by Laurie Alberts (Author)
Write vibrant scenes and essential summaries
"Show--don't tell." How many times have you heard this standard bit of writing advice? It's so common in writing courses and critiques that it has become a cliche. Writers are often told to write scenes, dramatize, cut exposition, cut summary--but it's misguided advice. The truth is good writing almost always requires both showing and telling. The trick is finding the right balance of scene and summary--the two basic components of creative prose.
Showing and Telling shows you how to employ each of these essential techniques in the appropriate places within a narrative. You'll learn how to:
- Write scenes and cut exposition
- Compress time and summarize background information
- Create graceful transitions
- Effectively inject interpretation
- And more!
Complete with examples from bestsellers and interactive exercises, this comprehensive guide offers an in-depth look at scene development, the role of reflection in storytelling, the art of summarizing, and how to bring it all together.
Author Biography
Laurie Alberts is the author of 6 books including 3 novels: The Price of Land in Shelby, Lost Daughters and Tempting Fate. She has won several awards, including a Jame Michener Award. She teaches in the MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts.