Show don't tell - it's too emotional... by Joy Margetts

 

My work in progress is in the copy editing stage. Which for anyone who has been there, you know how painful that can be. You have written your heart out, and your precious words are innocently sitting there on the page, ready to be judged, altered, corrected, or even cut completely. It’s not an easy process, but it is necessary. I know it will be worth it in the end.

I love writing, but I sometimes fall into bad habits, that are instantly picked up by an eagle-eyed editor. One such habit, is 'showing not telling'. I have been picked up so many times on this one, and for a long time didn’t really understand what it was I was doing ‘wrong’. Then a good writer friend recommended a book to me. You might already know it. It is ‘The Emotion Thesaurus’ by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi*. It bears the magnificent subtitle of ‘A Writer’s guide to Character Expression’. You see, apparently it is not alright to keep saying that my character was a happy chap, or even that he grinned a lot. This book makes it possible to describe a person’s feelings and temperament in a lot more varied ways. Words that paint a picture for the reader (show), rather than just telling them bluntly. It helps to engage the reader more, apparently.

The Emotion Thesaurus is gold, and has already been well used in this household. How about if we do a fun exercise with it? I will give you five descriptions of a behaviour or a physical manifestation, as stated in the book, and you just have to guess what emotion that character might be displaying. 

Up for it? Here goes:                                             (Answers at the end**)

1.      Blinking back tears or crying at little provocation              

               

      2.       Stuttering or stammering as one tries to respond

 

      3.       Speaking through the teeth with forced restraint

 

      4.       Maintain a vacant look while staring off into space

 

      5.       Repeating back what was said as a question        

 

I have just realised that all five of the above statements are worryingly familiar, so whatever answers you have come up with, you could quite accurately replace all five with ‘menopausal woman writer trying to edit her manuscript whilst being constantly interrupted’.

Seriously, though, as hard as it is to find the right words to describe how our characters feel, it can sometimes be even harder to voice how we feel about ourselves and our work. So let’s go where the truth is always to be found, so beautifully written. 

But you are God’s chosen treasure—priests who are kings,  a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience His marvelous light, and now He claims you as His very own. He did this so that you would broadcast His glorious wonders throughout the world. For at one time you were not God’s people, but now you are. At one time you knew nothing of God’s mercy, because you hadn’t received it yet, but now you are drenched with it! 

     1 Peter 2:9 -10 (The Passion Translation)

*The Emotional Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression, Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi, (Second Edition) ISBN 9780999296349

**Answers: 1. Moody 2. Intimidated 3. Frustrated 4. Powerless or lacking ability 5. Confused

Joy Margetts has loved writing for as long as she can remember. A retired nurse, mother of two, and a new grandparent, she also has a lifelong interest in history, and loves the Word of God. She makes her home on the beautiful North Wales coast.

Her debut novel 'The Healing', a work of Christian historical fiction, was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. Joy has also self published a short novella, 'The Beloved' as both a companion to 'The Healing', and as an easy to read standalone story, which is available on Amazon Kindle. Her second full length novel 'The Pilgrim' is due for publication by Instant Apostle in July 2022

More information on Joy and her writing, and her personal blog, can be found here www.joymargetts.com