
The most rudimentary piece of advice you get as a writer is to make sure you show not tell, but what does this mean?
And how can we do it?
Showing rather than telling is giving your readers an image of the scenery rather than a shopping list of details.
Showing over telling is preferable as it creates far more immersive narratives as it uses vivid descriptions rather than listing details.
In this post, I’ll show you 3 ways to show not tell in your writing.
Understanding Show not Tell
Show, Don’t Tell is commonly attributed to Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, reputed to have said;
Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass
-Anton Chekhov
This clever man established one of the very basics for beginner writers.
You want to be leading your reader into the world of the text not talking to them about it.
For the audience,
Showing is feeling,
whereas,
Telling is Listening.
So Show, Don’t Tell is a writing technique where you immerse your reader into the world of the text through vivid descriptions rather than bland statements.
To understand the difference between showing and telling here’s an example;
Telling- The forest is scary
Showing- John stared into the forest and the forest stared back. The branches of the looming giants look like gnarled hands, reaching out to take John deep inside and never let go.
It’s not a perfect example but you get the gist, there’s a clear difference between telling your reader versus showing them.
Practical Techniques for Descriptive Writing
Luckily, there are various techniques you can use to get showing into your habits, here are my 3 favorites.
1. Showing Emotions
As my example shown above, there is an extreme difference between stating someone’s emotions versus showing their physical reactions and letting the reader assume the emotion.
There are two major ways you can show emotions powerfully;
- Actions
and
- Dialogue
The thing is the reader’s not dumb, they know when you’re being lazy, when you hiding something.
That means when you write you are incredibly vulnerable to critique about your characters, because if your characters don’t have believable emotions then they are not relatable, if your characters aren’t relatable you likely going to lose your audience.
So to a great job of emotions NEVER say [Character] is [Emotion].
If you state an emotion in your writing more often than not you are telling not showing.
Actions of your characters are any shifts in posture or physical reactions such as throat tightening, weak legs, or rapid breathing.
Dialogue is obviously how your character audibly reacts to something.
Use dialogue and actions when you are trying to demonstrate a character’s emotion, often this is satisfactory for your readers.
2. Painting Pictures with Actions
Stories are fundamentally a reflection of real life.
Real life is made up of actions, of things acting on other things which creates ripple effects on and on.
An understanding of this truth is useful when showing, you want to make sure there is never a passive moment in your story.
You don’t want your character standing still monologuing about their evil plans, no no.
You need movement. Action.
You MUST build in your detail of characters’ nature and worldbuilding in response to actions.
To immerse your readers in your reading your characters must be immersed as well.
If you want to describe to your reader that the main character is standing upon an iced lake it’s simple enough to state;
Alex looks down and notices the ground beneath him cracking. Ice!
Yuck, too clunky.
Alex doesn’t feel like an active participant in this scenario nor does it make sense why Alex looks at the ground suddenly.
A better description includes an action and a consequence.
Alex waves off Susan, looking over his shoulder at her standing still arms crossed, scowling. The ground crackles and pops as Alex storms off. Hands in fists and arms pumping at his side, Alex stomps further into the clearing when he stops suddenly. “What was that!?”, slowly looking down the crack under Alex’s left foot crackles and pops under Alex’s weight. Ice!
This is still not perfect but you can understand what I’m saying.
Attach your descriptions to an action to immerse your readers better.
Creating Atmosphere Through Settings
Ultimately, our telling comes from wanting to desperately show our readers this amazing world we’ve dreamed of, which ends up in the rushed and desperate description of the scenery.
This type of writing WILL lose your audience, it feels unprofessional.
So instead of listing details we want to capture the essence of the scene.
What does it feel like to be a part of the environment?
What does it look like?
Smell like?
Sound like?
Taste like?
Smell and taste are often neglected in writers’ descriptions however they are greatly useful and relatable.
You want your descriptions to take your audience away, to transport them into your fantastical world.
This sort of atmospheric description is very important when writing horror.
You must understand the genre you are writing and what the audience expects to feel.
Use the senses to ground your readers in your ambiance and environments.
I want to make it clear however that sometimes it is ok to tell and not show but you should be aiming for majority of your prose to be showing not telling.
In Conclusion. . .
In the intricate dance of storytelling, the principle of “Show, Don’t Tell” emerges as a guiding light.
As we reflect on this age-old wisdom, we recognize its pivotal role in elevating narratives from mere words to immersive experiences.
By demonstrating emotions, painting pictures with actions, and creating atmospheric settings, writers unlock the door to reader engagement and unforgettable storytelling.
Crafting vivid narratives is a journey—a journey of continual growth and refinement.
Embrace the challenge of honing your descriptive skills, knowing that each word holds the potential to transport your readers to worlds of your creation.
The path may be winding, but with dedication and practice, your ability to “Show, Don’t Tell” will become a hallmark of your distinct writing voice.
Now, dear writers, it’s your turn to become part of this ongoing dialogue.
Share your experiences with “Show, Don’t Tell.”
How has this principle impacted your writing journey?
What challenges have you faced, and what breakthroughs have you celebrated?
Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just embarking on your literary adventure, your insights contribute to the collective wisdom of our writing community.
Drop a comment below and let’s create a space for shared learning and inspiration. Your unique perspective might be the catalyst for someone else’s creative revelation.
Happy writing!
If you enjoyed this check out this post about how to choose what you pay attention to when writing;
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