Things no one talks about or how ‘show don’t tell’ kills your writing?
Well, that’s pretty funny, yeah? The most powerful and useful tip of all times is now killing stories? Huh? Okay, okay, let me show you how using ‘show don’t tell’ can make your stories worse and your readers struggle.
So, we all know that writing is a process of our own, where we all put efforts in. We write for hours, excited about the idea that came to us late at midnight. We are so proud to share it with people, to give them our sparkle to let them feel the same we feel. We want them to understand and live through every single bit of our imagination. And that’s where the killing starts.
‘Show don’t tell’ sounds in our head when we write the fifth paragraph of how she is pouring the tea into her cup, starting with her boots stepping over the threshold and finishing with the kettle info from the box of when/where/how/by whom/which batch/material/resources/country/fertilizers/soil/seed – wait, what was I even writing about? Sounds familiar?
Yes, that’s too much ‘show’. Too many details about the origin of her coat that she hung on the hook, too many details about the tea plantations that it grew on, too many details about the wood her table was made of… Well, if it makes sense for the story it’s okay. But if this is just a linking scene - man, I’m both proud and scared of you.
So, what’s bad in overshowing? There’s no such a thing as too many descriptions, right? Yes, but if there’s no final point - that’s just a babbling nonsense that wastes everyone’s time. Why do you describe the origin of her coat? To someone who is good at fabrics to compliment it? Why do you need the tea plantations description? For her to buy one because she’s a tea expert? Why do you need the name of that specific resin smell? To awaken the memories? Why?
Why did you describe it? What’s the reason? Why is it important to know? Why should the reader know it? There must be the peak, the point, the idea you’re leading us to. If there’s no idea there’s no sense of showing then. Unless it’s just a specific writing style to achieve some sort of comic effect.
Readers want to feel, they want to live, they want to touch the story - to grab it with their hand and disappear in it completely. They need something to look for, something to wait for, something to catch and never let it go. There must be the conclusion, the point, the reason, the climax of what they’ve just read. If there’s only beating around the bush - it’s a waste.
It’s a waste for both, readers and writers. Too time-consuming, too slow paced, too exhausting, too hard-to-follow and thus too bad. There should be an emotional catharsis that will burst all the feelings the reader consumed while reading and prepare them for the new part. Don’t make your readers struggle with getting their literary climax. Don’t kill your stories with ‘show’ and no ‘tell’. Tell. Tell as much as you can. And you will see how your stories turn into something bigger.
Things no one talks about or how do the ✨cool✨ ideas in our heads ruin our writing?
A short guide for those, who always struggle with a bunch of WIPs
Wow, wow, this is such a cool idea and it came to me only after my fifty-sixtish WIP, I should work on it!
No way, I could also write it that way, I should start a new story, that’s so inspiring!
Oh My God, that’s gonna be a banger!
We all have them in our heads, okay? These intrusive thoughts that ask us to take and write that cool and niche and amazing and incredibly powerful story that has just appeared out of nowhere at the backyard. No-no-no, Mr Fish, you won’t go there. And here’re 10 reasons why.
I know, writing can be challenging, and all these ideas that we want to write are - unfortunately - not always the ideas worth writing. Most likely you’ll never get rid of them, they will always come to you no matter what. If you struggle with a bunch of new stuff coming up to your mind, here’s your guide of whether to start them or not.
You don’t know the ending - nope. Nah-nah-nah. Don’t even try. I know, yes! I can see your face now, I can see the ‘but just how perfectly that scene in the cafe looks like’ in your eyes, but hold tight! Ideas are born super easily, real stories need time to process and if you have good imagination you may find the way further and think of the things that may happen up to the end of the story. It’s important, because if you see the end of the story and your brain feels satisfied - it was just a mirage. You have to imagine the ending to understand if you want to write the story or not. Maybe it’s just a regular Friday delusion that needs to live it through your brain for 15 min and then rest in peace. Your brain will trick you into even bigger plot dramas just so you don’t have this finale.
Hype - fandom spaces are fun, and sometimes the idea is so viral that you might also think ‘wow, I want to write this too’. Nah, you don’t. You just like the arts and short snippets made by others, but is it really the story you want to write?
You have a lot of WIPs and then suddenly you’ve got a totally awesome idea that should turn the world upside down? Most likely, you’re just tired from what you’re working on and that’s your sign to stop writing and do something else. These things usually come to your mind when you have problems with your current project/projects. If you’re stuck and ideas flow into your head like someone is pouring - it’s time to touch the grass.
The idea is just a newborn baby - okay, we have the ending, we have the idea, everything seems perfect, no other thoughts, no other ideas. ‘Yes, that’s it,’ you think. ‘Nope,’ I say in whisper. Give your imagination time to cool off. The aftertaste can stay with you for a little longer, but if on a regular Tuesday out of a blue moon you ✨suddenly✨ think it would be nice to write that story that you had in your head a few weeks ago before sleep - that is something. Think about it a bit next Sunday.
You have the completely opposite idea than your main story - it’s a sign to get yourself a bar of chocolate. No, not to drink it with the tea and daydream, but to enjoy it yourself. If your story has one main line of angst or fluff, it’s okay you may have opposite ideas. Writing one thing for a long time can be exhausting, but it doesn’t mean you should start a new story! Just chill a bit and watch this perfect TV show in your head while chilling.
