyline in terms of 'scenes' (rather than Chapters, as there can be several scenes per chapter), and making each scene justify it's position in the book - advising writers to delete or rewrite the weak scenes to improve the overall plot structure.

- NaomiM

NB. Susan Hill wrote an interesting piece in her blog about Show v's Tell, which should put some peoples minds at rest.

http://blog.susan-hill.com/blog/CREATIVEWRITINGCOURSE/_archives/2007/10/31/3325634.html