CONCRETE NOUNS: EMOTIONS

Showing vs. Telling

Good writing often includes details that "show" what the writer is trying to portray. Look at the examples below and notice how the "telling" passages use concrete nouns. Here are some examples:

Telling: He was tall.

Showing: His head almost touched the ceiling.

Telling: She was my best friend. I could tell her almost anything.

Showing: I met her at the town square, running in for our usual hug that carried on for far too long. We gushed about our lives with smiles lighting our faces.

Telling: I get angry when people litter.

Showing: When I see someone toss a paper cup from their car window, I clench the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white.

Telling: John was sad to see his girlfriend leave.

Showing: John wiped the tears off his face as he watched his girlfriend board the plane.

Exercise
"Show" the emotion without telling the reader what the emotion is. (Think of body language, the physical reaction to your body, etc.) Here's an example:

NERVOUSNESS

My face burned as sweat dampened the collar of my shirt. I swear, I could feel my whole body shaking. My mouth was so dry that it felt as if it was stuffed with a giant wad of cotton.