by Tammy Van Gils @TammyVanGils

Take a moment and imagine these iconic scenes.

• With grey skies above and a slight breeze blowing, they walked near her childhood home. Carrying her shoes in one hand, she walked up the driveway and stopped near the old, dilapidated house. Pain strained her face as she reaches down and picks up a stone and throws it at the dirty white house. She throws another as hard as she can—over and over—until she breaks a window and falls down on the hard muddy driveway. Jenny sobs into her hands. Forest finally walks down the dirt road and calmly sits beside her. His voice comments on the scene, “Sometimes I guess there’s just not enough rocks.”  Forest Gump.
• Dressed in a business casual suite, she walks down the long, shadowed hospital corridor with speed and determination. With her purse tightly clutched in her right hand, her heels rhythmically click and her brown hair bounces with each step. Her brows are furrowed with eyes focused straight ahead and her lips taut in a somber straight line.  M’Lynn Eatenton opens the door with more strength than you’d imagine out of a woman her size. But for her Shelby, this mother means business.  Not a word needed to convey her concern. Steel Magnolias.
• Wearing men’s loafers entirely too big for her small feet, the old black woman scooted gingerly across the worn wooden floor. The mustached man touting a slicked-down come-over wore a three piece blue suit and tie. Curtis Smoot from Valdosta, GA exclaims in his thick southern accent, “This is about the best barbeque I ever et.” Wearing her apron and hair tied back in an old scarf, Sipsy grins, “Secrets in the sauce.” She picks up dirty dishes from his table and walks out of the scene still smiling. Fried Green Tomatoes.

Three memorable scenes from three excellent movies. But what makes them so remarkable?

Movies utilize skillful artists like the actors / actresses, scene designers, directors among others with the purpose of transporting the audience to another time and place. These crafty artisans strategically use elements such as the weather, set design, clothing, dialect, music, and lighting—all to add authenticity and emotion to every scene in order to hopefully lure the audience into the movie. And it all began with a great story.

Over the years, writing a great story has changed. Gone are the days of simply telling a story which usually began with five pages of back ground information, detailed scene description down to the number of buttons on her dress, and character’s thoughts and emotions conveyed directly to the reader.  Nowadays, publishers won’t read pass the first paragraph if the story is being told versus shown.

That’s where most fiction writers enter stage left.

Telling the story. And there is a huge difference between telling versus showing.

So how can a new writer learn such important skills? How can we learn to write a book that has fantastic scenes like those above consistently through our compelling story?

A writer could take time to read excellent writing books or to search the internet for informative blogs on the topic. There are great critique groups to join or working one-on-one with another writer. And these are all great options, but the best way I’ve found is to attend a writer’s conference.

Showing versus telling is only one of the important lessons I’ve learned at Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference over the last three years.

Along with how to write in deeper POV using descriptive scenes without excessive information and without the need for back story. And how to concisely describe your story to a publisher or editor. How to learn from successful writers and also from my fellow newbie’s while we share meals and time together.  And how to vary sentence structure to keep the story moving forward and more interesting. How to write cause then effect. The list is endless.

Yes, to attend a conference takes time and cost money.

But the sweet fellowship and sincere encouragement from the faculty and the other conferees makes the experience worth every minute and dollar.

This important investment may afford us the great opportunity to one day write descriptive scenes in our books like we see in these marvelous movies which may open the hearts and minds of readers and connect them to our Lord, the Word of Life.

Are you looking for a way to improve your writing craft? Have you ever attended a writer’s conference?  Please share what’s helped you along the writing journey.

By the grace of God and perpetual spiritual and emotional renovation, Tammy Van Gils writes and blogs about hope for the everblooming life at Tammyvangils.com. In the Richmond area, she is a member of The Christian Writers Hub and Word Weavers Richmond. Visit her Facebook Page, Pinterest and Twitter @Tammyvangils.