🥑 show, don't tell?

Not all writing advice is created equal.

I recently watched an interview where fantasy author Brandon Sanderson highlighted the mantra “show, don’t tell”—for how unhelpful it truly is. Also on that list is “write what you know.”

If you’re a writer, you’ve probably heard these adages. They’re punchy and memorable. But you may have noticed these two things about your favorite books.

1. Sometimes, the author will (gasp) tell you things.

2. Unless it’s an autobiography, the author will write about something they haven’t personally experienced.

Case in point: I’m like 90% certain Brandon Sanderson isn’t a spren.

These “rules” are broken all the time by genuinely talented writers. Does that make them bad, untrue, or useless?

Not necessarily. The truth is more nuanced than that (and if you don’t like that word, you’re gonna hate this newsletter 😂).

This week, let’s take a mini-deep-dive into these two sayings and separate the wheat from the chaff. Invite your friends to join the conversation.

In the meantime, let me know: what’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received? I might feature it in a future post, so don’t hold back!

Wednesday: the alternative to “show, don’t tell.”

P.S.—once we reach 100 subscribers, I’ll pick one random subscriber to win 20% off any editing service in the next year. Share this with your author friends, and thanks for reading Avocado Bites!

^{Avocado Bites is a publication of Avocado Tree Press, LLC, that helps you revise your stories one bite at a time. We love working with indie and traditionally published authors on fiction manuscripts—and if that’s you, welcome to our target audience.}

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