Storytelling 101 for scrappers

This is a guest post (plus freebie and contest – yay!) from Simple Scrapper sponsor, Aud Neal of be Audacious Designs.

“Show, don’t tell.” It’s the mantra of the writing world – the most common bit of advice you’ll hear when it comes to tips for improving your writing. But what does this phrase actually mean?

It’s simple, really. Rather than coming right out and telling your readers the information you want them to learn about your characters (or, in the case of digital scrapbooking, your friends and family), you show them what these people are like, through their thoughts, actions, looks, relationships, and more. In short, everything that a person thinks, says, and does becomes a way for you to reveal and record more information about him or her.

How can you put this advice to work on your scrapbook pages? With three simple techniques:

1. Use dialogue. Don’t tell me that your kids are funny; write down the specific things they say and do. The more instances of real conversation that you can include in your pages, the better; these go a long way toward really capturing a moment and keeping it from being lost forever. Don’t just rely on your memory to capture the cute mispronunciations or serious questions of your little ones, either; make sure you keep a small notebook handy. This will make a great start to a writer’s notebook.

2. Use your five senses. Don’t tell me that it was a beautiful spring day – show me! What color were the leaves? How did the flowers smell? What did the breeze feel like? Use smells, sounds, textures, and tastes in addition to what you see; allow your reader to completely experience the moment with you. You’ll often find that as you begin to include these kinds of details in your journaling, you have more to say, and more details will come to you during the writing process.

3. Be specific. Or, I should say be selectively specific. Include details, but don’t go overboard. Focus on using the most relevant details to help create mood or tone; think about how you want your readers to react to what you are writing, and then choose details to help create that reaction.

Now it’s time to put these tips to work! I’ve got a new self-paced journaling class, Defining {you}, available in my shop. This class provides you with a detailed lesson on developing characters, just like your favorite fiction writers do. Once you’ve learned the basics of direct and indirect characterization, you’ll learn how to apply these development techniques to your journaling, so that your friends and family members really come to life in the pages of your layouts. With 80 journaling prompts, 5 templates, and a printable handout, “Defining {you}” has everything you need to hone your writing skills.

A Giveaway…

To win a free copy of this class, here’s what you need to do:

1. Download the freebie below.
2. Use the template and kit (plus other items of your choice) to create a layout.
3. Journaling prompt: Choose a person to scrap about. Take the first letter of their name and select an adjective that describes that person. In your journaling, use the three techniques above to develop this characteristic further.
4. Post your layout in your favorite gallery and then leave a link in the comments.
5. Enter by April 15th at midnight (EST). Have fun!

and a Freebie!

Coordinating with “Just Be You“…

and including a fresh new template…

be Audacious Designs presents a freebie…

Download link expired | Buy this mini kit

Don’t forget to enter your layout in this fabulous giveaway by midnight on April 15th!