Writing Tip: Show, Don't Tell

One of the easiest traps to fall into as a writer of both fiction and non-fiction is telling your reader what is happening in your book, not showing them. It’s so common that chances are pretty strong if you’ve had a manuscript reviewed by an editor, you’ve received the note to show, not tell, at least once. It’s a problem that can be tough to recognize, so what does it mean to show, not tell when you’re writing?

Essentially, it’s referring to the level of immersion your words offer your reader. Are you crafting your manuscript to paint a picture that evokes a reaction from your readers, or are you simply telling your reader the base information they need to know to understand what is happening?

Let’s pretend you are writing a book and you want to convey that a character is angry. To do this, you could approach the prose in two ways.

Here’s our first example: John was furious. “I can’t believe you,” he spat.

Not bad, right? It makes your character’s emotions very clear, but you’re also using a stronger word than simply “angry” or “mad” to elevate the prose a bit. And paired with the dialogue, it lets readers know that John is angry because of the actions of someone else.

But here’s example two: John furiously furrowed his brow, his face reddening as his breathing grew rapid. He balled his hands into tight fists and smashed them onto the table. “I can’t believe you,” he spat.

In both examples, John’s dialogue is the same, and the writer used the word furious, so the reader is informed that John is angry. However, in the second example, a picture is painted for us, and we’re welcomed into the moment alongside of the character John. Readers learn what his body language is, what his face is doing, and his physical response to his emotions. By showing readers the character is angry rather than just telling us that he is, it brings the moment and his emotions to life. Additionally, it helps brings the character to life. By getting to see and experience John’s response to his rage, the readers can learn more about the character. Is he normally quiet and this moment becomes a rare, explosive scene with John? Or is he always a bit emotional and explosive? Because we showed the reader what happened in this moment, reader understanding and connection to both the moment and the character draws them in deeper.

While the example we used here was one that more closely relates to fiction, this isn’t advice for fiction writers only. For instance, recounting a life event in a memoir is far more immersive and effective if you can bring in dialogue and paint the picture around the moment rather than just narrating events.

When you’re teaching about a concept or an idea in a non-fiction book, pairing the instructions with real-life examples and stories to bring the concept to life, increases the impact of the concepts, and helps your retain your message more effectively. Remember, your words are there to help deliver ideas and help your readers create a picture in their minds. So the more you can use your words to help your reader paint a richer picture of the story or concept you’re writing about by showing and not telling, the more impactful your book will be.

However, getting that balance of efficient writing and making sure your reader is fully immersed is tough! It’s what makes an editor so important, and we’d love to help make sure you are bringing your words to life as much as possible. If you’re not sure if we’re the right publishing partner for you, reach out to us! We offer a free consultation so we can discuss your needs and make sure we find the perfect editor for your book!