It's tools, not rules, baby. This class is about interrogating a cliche writing "rule" to understand it is simply one tool of many--and exploring how its opposite has many important uses.

Jun. 20, 2026, 10am-1pm Central, Loft Classroom, Minneapolis, MN

https://loft.org/classes/craft-fiction-tell-dont-show

#WritingConversations #WritingClass #WritingCraft #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #ShowDontTell #TellDontShow #LoftLiterary

The Craft of Fiction: Tell, Don't Show

"Show, don't tell" is such standard writing advice that it's become cliche. But is it good writing advice? Well, it depends. Sometimes it's best to show. This class is about the other times. We'll look at ways telling can help you pace a story and better manage the movement of time. We'll study techniques to make summary as alive and evocative as scene. And we'll look at one of my favorite strategies—to show through telling, when the style and tone of the language puts on its own show. We'll also spend a little bit of time examining why the cliche of "show, don't tell" has been so pervasive, how all craft is culturally based, and how to be subversive about those often oppressive rules. Expect close reading of excerpts from writers such as Megan Abbott, Nnedi Okorafor, Yiyun Li, and Jamaica Kincaid. Also expect time spent writing, as we put the ideas to practical use. Please submit this request form at least two to three weeks in advance if you have any accessibility requests for this class. This class takes place in-person, at the Loft at Open Book. Please see the Loft’s website for the most up to date information about the Loft’s COVID policies.

The Loft Literary Center
Subtle Themes: Engaging Your Readers Through Character Choices - Explore Fantastical Worlds

Learn to reveal theme in your writing without preaching. Discover techniques using character, conflict, and subtext to craft powerful, meaningful stories.

Explore Fantastical Worlds

Read a few of the books after being entranced by this pitch-perfect fluffy antidote to the awfulness of our collapsing culture, and am reminded of why the short-run serial adaptation is best here—every single thought the characters have are written out, so there's nothing implied or alluded to, and no gestures beyond endless explication. Still glad these are entrancing readers, and inspired by the series, but the books don't get me the same way, alas.

#heatedrivalry #romancenovels #showdonttell

#FocusShift 👀 -> 👁️

Refreshing ✨ insightful sparkle to ones who practice Social experience design, is that from a software development point of view #SX methodology offers a #mindset change to the common sentiment seen in #FOSS that "You only count once you started coding" and related #ShowDontTell #TalkIsCheap culture.

Often its rather foolish to start coding too quickly, and show-don't-tell leaves you 🙈 without good feedback.

🪙🪙 SX grows #solutions from sticky notes.

https://coding.social

Joyful creation for the Social web

We reimagine the social web and cocreate a peopleverse.

Social coding commons

What’s More Important: Storytelling or Writing Craft?

When first learning how to write, we often focus on the skills of writing craft—grammar rules, point of view, etc.—but storytelling skills are just as important. Some might even say they’re more important. After all, we can probably think of popular…
https://writershelpingwriters.net/2025/12/whats-more-important-storytelling-or-writing-craft/

#Characters #Pacing #PointofView #ResidentWritingCoach #ShowDontTell

What’s More Important: Storytelling or Writing Craft?

Writing craft can’t make an uninteresting story amazing while great storytelling can enthrall readers despite craft errors.

WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®
#ShowDontTell 👀 Here's some interactive maps of the major internet infrastructures around the globe🗺️⤵️
If you're often at a loss as to the details of the internet, worry no more, you can visualize it !
First here's a quick run through of Internet's working and history :
https://urlr.me/JW9eYC 1/4