The Art of Show, Don’t Tell
Immerse yourself in the seminar. Complete the exercises. Receive personalised guidance.
“Show, don’t tell” is often called the golden rule of fiction. It’s what makes scenes vivid, characters believable and stories immersive. But what does it truly mean to show? How do you apply it with confidence? And when is telling not only appropriate — but essential?
In this The Art of Show, Don’t Tell course, you’ll move beyond understanding the principle and begin mastering it.
“Thanks, Pamela. The clarity and efficiency of your insightful ‘Focus on Show, Don’t Tell’ presentation has helped me enormously. Your enthusiasm is infectious. This is the first time I’ve understood the nuts and bolts of show, don’t tell. You’re inspiring.”
– Paul Rodriguez
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Here is the course structure
Step 1: Learn the technique
Watch and absorb Pamela Freeman’s insightful “Focus On” seminar as she unpacks how showing works at the level of emotion, character and scene – and why nuance matters.
Step 2: Put it into practice
Complete focused writing exercises designed to help you experiment with dramatisation, deepen your scenes and sharpen your storytelling instincts.
Step 3: Receive personalised guidance
Submit your work for thoughtful responses from experienced publisher Bernadette Foley, who will help you identify strengths, refine your execution and strengthen your craft.
This is a structured opportunity to apply what you learn – and grow as a writer. If you’ve ever heard “show, don’t tell” and wondered how to make it truly work on the page, this course will give you both the insight and the guidance to do exactly that.
“I loved the practical examples that Pamela gave. Also Pamela is a good presenter – clear and informative and everything was easy to follow and understand. I feel like I now have a good handle on showing not telling. The practical examples in the handouts will help me in my writing and will be useful for editing.”
Melinda Woledge
Understanding the ‘show’ business
Russian playwright Anton Chekhov is often credited with the quote “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” His meaning was that when describing things in nature, you should seize upon the small details – allowing a reader to “see” a scene and not simply have it dictated to them.
Other writers have also embraced this approach, including Ernest Hemingway – and “Show, Don’t Tell” has rapidly become the mantra most likely to appear on the chalkboard at the start of a writing class. As an author, it can be fundamental to your characters and scenes.
This fascinating course delves deeper into the writing craft to help you tame this deceptively tricky technique in a way that enhances your writing in the minds of readers, agents and publishers.
This seminar explores the following:
- The difference between ‘showing’ and ‘telling’.
- Why ‘showing’ works better for most parts of your story.
- Concrete examples of how to edit your sentences so they become ‘showing’ instead of ‘telling’.
- Those occasions when ‘telling’ might actually be better than ‘showing’
- And MUCH more.
What You’ll Receive:
- Access to Pamela Freeman’s insightful Focus On seminar
- Handouts and slides that accompany the seminar
- Exercises to practise the skills outlined in the seminar
- Feedback on the exercise of your choice from experienced publisher Bernadette Foley
“Before this seminar, I felt ‘show don’t tell’ was a buzz phrase that I would strive for. The fog has cleared and in one hour, I actually understand and have the tools to move forward.”
Laura Jay
Meet your presenters
Pamela Freeman is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 50 books and novellas, plus short stories and scripts. She writes under three names: Pamela Freeman for children’s and fantasy, Pamela Hart for mystery novels and historical fiction, and Elizabeth Leydin for stories set in the Regency.
Prolific across multiple genres, Pamela has a Doctorate in Creative Arts (Writing) and she has been the director of creative writing here at the Australian Writers’ Centre for over 10 years.
Bernadette Foley is one of the most connected people in the publishing industry, working as an editor and publisher for over 30 years. She was publisher of fiction and non-fiction for international publishing house Hachette Australia for 10 years, working with such authors as Di Morrissey, William McInnes, Gabrielle Lord, Graeme Blundell, Kate Ceberano, Bronwyn Parry, Lian Hearn, Pamela Freeman, Troy Cassar-Daley and many more. In 2015, Bernadette received the George Robertson Award for Service to the Australian Publishing Industry.
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Duration 1
This is an online course
Date: Monday 2 November 2026 Start any time during the week
Duration:
1 week Allow 2-3 hours during the week
Feedback:
Yes $95 | |||||
