Showing vs. Telling

In a previous article, I talked about camping vs. marching.  At first glance, showing vs. telling seems like the same concept, but there is a difference.  Both concepts examine how much a writer writes in a story; however, camping vs. marching tends to look at the development of scenes and their connection to the story’s purpose while showing vs. telling looks at the visualization of the things the writer writes in a story.

For example, if a writer has a scene that lulls and doesn’t connect to the story’s purpose, then the writer should cut and march through the scene, develop the scene so that it connects to the story’s purpose, or delete it altogether.  This is camping vs. marching.

For example, if a writer summarizes action or tells the reader that a character is happy or sad, then the writer should revise the material to show the reader a character’s emotion or show the reader the action as it’s happening.  This is showing vs. telling.

Showing vs. Telling is an old adage.  It’s one we, as writers, will hear about for the rest of our lives and then some.

It is always important for readers to feel that they are experiencing your story.  If your main character is angry, don’t just tell the reader this.  Show it.  Let the character smash a vase, or go off on a rant, or smack someone across the face.

As I stated last month, many writers – for fear of losing readers – will explain everything that occurs. It’s important to remember that 1) not everything that occurs in your characters’ lives is needed to tell the story you are telling, and 2) you don’t want to just tell, point by point, what occurs.  Give the reader action.  Give the reader emotions.  Give the reader a story he or she can immerse him/herself into.

Use dialogue to show us your characters’ motives, beliefs, feelings.  Use all the senses so that the readers can feel as if your characters and their situations are real.  Use picture nouns and active verbs to bring your story to life.  Write in scenes – which I talked about last month.  Have scenes that do something, that move the story, that develop your characters and push us toward the climax and resolution of your story.  Use point of view to get into your characters’ minds, which will enable you to see what the characters see, to feel what the characters feel and then you will be able to express these things to the readers.

Some writers believe that telling communicates facts; whereas, showing invites understanding.  I’m one of those writers.  A story is not a report; its goal is not to just impart facts to the reader.  You want the reader to experience the story, to connect with your characters.

Does this mean never tell? NO.  Notice the title of this piece is “Showing vs. Telling” not “Show, Don’t Tell.”  There are some things you as writer have to inform readers on, those things in which visualization and understanding may not be necessary.  In growing to become a good, great, excellent writer, part of the process is learning to discern what needs to be revealed as fact, as information and what needs to be developed for experience and understanding.