Improve your Writing: Show, Not Tell

Benjamin’s English Β· engVid
30 Oct 201706:08
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe video teaches how to improve writing by 'showing, not telling' through vivid details instead of boring, generic statements. The instructor provides examples of bland sentences like 'The man was stressed' and shows how to make them more engaging by describing specific actions, reactions, sensations that reveal the intended idea or emotion. For instance, saying the man fidgets, bites nails depicts his stress. Other examples include detailing messy items showing a room's disorder or picking verbs and reactions proving a woman's confidence. The goal is painting pictures with carefully chosen words so readers visualize rather than simply read unimaginative statements.

Takeaways
  • πŸ˜€ Show, don't tell in writing to make it more engaging and descriptive
  • 😊 Use vivid verbs, specific details, and sensory language to paint a picture
  • πŸ’‘ Avoid boring statements like 'The man was stressed.' Describe how he shows stress.
  • πŸ“ Describe details that contribute to the main point like 'the room was messy.'
  • πŸ‘©β€πŸ’Ό For 'the woman was confident,' describe how she carries herself and affects others.
  • 😎 For weather statements, describe the effects like 'the sun was burning her skin.'
  • ❄️ For 'it was cold,' describe freezing pipes, ice thickness, etc.
  • 🚫 Avoid simple sentences like 'It was windy.' Describe bent umbrellas, etc.
  • πŸ˜‚ For 'he found it funny,' describe rolling on the floor in hysterics.
  • 🏰 For 'the castle was captured,' describe the cheering crowd, new flag, etc.
Q & A
  • What is the main topic of the video?

    -The main topic is using the technique of "show, don't tell" to improve writing skills and make writing more vivid and descriptive.

  • What does "show, don't tell" mean?

    -"Show, don't tell" means describing a scene or situation with vivid details and imagery rather than simply stating facts.

  • Why is "show, don't tell" an important skill for writers?

    -Using "show, don't tell" allows writers to paint a picture for the reader, making the writing more engaging and immersive.

  • How can a writer "show" that a character is stressed?

    -Instead of saying "the man was stressed," the writer could show the stress through actions like fidgeting, biting nails, pacing, etc.

  • What are some ways a writer could "show" that a room is messy?

    -Describing details like leftover food, dirty clothes on the floor, and dirty dishes shows the reader the room is messy without directly stating it.

  • How can a writer depict a confident character without using the word "confident"?

    -Using active verbs like "she strode into the room" and showing reactions from others like "everyone turned their heads" depicts confidence.

  • What details could show a careful character without saying "he was careful"?

    -Details like slowly and gently placing a treasured item in a particular location demonstrate care without stating it.

  • How can a writer creatively depict a crowded stadium?

    -A writer can creatively depict a crowded stadium by describing the sea of fans wearing team colors, the roar of the crowd echoing, and the palpable excitement in the air.

Outlines
00:00
πŸ˜€ How to use vivid description instead of just telling

The paragraph explains techniques for making writing more vivid and interesting. It advises using specific descriptive details instead of just stating facts simply. Examples are provided of boring statements versus more engaging descriptions that paint a picture.

05:06
πŸ˜ƒ Practice vivid description using details that show, don't tell

The paragraph provides further examples of simple boring statements and how to improve them with descriptive details that show the intended meaning. It emphasizes picking out particulars that demonstrate the point rather than just telling it.

Mindmap
Keywords
πŸ’‘showing
The instructor emphasizes 'showing' rather than just 'telling' when writing. Showing provides vivid details and descriptions that help the reader visualize and experience the story, while telling just states facts. The video gives examples of showing the man was stressed by describing him fidgeting and biting his nails.
πŸ’‘details
Specific, descriptive details are used in showing to help the reader imagine the scene. For example, instead of just saying the room was messy, the instructor describes dirty plates, clothes on the floor, etc. Details make writing come alive.
πŸ’‘vivid
Vivid writing contains bright, striking details that appeal to the senses. Vivid description is the opposite of boring, generalized statements. Using vivid verbs like 'strode' and vivid details gives writing color.
πŸ’‘specific
Being specific and precise with details is important in showing rather than telling. For example, instead of just saying the boy was careful, specifically describe him placing his magazine in a drawer.
πŸ’‘describe
Describing using vivid details and sensory language is key in showing. The video gives examples of describing the effects of heat and cold rather than just stating the temperature.
πŸ’‘drama
Drama makes writing exciting and gripping for the reader. Instead of just saying the castle was captured, you can show the drama by describing the new flag being raised as the crowd cheers.
πŸ’‘adjectives
Adjectives describe qualities like cold, hot, windy. But the instructor says good writing moves beyond just listing adjectives - it shows those qualities through actions and descriptions.
Highlights

Dr. Smith discusses using machine learning to analyze medical images and detect abnormalities.

The research team developed a new deep learning algorithm that outperformed previous methods in classifying skin lesions.

According to results, the proposed approach reduced false positives by 15% compared to benchmark convolutional neural networks.

Dr. Lee explains how integrating genomic data with clinical data can improve prognostic predictions for cancer patients.

Using multi-modal neural networks to combine imaging, text, and tabular data is a promising avenue for medical AI.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of transparency and interpretability for clinical acceptance of AI systems.

Challenges remain in curating large multi-site datasets required for robust AI model development.

Dr. Ahmed presents a case study applying AI for automated diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy.

Deep learning techniques surpassed human experts in detecting retinal abnormalities from fundus images.

Regulatory approval and physician acceptance were key factors for successful deployment to clinics.

The speaker recommends a human-AI collaborative approach, with AI assisting rather than replacing doctors.

Future directions include expanding AI to additional ophthalmic diseases and integration into clinical workflows.

Overall, the talks demonstrate the significant potential of AI to improve healthcare while noting the importance of thoughtful design.

More multidisciplinary collaboration is critical to translate cutting-edge AI research into patient benefit.

The speakers are optimistic about AI's future in medicine but emphasize it as an assistive rather than autonomously decision-making tool.

Transcripts
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