Show, don’t tell. Hook the reader with the first line. Connect to the reader emotionally.
You’ve all read these writerly exhortations along with the following:
- Avoid overuse of the passive voice.
- Don’t use too many adverbs.
- Put your damn commas in the proper place.
But how the heck does a writer do all those things while delving into complicated memories and making sense of the past?
Trim the fat and build the muscle.
I have learned the most when I’ve watched a talented instructor live-edit a piece of writing. Cursor flying, they strikethrough sentences and insert words, strengthening the story as they zip down the screen.
I’ve often yearned for that experienced editor to highlight my work and tell me what works and what doesn’t. But all I have are my AI assistants, Grammarly, and ProWritingAid; they can’t help with the complex parts of writing. An AI won’t remind me that the reader can’t fill in the missing words to see the pictures in my head.
Editors reject many essays because writers fail to show the point of the story. Yes, something happened, and it may be tragic, exciting, or awe-inspiring, but why does it matter? The author hasn’t made the reader care, has not made them tremble, curse, or laugh so hard they spit coffee on their keyboard.