--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good prose almost always requires both…" description: "\"Good prose almost always requires both showing and telling, scenes and summary, the two basic components of creative prose.\" — Laurie Alberts" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/laurie-alberts-90782_components_good-prose-almost-always-requires-both-s_2774581.png" --- # Good prose almost always requires both showing and… ![“Good prose almost always requires both showing and telling, scenes and summary, the two basic components of creative prose.” quote by Laurie Alberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/laurie-alberts-90782_components_good-prose-almost-always-requires-both-s_2774581.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/laurie-alberts-90782_components_good-prose-almost-always-requires-both-s_2774581.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/laurie-alberts-90782_components_good-prose-almost-always-requires-both-s_2774581.png) > “Good prose almost always requires both showing and telling, scenes and summary, the two basic components of creative prose.” Laurie Alberts ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective prose blends showing and telling, using scenes and summaries as essential components. **In simple terms:** Balance showing and telling in writing. Key Takeaway Combine scenes with summaries. Themes writing technique balance Mood instructional analytical Type Components:1 Creative:1 Creative writing:1 Prose:1 Scene:1 Summary:1 Two:0 Writing:1 Good Prose:1 Creative Prose:1 Prose Requires:0 Telling Scenes:0 When to use this quote - novel writing - screenwriting - creative workshops Key Concepts narrative structure style Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide when to show or tell? - What benefits does summary provide? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on one can weaken storytelling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-writing/) [Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prose/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Inexperienced fiction and creative nonfiction writers are often told to show, not tell - to write scenes, dramatize, cut exposition, cut summary - but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-alberts/inexperienced-fiction-and-creative-nonfiction-writers-are-often-told/) Laurie Alberts > [The more prose I wrote, the more the pendulum swung back toward the middle, merging some poetic sensibilities with the more fundamental elements of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lemon/the-more-prose-i-wrote-the-more-the-pendulum-swung-back-toward-the/) [Alex Lemon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lemon/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. 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