3T Writing Tidbit

This is another in my 25 Ways You're Losing Readers (and what you can do about it) series.

Show, don't tell.

Not always.

In Biting Nixie, I showed the love develop between opposites Nixie and Julian. But one of the first criticisms was... "They never said 'I love you.'"

??? I showed it, right? Wasn't that enough?




Nope. Some readers need the words. But beware! Some readers hate the words. They already got it from the context.

A series I love recently had one character go through a traumatic separation. It was beautifully shown as the character, numb, pushed away the pain and anything to do with the situation. Some readers found her wooden and uncaring instead. ??? For those readers, throw in a quick, "She was numb, unable to deal with the horror her life had become. So she didn't. One day she would, but that time wasn't now." And move on.


For big changes, especially those that are emotionally fraught, it's safest to explicitly acknowledge the emotion before moving on.


Published since 2009, over the years I've accumulated various items of writing wisdom. The Third Tuesday Writing Tidbit showcases these items in no particular order. Click here to see all 3T Tidbits. Click here to see all 25 Ways You're Losing Readers.