Show don't tell

[CrispyQ]

Someone in my critique group recommended the book linked below on Amazon. I always read some of the low star reviews. The reviewer below made some comments that resonated with me regarding show-don't-tell. They are in bold.

Write Your Novel From The Middle: A New Approach for Plotters, Pantsers and Everyone in Between
by James Scott Bell

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0910355118/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

3.0 out of 5 stars a good idea padded with general writing advice, April 22, 2014
By Jill - See all my reviews

This book has a fairly good idea in it. It's one I hadn't heard before, and it did inspire me and caused me to ponder books I had read and to reexamine them with his idea in mind. This book is worth reading for his startlingly simple and helpful main insight. However, the book is very short and was weakened, in my opinion, by his attempt to fatten it up with general writing advice. There comes a point in every writer's life when she has no desire to read yet another chapter extolling the virtues of showing instead of telling. In fact, upon examination, this push for showing vs telling has made literature rather dull. It has created a whole mountain of books that are pretending to be films. A film must show because it's visual; a book tells because it isn't. A book is a different work of art that can use all kinds of language to tell a story, including language that is expository or ruminative or descriptive. Having to read fiction that is composed of movie-like scenes is pushing my patience past its limits. But then I came to a part in the book where the author claims that great fiction is ultimately an "emotional ride". That stopped me short. I read it about three times. I've never thought of fiction that way. I've always thought that the primary role of fiction is to engage the mind, not the emotions. Don't mistake me; great literature does both. It's a matter of primary vs secondary function. It seems that James Scott Bell and I have different expectations of fiction. I'm going to have to think about this a little more.

I think she makes a great point that books now read more like films or screen plays as authors focus so much on 'show don't tell.' My critique group are die hard 'show don't tell" fans. Everything should be shown, until you show too much & then you should tell. If I did 'show don't tell' everywhere, my chapters would be 8,0000 words instead of 5,000 words.

What do you think?