Often I can tell when the submission I’m reading comes from a writer who’s been told that “show, don’t tell” is the absolute law. Showing everything takes time and can slow a piece down, especially in the beginning when the reader is just trying to figure out what’s happening and whether it interests them. It’s worth pausing for a few brief, grounding sentences early on, if that clarity means that your reader can hit the ground running, and get to the good stuff: the real scene work where you do want to focus on showing! The most common edit we give is asking for more of this clarity from authors. We all want our work to be subtle, but I too often see writers prioritizing that stylish subtlety over simple understanding, which is what readers will really connect to.
—Emily Everett, managing editor, the Common
Photo credit: Sandra Costello