Ideas in writing

the stuff of writing

Why writing can be boring

Opinions based on emotions should not be trusted because there are no facts. Facts are

necessary to know whether something is

important or not.

Why writing can be boring

Opinions based on emotions should not be trusted because there are no facts. Facts are

necessary to know whether something is

important or not.

Nothing Concrete

in here

WRITE PHYSICALLY!

Concrete

Showing Tellingvs.

Showing Tellingvs.

My brother is an amazing

athlete.

Showing Tellingvs.

My brother is an amazing

athlete.

My brother can run down a cheetah, lift a small automobile over his head, and throw a baseball

into low Earth orbit.

Showing Tellingvs.

Showing Tellingvs.

Miriam is brilliant.

Showing Tellingvs.

Miriam is brilliant.

Before she was 14, Miriam had already solved the Poincare

equation, memorize pi to 1000 decimals, and

figured out how to make Hot Pockets taste

homemade.

SIGHT

SENSORYDESCRIPTION

MOVEMENT

TOUCH

TASTE/SMELL

SOUND

SIGHT

SENSORYDESCRIPTION

MOVEMENT

TOUCH

TASTE/SMELL

SOUND

Summertime Swimming

Pool

SIGHT

Metaphors"There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Ana's that

come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump

and your skin itch… Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands' necks. Anything can happen.

Metaphors“Time has not stood still. It has washed over me, washed me away, as if I’m nothing more than a woman of sand, left by a careless child

too near the water.” — The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood

Metaphors“She entered with ungainly struggle like some huge awkward chicken, torn, squawking, out

of its coop.”

— The Adventure of the Three Gables, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Stories

Advice: Be efficient

AllusionsI’ve always aspired to be a SpongeBob—always upbeat, always hopeful, always

getting into trouble with Squidward.

AllusionsI’ve always aspired to be a SpongeBob—always upbeat, always hopeful, always

getting into trouble with Squidward.

Getting better ideas

Show don’t TellGetting better ideas

Show don’t TellGetting better ideas

Metaphors

Show don’t TellGetting better ideas

MetaphorsSensory Elements

Show don’t TellGetting better ideas

MetaphorsSensory Elements

Stories

Show don’t TellGetting better ideas

MetaphorsSensory Elements

StoriesAllusions