Description - Showing Not Telling

Isadora Duncan
http://www.peopleplayuk.org.uk
Writers develop characters through both direct and indirect characterization. Although some direct characterization - telling straight out information about a character - is necessary to provide background or an introduction, indirect characterization allows the reader to get to know the character in a deeper and more meaningful way. Very much like meeting people in "real life," we may start with some basic information such as "he's nice" or "she's conceited," but then we end up learning more as we get to know the person through the way he or she reveals him or herself.

Indirect characterization reveals character in five ways:

• appearance
• words
• actions
• thoughts
• reactions of other characters

Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, when it comes to describing a character, it is always more effective to show rather than tell. You can easily say directly that a person is nice or mean or funny, but it is much more effective to show through indirect characterization how people reveal those things about themselves. The followng prompt is designed to help show a character through his or her appearance, actions, words, and reactions of others. Since you are writing nonfiction right now, it isn't likely that you will be able to reveal the character's thoughts, unless that person has revealed them to you.

Prompt:

• Think of someone who has always been important to you. Don't censure – use the first person who comes to mind.


• Think about the unique characteristics and traits this person has. What would you tell someone this person IS that makes him or her important to you?


• Now think of one incident or event you remember sharing together that illustrates this person's characteristics and shows how he or she is the kind of person you've described.


• Freewrite your ideas, keeping in mind that you want to show how this person is what you say, using various methods of indirect characterization to back up your direct characterization

Assignment:

You will choose between this exercise and tomorrow's exercise, "Description - Drawing Conclusions" to write a 250 word brief narrative piece to post on your blog. Please see your weekly assignment sheet for details