A TUESDAY FEATURE
host: Muskaan Ahuja
๐๐ง ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฉ๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ : ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ We have already exploited the technique: ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฐ, ๐๐จ๐งโ๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ to such an extent that we know how to stir the readerโs imagination and show him/her a concrete picture. Today, we shall have a closer look at what makes such a writing tick. โThe writing which SHOWS relies on nouns and verbs instead of adjectives and adverbs. Verbs immediately show actions. Adjectives barely scratch the surface. Consider these two lines: ๐. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐. ๐. ๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ก ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ. ๐. ๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ. ๐. ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ญ. Guess which one provokes imagery? The first one is telling a scene while the second one is showing it. Thereโs action in the second one. It is said that verbs are the emotional packet while nouns are the meat in haiku. You may use adjectives but donโt overdo them and make sure your writing looks balanced. Donโt tell your reader what to think. Show the emotion and let the reader feel it. Instead of telling โ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐ณ๐ฒ.โ Show: โ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ.โ
Look...you actually felt that! Try writing the show version of the following using nouns and verbs:
โ๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ.โ
As is the custom, I leave you with a quote by Anton Chekov: โ๐๐จ๐งโ๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ . ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ค๐๐ง ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ."
first time ...
the kittens learn
to lick its paws
.
Well, this has one adjective, but maybe it might work or not:
pregnant clouds
my baby s pulse-beats
expecting rain
an'ya
Waiting to read your answers based on the exercise. Dive in!
What a lovely post, Muskaan. ๐
showered down...
damp raises up
inch by inch