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LearningTranscript
00:00Oh, never mind, I'll show you.
00:04Why do you need this raincoat anyway?
00:06You're not thinking of going outside in this weather.
00:08Well, you're on your own. There's no way I'm going out there.
00:11Dear Tim and Moby,
00:13In writing, you're supposed to show, not tell.
00:16What does that mean?
00:18Well, it means that you're supposed to show, not tell.
00:21You're supposed to show, not tell.
00:23You're supposed to show, not tell.
00:25You're supposed to show, not tell.
00:27You're supposed to show, not tell.
00:29What does that mean?
00:31From Foggy.
00:35I don't know how you talked me into this.
00:37Anyway, show, not tell.
00:39Writing's a powerful thing.
00:41When you write, you can tell your readers about a situation,
00:44helping them understand something that maybe they've never seen before.
00:47Well, the concept of showing and not telling takes it a step further.
00:51Really good writing goes beyond simply explaining something,
00:54and making you feel like you saw it for yourself, that you smelled it, touched it,
00:57like you yourself were there.
00:59When you show your readers what you're talking about instead of just telling them,
01:02you give them a sense of place, and feeling, and experience.
01:06I get excited about this stuff, so what?
01:08Anyway, it's true.
01:10If you wanted to describe what it's like to be outside right now, what would you say?
01:19Okay, Tim and I were outside.
01:22The weather was bad.
01:24It was cold and windy.
01:26That's... that's accurate.
01:29The thing is, you're just telling people what you see and feel, instead of showing them.
01:34Well, if I were writing a story about this, I would say...
01:38Mmm...
01:40We were greeted by a blast of icy wind as Moby dragged me out the front door.
01:44My thin raincoat offered little protection from the hard sheets of rain
01:48that fell from the dark, turbulent sky.
01:51I hovered in the clammy air, longing for the dry warmth of my living room.
01:57Well, that's sort of the point, to make it feel like you're actually there.
02:00I tried to make it really active by bringing in as many sensory experiences and feelings as I could.
02:06Plus, you are actually there.
02:08Saying that we were greeted by a blast of icy wind
02:11gives the reader a lot more information than just saying,
02:13It was windy.
02:15The hard sheets of rain gives you an idea of how much rain is actually falling,
02:18and with how much force.
02:20Everyone knows that you only shiver when it's really cold,
02:23and that last bit about wanting to be inside gives you a good sense of my state of mind.
02:28Yes.
02:29Yes, I'm amazing. Can we go inside now?
02:33Sure, you can have another try.
02:35Why don't you describe the experience of sitting on the couch, drying off with a towel?
02:47Finally!
02:49Hey, Moby!