What are some writing exercises to practice showing not telling?

What are some writing exercises to practice showing not telling?

Here are a few exercises you can try:

1. Sensory Details: Write a paragraph describing a scene using all five senses. Focus on what can be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and felt.
2. Character Emotions: Instead of stating a character is sad, show it through their actions and dialogue. Write a scene where a character receives bad news and illustrate their reaction without explicitly saying they are sad.
3. Dialogue-Only Scene: Write a scene using only dialogue. This forces you to convey emotions and actions through what the characters say and how they say it.
4. Object Description: Choose an object and describe it in a way that reveals its significance to a character without stating it directly.
5. Rewrite a Scene: Take a scene from a book or movie that tells rather than shows and rewrite it to show the emotions and actions instead.

Can you give me an example of the character emotions exercise?

Sure! Let's say your character just lost a job. Instead of writing, "John was devastated," you could show his emotions like this:

"John stared at the email, his hands trembling as he gripped the edge of the table. The coffee cup slipped from his fingers, shattering on the floor. He didn’t even flinch. Instead, he sat there, eyes glazed, as the world outside his window blurred into a haze of gray."

This way, the reader can feel John's devastation through his actions and the atmosphere.

What if I want to show happiness instead?

Great question! For happiness, you might write something like:

"As soon as the news hit, Sarah's face lit up like the morning sun. She jumped up from her chair, laughter bubbling up as she spun around the room, her arms wide open. The scent of fresh flowers filled the air, and she couldn’t help but dance a little, her heart racing with joy."

This description conveys her happiness through her actions and the vivid imagery around her.

How can I incorporate more sensory details into my writing?

To incorporate more sensory details, try to engage all five senses in your descriptions. Here are some tips:

1. Visual: Describe colors, shapes, and movements. Instead of saying "the garden was beautiful," you could say, "the garden burst with vibrant reds and yellows, petals dancing in the gentle breeze."
2. Auditory: Include sounds that enhance the scene. For example, "the distant laughter of children echoed through the park, mingling with the rustle of leaves."
3. Olfactory: Use smells to evoke memories or emotions. "The aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the air, wrapping around her like a warm hug."
4. Gustatory: Describe tastes to make scenes more vivid. "The tartness of the lemon lingered on her tongue, a refreshing contrast to the sweetness of the summer day."
5. Tactile: Convey textures and sensations. "The rough bark of the tree scratched against her palm as she climbed higher, the cool breeze brushing against her skin."

Practice by focusing on one sense at a time in your writing!