“Show, Don’t Tell” – What It Really Means & How To Do It Right
If you’ve ever researched ‘How to Write like a pro’, chances are you’ve heard/read this golden rule: “Show, don’t tell.” It’s one of the most common (and most confusing) pieces of advice out there. Writers hear it all the time, but what does it actually mean? And more importantly, how do you do it?
From someone who’s tried, failed miserably, and learned from her mistakes, here’s a breakdown.
What Does “Show, Don’t Tell” Even Mean?
At its core, showing means immersing readers in a scene by using sensory details, actions, and emotions rather than just telling them what’s happening. Instead of stating a fact, you let the reader experience it for themselves.
For example:
- She was nervous.
- Her fingers drummed against the table, tapping out a frantic rhythm. Her throat suddenly went dry as she glanced at the clock for the third time in a minute.
You see how the second one has you paint a whole picture in your mind? Instead of simply saying she was nervous, it lets us feel her nervousness.
When To Show and when to tell
Big fact: telling isn’t always bad. In fact, a good story has a balance of both. You don’t need to show every single detail; sometimes, telling is more efficient.
A general rule:
- Show for emotional, intense, or important moments.
- Tell for minor details, transitions, or background info.
If your character is panicking in the middle of a life-changing event, show it. But if they simply drove to the store, telling is fine.
Good time to show: Character is feeling something deeply, making an important decision, or when you want to create a vivid scene. Also works when you want to make the readers remember a specific scene for callback.
Good time to tell: When you need to move the story along quickly without bogging it down with unnecessary descriptions. Scenes that you wouldn’t want to give much thought to as a reader.
How to “show” instead of “tell”
Now that we know when to show, let’s see how to do it effectively.
- Use Sensory Details
Engage the reader’s senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. The more specific, the better.
a. Telling: It was a hot day.
b. Showing: The air shimmered above the pavement and sweat clung to the back of his neck. His short stuck to his skin like a second layer. - Let Actions Speak
Instead of stating how a character feels, show it through their behavior.
a. Telling: She was angry.
b. Showing: Her jaw clenched, and she slammed the book shut so hard that dust flew from its pages. - Use Dialogs With Subtext
People rarely say exactly what they’re feeling. Let their words, pauses, and tone reveal emotions.
a. Telling: He didn’t want to talk about it.
b. Showing:
“How was your day?”
“Fine.”
“Just fine?”
“Yeah.” He kept his eyes on his phones, scrolling aimlessly. - Show Through Internal Thoughts
Instead of saying a character is scared, let us see their thoughts.
a. Telling: He was terrified of getting caught.
b. Showing: His heart pounded against his ribs. Could they hear it? He forced himself to breathe evenly, act normal, but every step felt like a countdown to disaster.
A common mistake: showing AND telling
Sometimes, in an attempt to follow the rule, writers end up doing both—showing and then immediately telling the same thing. This not only makes the writing redundant but also weakens its impact.
- Example of Show and Tell Together:
Her hands were clammy with sweat, and the jittering only increased as time flew by. “Nothing, I’m just waiting for someone,” she replied, her demeanour nervous.
The second sentence tells us she’s nervous when the first sentence already shows it. The fix? Trust your showing and remove unnecessary telling. - Revised Version:
Her hands were clammy with sweat, and the jittering only increased as time flew by. “Nothing, I’m just waiting for someone,” she replied, her gaze flickering toward the door.
The nervousness is implied without being stated outright.
How to know if you’ve gone too far? ask for help.
While showing adds depth to writing, there’s a fine line between immersive storytelling and over-explaining things to the point of exhaustion. If you find yourself questioning whether you’ve gone too far, the best thing to do is:
- Ask someone to read it. A fresh perspective can instantly reveal if a passage it too vague or over-explained.
- Get multiple opinions. What feels perfectly clear to you might be confusing to someone else.
- Read it aloud. If a scene starts to feel dragged out, you’ve probably overdone it.
Common Mistakes to avoid
- Over-Showing
You don’t need to describe everything. Sometimes, telling is more effective, especially for simple details. - Being too vague
Showing doesn’t mean leaving readers confused. If they can’t tell what’s happening, you’ve gone too far. - Forgetting pacing
A well-placed telling sentence can keep the story moving. Over-describing every moment can slow things down.
Final Thoughts
“Show, don’t tell” isn’t about eliminating telling altogether—it’s about knowing when to immerse your reader in the moment and when to keep things moving. The key is balance.
So next time you write a scene, ask yourself: Am I letting the reader experience this, or am I just stating facts? A little bit of showing can bring your story to life in ways you never expected.
Now go show your readers something amazing!