Show and Tell: an ekphrastic craft workshop on how to paint the picture in poetry and fiction
On Zoom.
Tuesday September 17, 2024
3 to 5 pm est
You've heard it in every writing class and craft article since you were wee. It's the one rule every writer knows. "Show, don't tell." If even the most seasoned writers have trouble implementing this important instruction in their work, it's natural that the rest of us worry and look for ways to make our work vivid and visual for our readers.
But how? Aren't excess description and too many adjectives also faux pas?
Relax. In this craft workshop, we will sort out once and for all what "show, don't tell" means. We will look at some examples and discuss how well they work. We will look at some practical tips for seamlessly integrating the visual into our fiction and poetry. We'll go over some ways to use visual art and ekphrasis to make "showing" second nature. We'll do some fun exercises to get our sentences and ideas on the right path. And finally, we'll talk about the obvious: writing is story telling. Whether you are writing poetry, short stories, or creative nonfiction, you must tell the story. That's what words are for. From this day forward, the mantra is changed: show AND tell.