Thursday, December 9, 2010

Tell or Show

I was trying to come up with an idea.  I knew it was time to get back to some basics.  That's when I knew I needed to come up with another writing exercise for myself.  Yes.  That was it.  Do something a little more creatively for a change.  I had talked recently about a book I was slogging through (and still am...another 70 pages or so to finish) and thought about my reasons for not liking it.  That led me to the foundation for my self-imposed writing exercise. 
What if I came up with a short scenario and wrote it up two ways.  The first would be a tell me version.  I thought to just write up the scene.  The second would be the same scene in a show me version.  I would be putting myself in a spot of pushing the writing a bit by first getting myself to just write, then by making mself write it two different ways.

Here is the first version.
He had a paper in his hand.  He was angry when he held it out and asked her, "Were you aware of this?"
"What.  What is it?"
"You know what it is.  Don't pretend."
She looked up at him and knew she would have to admit she did.  She had been aware of it.  He was making her nervous as he stared at her.  She wasn't happy about the circumstances and she didn't realize when she made the discovery it would have caused this multitude of problems.  She wished now she had spoken to him sooner about it.  She never wanted to cause him any pain and she was begining to sense the trust they had built together start to slip away.
 
Here is the second version:
The paper in his hand was creased from his grip.  His knuckles were white from holding it so tightly as he thrust it out toward her and asked, "Were you aware of this?"
"What.  What is it?"
"You know what it is.  Don't pretend."  He didn't move his eyes from her as he stood over her.
She could barely meet his eyes as she looked up at him.  She saw immediately their usual warmth was replaced by cold steel.  She could only endure a mere glance and looked down.  How could she admit to knowing?  She fingered her ring and twisted it as she realized she should have acted sooner.
She moved into him to brush away the strand of hair that had fallen across his forehead.  He immediately stiffened and backed away.  She caught her breath as her hand froze mid-air and tears welled up in her eyes.

I don't know.  Version one, version two?  I mentioned anger, nervousness and lack of trust in version one but not in version two.  But did you get the same from what they did?  I hope...but only better.  Do you even care about the characters in version one?  two?  Like I said, I don't know.  But this was an exercise that I managed in the time I had this morning... And this has always been my tool.  So tell me...aren't tools meant to be used?  I need to keep showing myself how.
TT

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