Creative Writing Tips:
“Show, Don’t Tell”
Before we get into the specifics, we want to emphasize that “show, don’t tell” is often referred to as a rule, but it is actually a principle. All well-written narratives weave together both telling and showing. If we tell too much, the writing is dry. If we show too much, we bog down the story.
What is “show, don’t tell”?
In its essence, the “show, don’t tell” principle encourages authors to convey scenes through sensory details rather than direct statements. Readers want to discover stories without intervention—see, hear, smell, touch, and taste the world alongside the characters. With showing, the reader feels like a witness to the action unfolding on the page.
On the other hand, telling is exposition. It lacks details and drama. It is when the narrator relays information to the reader without the proof to back them up.
Telling is an integral part of storytelling. But, it has to be a tool, a conscious choice, and not an oversight. When deciding if a sentence should show or tell, we need to ask ourselves,
“Am I depriving my readers of an immersive experience, or will it be verbose if I don’t say it directly?”
Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.
Anton Chekhov
What does “show, don’t tell” look like on the page?
When we show, it is up to the reader to decide what the story means. The trick is to give them the evidence that inevitably leads them to the conclusions we want. Let’s look at an example of how to achieve that.
“She got sick.”
Here we have a female character who can either have the sniffles or a stomach bug, and we don’t actually know what she looks like or what she’s doing. When we tell, we don’t immerse the reader into the story.
“She shivered and wiped the snot from her nose on her sleeve.”
When we show, the scene becomes palpable because we can visualize the shiver, almost hear the gurgle in her nose and maybe even cringe at her using her sleeve as a tissue. But, we can also relate, because most of us do it as well when we are sick.
Why is “show, don’t tell” important?
The “show, don’t tell” principle allows the reader to infer a character’s emotions, traits, worldview, and motivations through their actions. Showing lets the reader experience the narrative, while telling keeps them at a distance. With telling, the reader can only observe the stated information.
Describing a character as “nervous,” “lonely,” or “nice” is telling. It makes writing generic and flat. There is no evidence, and the reader cannot engage with the story.
How could it be shown instead? A nervous character could bite their nails, avoid eye contact or they might speak in a shaky voice. A lonely character can keep checking their phone for texts they don’t receive, look through old photo albums, or talk to their pet. A nice character might volunteer to take over a co-worker’s shift, remember small details about their friends and use them to give thoughtful and personal gifts or help strangers who are struggling with a flat tire or carrying heavy bags.
If you follow the “show, don’t tell” principle, you make your stories come alive!
To dive into the depths of the “show, don’t tell” principle–learn about the most common pitfalls and the most successful techniques–sign up for our course.