'show, don't tell' demystified
A two day, virtual workshop to immerse your readers in a story they can see and feel.
WOO! I'M INIt’s time to level-set what ‘Show’ actually means.
We’ve all heard the advice: “Show in your writing, don’t tell!” We know it’s important. We want readers to see, feel, and experience our story as they read. We don’t want them to be bored. But has any writing advice ever been more vague and confusing? When it’s explained to you, the theory makes sense, but then you sit down to write and you can’t seem to make it work. Then, as soon as you think you ‘get’ it, someone else has a new definition that contradicts what you’ve learned.
The term ‘show’ is confusing because there are a billion ways to a) explain it, and b) do it. So we’re hosting a two day, LIVE workshop to crack this nut wide open.
At its heart, “Show, Don’t Tell” is a tool used to engage readers by putting them inside a character’s skin—making a reader feel what a character feels.
Together we’ll dive into the three CORE levels of showing:
👉 The STRUCTURAL level — where you put readers in the action of your scene
👉 The CHARACTER level — where you show your readers how to feel about the scene
👉 The LINE level — where you reveal your characters’ emotions in a way your reader can experience
We’re going to give you a dozen tools you can use to actually ACHIEVE this on the page, and then we'll look at excerpts from published works to point out exactly how these levels and tools work together to craft an immersive story for readers. We’ll even give you the secret for when and how to “tell” effectively.
After this two-day, LIVE workshop, you’ll have the “Show” skills to write gripping prose that leaps off the page, grabs hold of readers, and leaves them hanging onto every single word.
With a mixture of presentation, QA, published work analysis, and guided visualization you'll shatter the foggy glasses of confusion, and infuse yourself with a confidence that will fuel you every time you show up to the page.
Master ‘showing’ AND ‘telling’.
Immerse your readers like a pro.
'Show, Don't Tell' Demystified workshop, Feb 25 - March 3 on Zoom
WOO! I'M INDAY ONE
'show' vs. 'tell'
Saturday, Nov 15th
12-2 PM Eastern Time
During this presentation & QA workshop we’ll dissect the three levels of ‘showing’, how they work together, and how you can do it confidently on the page.
We’ll look at the levels of ‘show’, various tools you can use, and LOTS of examples to show you how to write stories readers can lose themselves in.
DAY TWO
analysis & practice
Sunday, Nov 16th
12-3 PM Eastern Time
The BEST way to ensure you grasp a concept is to use it to analyze works that aren’t yours. In this analysis & workshop session we’ll break down excerpts from published works together to identify how they use the three levels of ‘show’ and the tools you’ve learned. Then, we’ll workshop LIVE, practicing and implementing the skills you just learned.
Yes, there will be recordings.
You can keep them forever! BUT the workshops will be highly interactive, so we suggest you commit to coming live if you can.
‘Showing’ is the secret sauce to an immersive story readers can see and feel.
I WANT TO MASTER THIS MAGICyour workshop instructors
Emily & Rachel from Golden May
Hey hey! I'm Emily.
I’m your resident excitable, dirtbag, cat-lady coach. I’m a type-A perfectionist who played the hustle game for years, could never finish a draft, and burned out because of it. In my journey climbing out of that ditch, I tuned out the noise of what I should do, learned to love myself, and built a writing life that works for ME. As a result, my debut fantasy romance novel was published in 2024. Now I’m devoted to helping tenacious writers like you ditch the ‘shoulds’ and build a sustainable writing life that works for you, that brings you joy, and that fulfills you all the way to your bones. When I’m not writing, you can usually find me exploring the mountains of southwest Colorado with my husband and daughter, and sometimes our cats. You can find me on Instagram @ebgoldenbooks.
Hey there! I’m Rachel.
I’m your mac n' cheese loving, neurodivergent, book fairy godmother. As a coach and writer with ADHD, I understand how downright confusing craft can be and how much those "rules" can feel limiting. I understand what it’s like to struggle with your process and get hung up with mental hurdles. Throughout my journey, I've learned how to break past creative blocks and merge craft theory with my unique brain and body–and that’s exactly what I’ll help you do, too. Because of this eye-opening work, I published the first two books of The Shadows Syndicate series in 2024 and I’m looking toward the future with huge heart-eyes. I live in Colorado with my husband and daughter, dream of the perfect slice of pizza, and love staying up way too late to read. You can find me on Instagram @bookcoachrachel and @author.remay.