The idea is cool, the characters are not yet, but I’ll make them later - nope. This game is too abstract. And it’s not about ‘yes, I have this pairing, what else should I do’ it’s about real characters. If you adjust the plot to your characters (e.g. ah yeeeah that’s so cool he’s so masculine I’ll make him fight and win and give him the opponent that is inherently weaker and so he will kick them with one left) that’s not it. Your plot doesn’t have to be perfect for your characters, they could lose, they could be weak, they could be scared or chickened. If this is not what’s happening - your characters are just figures living through your idea.
✨Feedback✨ - I’ll write this story and it has such a good premise that people will most likely fall for it forever and I’ll get 100+ comments, 500+ kudos and a lot of appreciation. If you think only about that - you will be disappointed and frustrated. Wanting and waiting for feedback is okay, but writing to get feedback is not.
This new thing looks so good, I should try it - yes you do, but have you done this before? Vampires or sci-fi may only look fun, but if this is your first ever attempt - it’s better to be prepared and do a lot of research. Otherwise, the story will most likely be a complete mess as you dive in and face a lot of struggles with this or that, which in turn could lead to the plot holes and weak points.
I need to rewrite the sentence, the paragraph, the passage, the chapter, the whole story - no you don’t. It’s another magic trick that’s getting you out. You need to calm down. The words are not wording? Maybe it’s not the day for that perfectionist inside you. Let them enjoy something else - the further the better - apart from your story.
The idea struck me right in the middle of my homework, but when I got to writing it vanished - hello another magic trick of your brain. It’s getting better at distracting you from different things. Having creativity burst doesn’t often mean there’s a good idea. Sometimes it’s just for fun to reduce stress and make you feel more comfortable.
As you see there are a lot of things that really really distract us from actual writing. The main purpose of the post is ‘don’t rush’. Your stories will definitely find you as well as your readers. Take your time and remember that nothing is more exciting than the understanding of the finally finished project.
Things no one talks about or what makes smut look amateurish?
Lube, prep or protection? Should I even bother?
Well, despite we all come to smut to read the idea of our blorbos getting together and doing things, the preparations are still important and vary from character to character and situation to situation. Established and long relationships most likely would have everything done and ready, you only need to mention it or give a little hint. First-time things should be done more carefully, building the trust between them. So, yes, you should bother, but not too much when it’s not necessary and quite enough when it comes to the specific situations.
Endless stamina, fast recovery and no clean up - magic ✨
Sexual intercourse is maybe the most realistic thing that can happen anywhere in any universe no matter how well and cool the magic is. But still, speaking about reality, no one could have it 3-4 hours in a row, no one is able to withstand round by round without any doping or special effects. They are alive, they should behave like real characters. Even if the effects last long, there would definitely be mess and just ignoring it or not giving it a chance of ✨disappearing✨ would make all the process feel unrealistic.
Let’s cum together! or I climax every time you touch me
That’s not even possible physically. Everyone needs time to get aroused and feel something, unless the character has magic hands 🙌. And even long-lasting couples cannot sometimes come together, and that’s okay. It doesn’t need to be perfectly synchronized, it needs to be real.
Sounds and dirty talks
Usually people can talk during sex. They can ask their partners for something or they can say if they like it or not. They don’t need to only moan or groan as well as dirty talking. Too many similar noises make the process weird as well as too much dirty speaking connected to each movement could easily distract and make the reader think about words, not about process.
✨Size kink✨
In most cases ‘how long’ doesn’t matter at all. Moreover, not all people are sitting there with the hall of fame and estimating if the size is good enough to fulfill their desires.
Favorite missionary or where’s my third hand?
Sex is about diversity. People get bored of doing things in the same manner all the time. They want to explore different sides, areas, places. It’s okay to let him be down (for god’s sake) and let her lead. Also, do not forget that people have two hands, two legs and one torso. They can’t pat hair with one hand, hug with the other and somehow stroke hips.
It’s always perfect✨
No matter what they did, they both climaxed and had the best time of their life. Shit can happen. Sometimes the excitement can fade after they change the pose or location. Sometimes there could be no mood. Sometimes it’s just a hard day. It doesn’t need to be always overwhelming and something incredible - let it be real from time to time.
Fo now that’s all, if you have any questions - ask me button is up there, thanks for your time!
Hi there! It’s my blog for sharing my own thoughts about writing. I write on A03 and I sometimes share some tips, ideas, motivation or related thoughts and feelings. All of them are my personal unpopular opinion, but if you found it helpful or it resonated with you somehow, I’d be glad to know ;)
Popular posts:
Tips for writing fanfiction for the first time
Level up your writing: #levelupyourwriting
Things no one talks about: #thingsnononetalksabout
Also, I’m a huge lover of a/b/o dynamics and omegaverse. I love and adore m/m ships as well as original BL romances. I can talk a lot about it, and I’m now working on the story of mine. So, feel free to ask any questions about those topics as well.
Anyway, have fun, enjoy and feel free to ask any questions!
NOTE: Everything I write is not a professional bit of advice, just my thoughts and opinions, though it can be helpful. Thanks!
