Show, Don't Tell

What sucks readers into a story? It's good plotting, characters, pace, etc., but also it has to do with putting the reader into the action.

This is SHOWING the reader the story, not TELLING them.

Let me show you the difference. The following is an example of telling you my story:

Frank was angry.

This is showing:

Frank's eyes bulged and his fist clenched as he stared up at his brother.

Here's another example of telling:

The people in the marketplace got out of the way of the riders.

Showing:

The people pinned themselves against walls or hid in alleyways as the riders thundered passed.

It's easy to slip into TELLING a story instead of SHOWING it, but it's a discipline that's worth learning. I catch myself doing it all the time.:)