I feel this class has helped me to
grow as a writer. From poetry to creative essays, I have discovered new and
unique aspects of creative writing. However, the one piece of advice I have
found most valuable is to show details in my writing rather than tell.
In fact, an English instructor once
said to me, “Show, don’t tell.” That phrase captured my attention, but I always
struggled to execute the concept. There seemed no concrete method to replace
telling with showing. This class has helped me to discover ways to move in that
direction.
Through the many creative writing
assignments, I finally comprehend that showing is a way to evoke an emotion in
your reader by using words. The writing is meant to appeal to the five senses and
make a person feel like they are actually there, experiencing what the character
is experiencing. Showing draws the reader into the story. Reflecting on the
many pieces I have read, my favorites are always the ones with vivid
descriptions: the stories that conjure an image in my mind. The pieces that “tell”
me details in a cut-and-dry manner are the ones I put down; they do not engage.
In writing, it is my goal to entertain
others. I do not want to be the author whose work is dry and uninspired. Now, I
feel I can one day reach this goal, because, each time I pick up a pencil or
set my fingers to the keyboard, I remind myself: “Show, don’t tell.”
