by Kyle Massa
Show, don’t tell.
If you’ve ever taken a writing course of any kind, you’ve probably heard that phrase.
If you haven’t, the meaning is pretty simple: don’t come out and tell your readers everything they need to know. Instead, show them examples and specific situations that support what you’re trying to say. Doing so often solidifies your points a little better than straight telling.
I agree with this phrase to a certain extent. However, sometimes it’s best to understand when one should show and when one should tell.
Showing everything and telling nothing can slow a narrative to a crawl. In many instances, simply telling the reader what they need to know keeps the pace moving. For example, you don’t need to show that your main character has red hair. That can come off as silly, with some other character saying, “My, what red hair you have.” It disrupts the flow of your story and makes your characters sound like they’re explaining details to the reader. That’s a big no-no.
Instead, one might write, “Her hair was the same shade of red as fresh autumn leaves.” Here we’re telling the reader through the authorial voice, which feels more natural than one character explaining details about another.
One might also tell rather than show in an effort to avoid confusion. For example, let’s say that there’s a magical substance in your world that allows people to fly. To show this, you have a scene in which a character drinks the drink, and then flies away.
As a reader, I might not make the connection between the drink and the flight. I might think that the drink is just a drink, and that the character can fly at will. Without being explicit about the connection between the two, I might miss it.
Instead, let’s try telling the reader about the drink’s magical properties through narration. Show them how it feels to fly, sure, but tell them the essential information so it doesn’t get lost.
The moment the first drop touched her tongue, she felt herself growing lighter. Another sip and she rose off the ground, rose higher, higher, higher still. She knew none of it would be possible without the drink.
Showing and telling are both tools in the writer’s toolbox. Showing is the most valuable of the two, though it isn’t the only one we should use. When appropriate, we need to tell our readers what they need to know. Doing so could make a huge difference in our writing.
Guest post contributed by Kyle Massa. Kyle writes speculative fiction, blogs, some non-fiction, and the occasional tribute to coffee.
Great post, Ryan. I completely agree. I’ve also found it helpful to follow these three general rules of thumb:
1. Is it boring? Tell it.
2. Is it interesting? Show it.
3. Would my readers feel like their intelligence isn’t being respected? If so, I’m telling too much.
Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to reading more from you.
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I like the simplicity of your rules. Makes sense.
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Reblogged this on Life of a Redhead.
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Reblogged this on Pens of Erdington.
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Reblogged this on Cynthia Hilston – Author & Blogger.
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I agree! A narrative description helps with establishing details necessary to the story’s plot.
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two great examples of the show don’t tell dilemma.
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Reblogged this on Kim's Author Support Blog.
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Reblogged this on DSM Publications and commented:
Check out this helpful post from A Writer’s Path blog on when to show and when to tell.
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Reblogged this on Viv Drewa – The Owl Lady.
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Excellent, Ryan. Succinct–just like flash fiction when writers judiciously ration showing.
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Reblogged this on WILDsound Writing and Film Festival Review.
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Good post. Re showing vs. telling, I think it depends totally on the context. If the narrator “tells” us something, we run the risk of being yanked out of the story’s universe for that second/minute it takes to be told something by this book’s all-knowing “god.” If and when it’s done well, it can be sublime. If badly, well, that’s usually when I close the book and wish I hadn’t spent precious money on it… (People tease me for being a tough audience in general. If I start watching a new TV drama, and find it lagging, I might say “10 more minutes. I’ll give it 10 more minutes.” 😀
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Reblogged this on Writer's Treasure Chest and commented:
Ryan Lanz of ‘A Writer’s Path’ tells us when to show and when to tell. Thank you for a great post Ryan.
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Good information here about something I always worry about.
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I agree.
I often find that “show” and “tell” are two symbiotic tools in a writer’s arsenal.
Telling is great for establishing the essentials, while showing draws things out, establishes a focus.
All “showing” gets tiring over time, and covers ground very slowly, while “telling” keeps audiences at a distance.
I often find that it’s all about alternating, creating contrast, and not letting one dominate for too long.
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Good post. Certainly worth discussing. It can be a tricky subject and I’ve read books where the emphasis leans one way or the other and hasn’t necessarily suffered, but showing is usually more subtle and embracing. Thank you.
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Glad to hear someone admit that you actually need both. Thanks.
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