“Concentrating on revealing only the POV character’s attitude helps us avoid divulging facts not in evidence. … A subtle form of *Watch-Not-Tell*, that technique invited you to discover how he thinks, then trusted you to stay with him without constant reminders.” (Stephen Geez, Point of View (POV) #5: UPOVRs)
Writing Exercise: Implied Minds, Unspoken Truths
Techniques to Practice
Attitude-Filtered Perception: Revealing the world only through the POV character’s attitude rather than objective fact. Watch-Not-Tell: Using implication and behavioral nuance to show how a character thinks or feels, without explicit narration. Restraint in Exposition: Trusting the reader to stay engaged without inserting clarifying narration or emotional summary.
500-Word Prompt
Write a scene from a single close third-person or first-person POV in which the character arrives at a family gathering they have avoided for years. The central emotional conflict must remain internal, never explicitly stated, but strongly implied through their attitude, physical reactions, misinterpretations, and interactions. Reveal tension through sensory filtering, judgmental language, remembered absences, or hesitations. Let silence or misdirection say more than explanation.
Avoid narrating the reason for the estrangement or the emotional stakes directly. Do not write: “She was nervous about seeing her brother again after what happened.” Instead: “She watched him laugh at something their uncle said, the same way he used to, as if the past five years hadn’t happened. She tightened her grip on the dessert plate until the meringue cracked.”
Limit exposition. Let the reader piece together backstory through the character’s perception and reactions. Keep dialogue indirect. Use implication, deflection, or avoidance instead of confrontation. Write 500 words.
Evaluation Criteria
Strong Response:
The POV character’s attitude dominates the filter of every sentence Emotional conflict is clear through implication, tone, and selective detail No summary of past events; subtext does the narrative lifting Tension is sustained without overt conflict or resolution Sentences show restraint, letting the reader infer meaning
Weak Response:
The narrator summarizes or explains the situation too soon Emotional stakes are named instead of implied Dialogue is on-the-nose, lacking tension or misdirection The scene includes facts the character wouldn’t naturally know or think about The writing tells the reader what to feel rather than letting the moment unfold
Follow-Up Workshop Questions
Where does the POV filter slip into neutral or omniscient exposition? Which lines show emotion indirectly through behavior or perception? Does the reader sense the underlying conflict without being told directly? What would happen to the scene’s impact if you removed any internal commentary? Are any moments over-explained? Can they be reduced to implication?
Recommended Reading
Excerpt from “Safari” by Jennifer Egan (A Visit from the Goon Squad).
Egan uses a tight third-person POV to filter every moment through the characters’ often unspoken anxieties, particularly through the children’s distorted interpretations of adult behavior. The story showcases implied emotional stakes, indirect conflict, and character-driven perception that refuses to clarify itself for the reader.
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