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If there’s one thing author Vincent Bivona has mastered throughout his career as a writer, it’s the art of showing, not telling. This can be observed in his exceptional narrative when his character Dak’tari enters the realm of the dead.

Most authors don’t necessarily start as experts when they venture into writing. Like infants still learning to maneuver around independently, writers also begin their journey by testing things through trial and error. A fraction of them may have an educational background in literature, providing them an edge. But most only begin their writing journey solely because of interest or a passion for storytelling. Authors don’t need to be highly well-versed in their craft to be able to write and publish. All they need is a raw determination to share their stories or wisdom with the world.

But determination alone won’t catch readers’ interest.

While they don’t need to be experts, authors can still read about storytelling’s different aspects and elements. They don’t need to be professionals. But they shouldn’t be completely unaware as well. They must know how to compose an enthralling narrative if they want their delivery to be magnetic and entertaining.

Vincent Bivona’s Captivating Narrative

Vincent Bivona is the author who penned dark fantasy books such as Blood of Deception: Plot Arising. It’s one among his numerous pieces that demonstrates his proficiency in creative writing. While he shows excellent command and grasp of writing, Bivona didn’t have any literary experience prior to publishing. His skills were only developed through self-teaching by constant practice.

Blood of Deception: Plot Arising is a story about Dak’tari, a child conceived through a union with darkness. Raised in a fortress of death and murder, she is then used as a tool of destruction when her heritage embraces her and chooses her as an instrument by a dark forgotten god. During this, Dak’tari enters the realm of the dead to act following this god’s will to destroy those who betrayed her beloved. It’s a story of revenge and a ping-pong of attacks and antagonism. The book is designed to leave readers craving for more action and leave them intrigued about who will be victorious in the end.

This riveting plot requires a good delivery for it to be effective, one that transports people into the story and makes them feel the excitement as the events unfold. Fortunately for his readers, Bivona has perfectly mastered phrasing words so that readers can vividly imagine them happening.

How?

The Art of Showing, Not Telling

“Better! Better?!” The vein in the dwarf’s temple throbs as he ejects each word as if it was a curse.

This is an excerpt from Bivona’s Blood of Deception: Plot Arising. Upon reading the narration, one can immediately infer that the dwarf is angry. Yet, the word “angry” never appeared in the sentence. Instead of telling the readers that he is angry, Bivona details what it looks when another is seething with anger and how it feels from the individual’s perspective. This way, the readers are given a holistic appeal and feel of what the dwarf is feeling and doing.

The narration makes the reader not just the audience but an actual part of the character’s world and experiences. This allows the readers to build their opinions about the characters and the events without the author telling them to. For authors to be effective, they should let the readers freely picture what happened in the story instead of telling them what happened. This cultivates the readers’ imagination and helps them build a strong connection with the characters. This way, they can show a more substantial interest in the story.

Showing without telling allows the readers enough freedom to form and imagine the story’s context without limiting them to what the author wants.

Vincent Bivona Developing This Skill

This skill is commonly every writer’s biggest weakness. It’s something that only develops in writers after some time. It should be constantly refined and relearned to polish.

Vincent Bivona started as an amateur, as well. But over time, he learned how to convey information through vivid descriptions. With more books he’s written, he gradually learned how to weave dramatization into his narratives. As mentioned, this skill can be perfected through trial and error. After all, there can also be too much showing that becomes detrimental to the story. This can drown and overshadow the story with too many details. Through practice, authors will learn how to perfectly balance this skill without giving too much away.