“Show, don’t tell.” You’ve probably heard it a hundred times. Maybe in critique groups. Maybe scribbled in the margins of your manuscript. Maybe from agents or editors or even your own internal editor.
But what does it really mean?
At its core, “showing” means creating a vivid experience for the reader—inviting them to step into the character’s body, mind, and world. “Telling” means summarizing or explaining events, thoughts, or feelings in a way that distances the reader from the immediacy of the story.
That doesn’t mean “telling” is always bad. Sometimes, telling is efficient and necessary. But too much telling can flatten emotion, dilute character, and make your scenes feel like recaps instead of immersive moments.
In this post, we’ll unpack what showing vs. telling actually looks like (with lots of examples), how to tell the difference, and—most importantly—how to revise “telling” into dynamic, emotionally engaging prose.
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