Antony West (Author)

This is probably the single most important lesson in all of creative writing. “Show, don’t tell.” And it’s a tricky one to master. Instead of telling the reader, “The character was sad,” we need to show them: “Tears welled in his eyes, and he bit his lip to stop a sob from escaping.” Doug Lemov’s ‘Cold Call’ technique can be a godsend here. Ask a student to rephrase a ‘telling’ sentence into a ‘showing’ one. The key is to make it a low-stakes activity. No one is expected to be a genius on the spot, but by giving them a chance to try, we’re embedding this vital skill. It’s the difference between a good writer and a great one.