TELLING BY USING UNNECESSARY HELPING VERBS Bob went striding down the street. (Showing: Bob strode down the street.) Bob was flying down the street. (Showing: Bob flew down the street.) Bob used to hustle down the street. (Showing: Today, Bob dawdled down the street.) It’s easy to get “writerly,” adding unnecessary words that slow down the readers’ experience of being the character. Writerly extra words draw attention to themselves.
