1. Learning about the concept of ‘show don’t tell’, and ways which stories can be made more interesting and expressive.
2. Thinking about the use of language, and the different ways feelings, experiences or actions can be communicated.

SUCCESS CRITERIA:
1. Identified what ‘show don’t tell’ means and why it is an important concept in story writing.
2. Used different language techniques to convey story ideas.

• Think about this quote by a famous writer named Anton Chekhov: ‘Don’t tell me the moon is shining. Show me the glint of light on broken glass.’ What do you think this means?
• Have you ever read a story that has made you cry? Why do you think you felt that way? What were you picturing in your mind as you read the story?
• When you are writing a story, what sorts of things do you try and communicate?
• What do you hope a reader of your story will take away from your story?

• Andrew says that he tries to ‘show’ things because ‘it’s almost always a more creative and interesting way to communicate ideas’. Can you remember the example
  he gave? Why do you think ‘showing things’ in your writing can be a more interesting way to communicate your ideas?
• Ailsa talks about wanting her readers to feel like they are ‘right in the adventure rather than looking at it from a distance’.
  • What do you think she means by ‘looking at (the story) from a distance’?
  • Why do you think feeling like you’re ‘part of the adventure’ is a good thing when you’re reading a book?
    
• Andrew and Ailsa talk about how ‘showing’ not ‘telling’ can help us understand characters better, because we feel what they are feeling. Can you remember the examples they gave from their books of ‘showing’ rather than ‘telling’?
• Andrew and Ailsa both mention the importance of thinking about the human senses – touch, taste, sight, smell and hearing, and how a body might feel when it is
  experiencing an emotion. Why do you think including this ‘sense writing’ in a story can be useful? What might it give you as a reader?