Show vs Tell

Painting a picture with words

At some point, almost every writer will hear these three words - "Show, don't tell", whether from an editor, an agent, or a teacher.

There’s no doubt that showing vs telling is one of the most challenging aspects of fiction writing. A lot of telling is also one of the major reasons editors and publishers reject a manuscript. Fortunately, with some practice and dedication, you can go past this.

You may have heard this phrase in a creative writing class or from your beta readers. It is by far the most common piece of advice fiction writers get. But what does this writing advice mean, in practical terms?

What does Show vs Tell Mean?

We need to begin with the basics. To fully understand show vs. tell scenarios, you need to first understand what each of these words means in the particular context we’ll be talking about.

Telling makes use of summary, exposition, and blunt description to communicate the plot of a story. Showing makes use of dialogue, body language, characterization, actions, interior monologues, setting, and other creative writing methods to pull readers into your story.

The showing vs telling distinction talks about two various methods of presenting events in a narrative. First, the difference can be taken literally - in the showing mode, the narrative creates the impression in readers that they are shown the events of the story or that they somehow witness them, while for the telling mode, the narrative creates the impression in readers that they are told about the events.

Making use of a spatial metaphor, the showing mode is also referred to as a narrative with “small distance,” probably because readers get the impression that they are somehow close to the events of the story, while the telling mode correspondingly creates the impression of a “large distance” between readers and the events.

Even though it is difficult to avoid some exposition in your writing (and it is necessary at times), writers can easily “over-share” the minutiae of the background of their story and the lives of the characters. As you write a fiction novel, keep these tips in mind to have a balance of showing and telling:

• Be brief: Ensure that all the details of your “telling” are necessary to advance the plot, either by forming a backstory, creating a specific mood/tone, or explaining the setting.

• Avoid “info-dumping”: Try not to overwhelm your readers with information in the first few pages of your fiction story. Focus on capturing their attention with a compelling character and an interesting situation, then fold in the details as the plot develops.

• Steer clear of clichés: Avoid beginning a story with a character waking up and starting his/her day - unless you want to put your reader to sleep.

Showing

This is meant to make the reader feel they're in that moment - they need to feel (such as in smell), touch, see, hear, and believe the experience of the characters. Just as explained by John Gardner "it is by being convincing in the reality and detail of how we evoke our imagined world - by what the characters do and say - that we persuade the reader to read the story we're telling as if it happened, even though we all know it didn't."

This means working with the immediate physical and emotional actions and experience of the characters - your rage beating in your ears, the wind whipping your cheeks, a beggar grabbing your coat.

Telling

It is for covering the ground, when you need to, as a narrator, it doesn't matter if the narrator is a character or an implied, external narrator in a third-person narrative. It is delivering information - the storyteller saying "Once upon a time," or "A volunteer army was gathered together." Therefore it is a little more cut out from the immediate experience of that time. The more talking is explained, the more it is informing, at times, explaining, and occasionally understanding.

Why Too Much Telling is Bad for your Readers

Think about what makes reading a good book so amazing. When you connect with a novel, it can capture your attention for hours at a time and stick with you for years. You can fall in love with characters, or want to kill them or be terrified by them. A good read is thrilling and exhilarating, and if a book captures you in this way, then you know the author has done a great job of showing.

The Difference Between Showing and Telling

When a writer uses telling rather than showing, he/she simply informs readers of information than allowing them to deduce anything. You’re giving them information by simply mentioning it. You might report that a character is “short,” or “sad,” or “cold,” or “exhausted.”

Showing would paint a picture the reader will be able to see in his/her mind. If a character is tall, the reader can know that when the writer talks about people looking up when they speak to him. Or that he has to duck when he enters a room.

Rather than just stating that a character is angry, describe it by mentioning that his face is flushing, his throat is tightening, his voice is rising, or he is slamming a fist on the table. When you show these, you don’t have to tell.

For instance, if a character is cold, show, and don't tell. You can do this by stating that a character pulls her collar up, shoves her hands deep into her pockets, tightens her scarf, or turns her face away from the biting wind.

Another example is if a character is exhausted, he can stretch, yawn, or groan. He can have puffy eyes, or his shoulders could slump. Another character might say, “Didn’t you get enough rest last night? You look tired.”

As a fiction writer, when you show and not tell, you will make the reader part of the whole experience. Rather than disclosing all information, the reader will see it in his mind and come to the conclusion he/she wants. There's nothing better than engaging your readers and giving them an active role in the storytelling.

Take a look at your recent writing. Are you telling when you can show? What small changes can you make to adjust this?