Showing: It’s the Right Thing To Do

Every detail we include about our characters define who they are and determine how they react. If those details are shown in an unobtrusive way, the reader absorbs the character rather than being force-fed, and thus, the reader internalizes that character, roots for him, cries for him, laughs with him, but is always with him.

Our goal is to make sure every reader does internalize the characters we create. How do we do that? By showing. We’ve heard a bajillion times, “Show, don’t tell.”   But show what? Truth is, some things don’t warrant the screen time of showing and just need told straight out. Others do need to be shown.  Here are a few things that in my opinion can reveal a lot about a character.

What mode of transportation does your character own or use?

If you’re writing a western, does your hero ride a blooded horse, or a mustang? Does he take care of his animal himself or do other people do it? Is the saddle plain leather, or is it decorated with silver conchos?

Let’s say the character rides an Appaloosa of excellent conformation and training. His tack is plain but good quality and well cared for. Our man rides tall and smiles at a little boy who’s practicing with the lasso. Yep, that’s a hero, all right.

But what if there were lash marks on the horse’s hind quarters, and spur gashes in his side. Defintely the villain. Mistreating animals is not a heroic trait. The wounds show the villain’s true nature. We don’t need to be told anything else. He doesn’t deserve our loyalty and we readers won’t root for him no matter how rough of a childhood he had or how his wife two-timed him, or any other excuse. We don’t like him.

Ah, but wait! What if his True Love and six children were dying and he rode into town as fast as he could to get a doctor?

What if he’s riding a donkey? Who is this character now? It takes context, but all these things come with pre-conceived notions and we can use them as shortcuts to creating character.

We can take this into contemporary times. The hero in Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues drives this:

So what do you know about him? Well you’d know more if this rig were the correct color, which is candy apple red, and had his log emblazoned on the side: Brody Alexander: Rodeo Clown, Bullfighter. Because it’s a late model pickup, and an expensive one at that, you’d know he is successful in his chosen career. You’d also know he hauls livestock, which he does–Socrates the Cogitating Mule.

But what if he drove this:

You wouldn’t think he’s much of a hero at all since he can’t even afford a decent ride. Could you root for this hero? I’d say that depended on other factors. In this case, Brody does drive this pickup. When he bought his new rig, he just couldn’t bear to get rid of his old pickup–they’d been down many roads together, through thick and thin–so he retired it to his ranch. Brody is a daring, gutsy man, willing to cheat death in front of a 2,000-pound angry bull, but this pickup shows he has a soft side, too.

Yes, our characters come alive in our minds and sometimes even take over the story. We want our reader to experience it as well. With details and the correct choices, our characters come to life.

To hear more about Brody’s pickups as well as vehicles used by Rowena Cherry’s characters and others, please tune in to Internet Voices Radio for Crazy Tuesday on April 7.

Happy Magical Monday!

Jacquie
Down Home Ever Lovin’ Mule Blues (See the Book Video featuring Justin Saragueta)
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Tags: characterization, characters, description, details, internet voices radio, Jacquie Rogers, pivtr, rowena cherry, show don't tell