You can’t just tell the reader the emotion your character is experiencing, you have to show them. You do this by creating images using bricks of significant detail. God and the devil are in the detail.
As Strunk and White wrote in The Elements Of Style, “if those who have studied the art of writing are in accord on one point it is on this: the surest way to arouse and hold the reader is to be specific, definite and concrete. The greatest writers are effective largely because they deal in particulars and report the details that matter.”
So when you write, ground the writing in bricks of detail that evoke the emotion your character is experiencing. Detail is the lifeblood of all good fiction.
To quote Hemingway, “let action speak for itself, without telling readers how to respond, what to feel, how to judge. Let images convey meaning. If action is portrayed truly and precisely, using only its essential elements, then readers, without being told how, will respond emotionally as the writer intended.”
So when writing, show the reader, don’t tell them. Go for the detail and be specific. Not car, but EH Holden with double overhead cam and foxtail hanging from the rear-view mirror. Not co-dependent, neurotic man, but Harry, who runs to the refrigerator for his wife, thinking she wants an apple, when she is headed for the gas stove to light her cigarette.
The Process
In the following four exercises, just focus on writing. Getting the words down onto the page. You will do this by following the three basic rules. Keep your pen moving, capture first thoughts and let yourself write junk.
Write for ten minutes
When doing these exercises, we recommend you write for at least ten minutes per exercise. Once you start, don’t stop until the time is up – even if you write, yuck, yuck, I’m stuck, stuck. Keep writing until the words start flowing again.
Keeping your pen moving and letting your pen do the thinking will cause your conscious mind to make way for your imagination. This will kick in when you least expect it and you will surprise yourself with what comes out of the writing.
The exercises
Come up with a character. Give them a first and second name, an age, a job description and a relationship status.
For example, Duncan Latrobe, 15, student, single.
Try to get into your character’s mind, body and spirit and write the exercises below from their point of view. You can use different characters for different exercises or stick with the same one for all four. It is totally up to you.
Remember when you are writing there is no right or wrong. The only failure if you want to write is not writing.
Exercise 1
Think of a scene from nature. See the scene from your character’s point of view and describe the scene using bricks of detail.
Exercise 2
Imagine your character walks into a party. Describe the party from your character’s point of view using bricks of detail.
Exercise 3
Imagine your character is at the party and they see someone who intimidates them. Describe that person from your character’s point of view using bricks of detail.
Exercise 4
Think of something your character loves. Imagine a scene where someone is trying to take it away from them. Write that scene from your character’s point of view, focusing on the bricks of detail.
Roland Fishman created The Writers’ Studio in 1992. The Writers’ Studio runs live courses at their studio in Bronte, Sydney and online courses for all locations. Visit www.writerstudio.com.au for course information.
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