09 May 2026

Posted by Suchi

Junior & Young Writers Week 3: Show, Don’t Tell

Hi Writers,

This week, we explored one of the most important writing techniques of all: Show, don’t tell.

We looked at how writers can bring stories to life by helping readers see, hear, feel and

imagine what is happening, instead of simply telling them. The sessions were full of

creativity, laughter, mystery objects, and some brilliant descriptive writing.

Check-in: How was your week... as a fidget toy?

To start the day, everyone described their week as if it were a fidget toy. It was such a fun

way to warm up and get everyone thinking creatively.

Some of the answers included:

● A beach ball because the week was calm but not very exciting

● A pen because it started normal and then became a bit strange

● Knee dough because the week got squashed but bounced back again

It was funny, imaginative, and got everyone chatting straight away.

Mystery Box Challenge

Next came the mystery box activity. Everyone took turns reaching inside the box and

describing the object they could feel without saying what it actually was.

The junior writers came up with some brilliant clues:

● “Made of metal, has holes in it, used for Christmas dinner...” Answer: Potato masher

● “You wear it in winter and it has a fluffy bit on top.” Answer: Pom-pom hat

● “A toy weapon.” Answer: Sword

● “Long, bendy, made of rope and wood.” Answer: Skipping rope

The Young Writers became especially creative with this challenge and sometimes

completely went off track in the best way possible, turning objects into dinosaurs, snakes,

beds, and even Pinocchio.

Why do writers ‘show’ instead of ‘tell’?

We then talked about why writers describe things instead of just naming them straight away.

The groups discussed:

● How descriptions help readers picture things

● How senses like touch, smell and sound create atmosphere

● How readers enjoy figuring things out themselves

● How it makes stories feel more interesting and immersive

We also talked about balance. Too much showing all the time can become exhausting to

read. Sometimes simple telling works best, especially for less important moments.

As Sue said in the session: “Show the important moments. Tell the less important parts.”

Turning ‘telling’ into ‘showing’

We practised changing simple sentences into more vivid descriptions.

Instead of: “Tom was nervous.”

The writers suggested things like:

● Sweating

● Avoiding eye contact

● Shaking hands

● Fidgeting and shifting from foot to foot

● Muttering to himself

Writing Time

The Junior Writers created stories inspired by the mystery box objects and used lots of

sensory detail in their writing. They also used colourful fidget pens and toys while working,

which everyone loved.

Some standout lines included:

● Elsie: “Tears rolled down cheeks and the dry land flourished.”

● William: “Sweat was pouring from his brow.”

Evan continued his ongoing story about Bob, an unlucky character everyone already knows

and loves. The storytelling and narration were brilliant, and it was lovely seeing the group

already invested in the character. Alice cleverly included all the fidget toys in her story,

linking everything together creatively.

The Young Writers used story cards to create completely new stories using random

characters, settings, obstacles and goals.

The brilliant combinations included:

● A rude character trapped in a library during a storm

● A sensitive character dealing with handcuffs on a cruise ship

● An honest character stranded on the moon searching for someone

And some amazing lines too:

● Catherine: “Obnoxiously expensive coffee” and “dollop of rain”

● Eddy: “Felt squeezy and lightheaded” and “dark watchers laughed silently”

● Sonny: “Kicked some dust and threw up into the dark” and “looked at the blue and

green blob and cursed everyone”

The humour in their stories was especially strong this week. The ideas were funny, strange,

dramatic, and completely unique.

To finish, the young writers picked colour cards and used them to inspire another quick piece

of writing.

Eddy even turned the task into a song, titled: “Twinkle Twinkle Molten Sulphur”

By the end of the session, it was clear that everyone had really understood the idea of show,

don’t tell. The stories felt vivid, emotional and full of personality. The writers didn’t just tell us

what was happening, they made us experience it too.

Suchi

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Junior & Young Writers Week 3: Show, Don’t Tell