7 Ways to Master “Show, Don’t Tell”

By Laurence MacNaughton, @LMacNaughton

Part of the How They Do It Series (Contributing Author)

“Show, Don’t Tell” is probably the most often-repeated writing advice in the world. It means that you shouldn't dump a load of information in the middle of the page, because it will stop your story dead. But it's easy to fix that problem, if you know how.

Here are seven different ways that you can unobtrusively slip information (also known as exposition) into your story without raising any red flags. Master these ninja exposition tricks, and you’ll never struggle with “Show, Don’t Tell” again.

Trick #1: Action
The most exciting way to bury exposition is to cover it with action. If your characters are fighting for their lives, ducking for cover, or engaged in a high-speed pursuit, the reader's adrenaline will be pounding. That's the perfect opportunity to slip in your exposition under the radar.
Read more »Written by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com