Writing 101: Show Don't Tell

  Hi, Musing Matt here, today we're going to talk about the basics of writing some more. There is a literary concept that continues to be either overlooked or ignored by lazy/talentless writers. The concept in question is the idea of "show don't tell." It applies to all mediums of literature (we'll be focusing books, movies/tv, and games for the purpose of simplicity) and can mean the difference between top notch story telling and insulting the intelligence of your audience. The idea behind the rule is that showing the reader/watcher/player what you want them to know is more effective than telling them. The biggest offenders of the show don't tell rule are broadly aimed Hollywood releases and amateur writers. Interesting right?
  Each literary medium deals with the concept in their own unique ways. For books there is only one thing to focus on and that's the writing. All you have to do is make sure that you writing demonstrating what you're trying to get across and not simply telling them. It takes some practice and thought but its not difficult once you figure out what you're doing.
  Movies/tv, on the other hand, provide the easiest way to get this concept right, considering the nature of that particular visual medium. All you need is good actors, talented writers, and a director who knows how to work with them. Good actors can use their facial expressions, body language, and vocal tones to convey much more than just what they are saying (or not saying as the case may have it). Here is a simple example of this rule put in action:

 

Its Called Perspective People

  Hi, Musing Matt here and boy have I been busy. These past two week have been that time of every spring semester just before spring break. It is during this time that the apparently masochistic teachers try to cram as many assignments and exams as possible. But now its spring break for the next week and that means- diddly squat. I will still be going to work and working on assignments for school. The only difference is that I don't have to work quite as vehemently.
  Anyway, the topic for today is one that annoys me to no end. Ignorance. One of its more recent manifestations revealed itself to me in an article on http://www.escapistmagazine.com/. It is, among other things, a gaming news site and I spend a fair amount of time there. Last week I found the article in question and after reading it, I sighed then got really angry as the implications of what was said hit me. 

Here is a link to the article: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116231-Family-Values-Groups-Launch-Email-Campaign-Against-BioWare.

Writing 101: Story and Plot

  Hi, Musing Matt here and today we're going to talk about some basics of writing. But first, I need to digress a little. You see this is my fourth post and I have said very little to nothing about myself, and since I had a very busy week and was, therefore, unable to gather resources for a full article, this should help pad it out.

Steadman

  As you already have been able to suss out, my name is Matt. I study literature and writing at the University of Montevallo. I read a lot of books, mainly science fiction novels. Right now my favorite artists are Kurt Vonnegut, Issac Asimov, and Chuck Palahniuk. (Don't worry, Michael Crichton and Orson Scott Card, you will always have a special place in my heart.) My favorite artists are Ralph Steadman (http://www.ralphsteadman.com/) and Terry Strickland (http://www.terrystricklandart.com/). They have two very distinctly different styles but I enjoy both the photo-realistic beauty of Strickland and the harsh chaos of Steadman. I also enjoy a good movie. Some of my favorite filmmakers are David Fincher and Christopher Nolan and I've really been enjoying the films that Marvel Studios has been releasing. (Looking forward to "The Avengers" this summer.) There are other filmmakers whose work I enjoy but those two stick out in my mind the most. I play a lot of video games as well. My two favorite developers are Bethesda and Bioware. (Love me some RPGs) Now, to get a little more personal, I am a happily married man and my house is filled with cats, chinchillas, and dogs. My wife and I are both Christian and we try to show God's love to everyone. (Admittedly it is harder on some days than others.) Ok, that's enough personal info for now. I might divulge more later.