《Writers Digest {A Writing Guide}》Chapter Six ~ WRS [White Room Syndrome] & Show vs. Tell
Advertisement
Welcome to the sixth and final chapter of this guide.
WRS: A situation where a story is action and dialogue but no real description of the setting.
WRS occurs when the author fails at giving any detail of the setting. I don't see it happen quite often but I do see it, so its real. A way to prevent this from happening in your book is to give details of the setting here in there in the story. Here's an example of what it should be:
The moon cast shadows on the deserted path.
It made this graveyard seem scary, but it wasn't.
It was peaceful, quiet, and far from scary.
Okay that was kind of terrible but it's not like I'm running a library or something. This example brings us to our next topic: Show vs. Tell.
Show vs. Tell: When some tells the setting in stead of showing it.
Telling = It was night at the graveyard and the path was deserted.
Showing = The moon cast shadows on the empty path.
Now do you see the difference?
No?
Okay we'll keep going then, the way you can tell between showing and telling is by detecting your sentence. WARNING ACTUAL DEFINITIONS BELOW
Telling: To announce or proclaim.
Showing: To present or perform
So you see, a lot of times people will mix the to up and end up telling when really you should be showing.
Well, I am sad to say that this but, this is the end of our tour. I enjoyed touring with all of you and I hoped I helped you in some sort of way. See y'all later!
Advertisement
- In Serial77 Chapters
The Demon Lord's Seal
Five thousand years ago Derek Thorne's namesake helped to seal the Demon Lord. For five thousand years his clan has continued to maintain the tenets of their founder. They have maintained the ways of the Demon Warrior, using holy magic and their ancestor's techniques to defeat the Demons of the Hell's Gate Mountains. They are an ancient family and they have the hubris to match. When Derek leaves the mountains, he encounters a world where ninety percent of the population believes demons to be mere myth. The rest imagine the stories to be overhyped nonsense. Cut off from clan, what will Derek make of himself in this world?This story has been dropped.Edit: Thanks to Jean D. Racc for the alternate cover. Thanks to the readers for voting on it.
8 130 - In Serial195 Chapters
High-Class Mob
As Leo opened his eyes, he found himself in the body that is not his. Colt Edgeworth is a man with little to no information in the story Sword of Heaven. The character Colt Edgeworth died in the hands of his fiancé after experiencing some stabby-stabby action. And that is who Leo had become. ‘I am in a world that has magic, different technology, customs, races, and Gods actually do shit, and I have a woman who loves me but also wants to turn me into swiss cheese...’ He looked at the mirror, contemplated his fate, and came to a single conclusion... ‘So be it, I’ll try living.’ Note: This is my first time writing and English is not my first language, so there are mistakes, I only managed to Re-edit [Volume-1 Chapter 1 - 20], please tell me about the mistakes. The cover is not mine, I just saw it and thought it was awesome...all rights reserve to the original creator Kolsga https://www.deviantart.com/kolsga/art/Drake-571265818
8 505 - In Serial9 Chapters
The New Mythology - The Wright War
A Dark Age has fallen over the world. Psychic monsters hide from guardian gods and prey upon the suffering of mortals. Two wrights, divine craftsmen, arise to save mortals and gods, but their ensuing mythical arms race threatens all the realms.
8 366 - In Serial166 Chapters
Immortal World
Born into a world of magic, it is a right of passage to join the ranks of adventurers, for a time. Eighteen is the age we all must choose where we begin. All paths wind and branch with every choice we make. Adventure and intrigue follow as we learn what it really means to be immortal. Aster Datura is excited to begin his journey into a world of magic and reconnect with his friends, after a tumultuous final year of education. Graduation, though turns out not what he or his friends expect, throwing everything he once believed into question, including his standing with his friends. Minds still spinning, he and his team travel to the city of An La Notre, to pick there classes that will follow them forever. Uncertain, of what to do, Aster picks a class that isolates him even further, though he feels it is what he could do best to help his team. Even if he has to do it from the shadows. The shadows, it turns out, hide many more secrets. He is just begging to scratch the surface.
8 322 - In Serial13 Chapters
The Chronicles of The Green wizard
Garion Greensleeves always was an oddity. The first son of High-Wizard Garius Greensleeves and Adricor, a Noble woman of well renown, he would of stood to inherit much. However, on the night of his first full moon, as a baby he disappeared from his cot. His parents, after much frantic searching, found the babe crying in a small clearing of trees, a large feline creature pacing defensively around him, the bloodied corpse of a fox resting at its feet. As the parents approached, the beast transformed into a small owl and flew around the clearing before perching on a low branch of a tree nearby. From this moment on Garion's fate had been decided. Only those with magical blood could be capable of calling out to such a being as this. As Garion grew older, the transforming creature remained by his side. Wizards from all the continents visited the glade to see the child who had bound a familiar to his will as a babe. At age seven, Garion left his home glade and travelled the world studying to become a recognised guilded wizard. After many years he was granted the title of Wizard and was sent forth to advise, learn and ponder on behalf of the guild. After a while, Garion was assigned to a small nation within the vast continent mainly populated by man-folk known as The Patchwork kingdoms.
8 74 - In Serial40 Chapters
Player of Trials
Our main character, Leon, dies in an unfortunate event. But it was not an end for him. After his death, he founds himself in a weird place. A system pops up and gives him trials. But what are these trials and why he needs to complete them? Who created this place and what is his intention? With each trial, he gets stronger and stronger. But most importantly, what he will do after he gained unstoppable power? I will also be posting this novel on Webnovel. (The cover's background image doesn't belong to me. So, if anyone knows the artist, let me know and I will credit them.)
8 139

