Show, don't Tell -- with focus on "show" (Part I)

a Foundational post

My sons and I in Canterbury ruins…

For those who are new to The Unschool, this photo indicates a “foundational” post—something that is basic to writing (and always worthy of a re-visit by those who regularly write, too). In the annual Indexes, you’ll find this photo and under it, a listing of such posts.

Show, Don’t Tell

Is one of those axioms so readily, eagerly, annoyingly (yes!) trotted out in writing workshops—and by agents and editors, too—that we can start to tune it out. Yet it remains a key piece of rich writing that connects with the reader. Why?

Halfway through writing this post, I realized—not for the first time—how deep a topic this is. I’m breaking it in two, and will post the “Telling” piece on its own within a week. “Telling” always gets the short end, yet in truth we write a lot of “telling,” so I want to explore it thoroughly.

There’s always some mystery though, as to what this is about, how it works, how to nurture it in your own work. Maybe mostly: How important is it…?

Questions

One of the Unschool writers sent me the following list of solid questions around this subject.

1) What are the clues to look for in the writing as to whether one is showing or telling?  What sort of words are indicators? How can one make the shift?

2) Are there ever times when telling is acceptable or even preferred in writing or is it always considered undesirable. (This I will deal with in more detail in Part II.)

3) How can I get more inside my characters to show rather than tell? 

4) Are there any exercises to train oneself to be aware of the differences?

5) is it more difficult to “show” when writing in third person POV?