How to Show Not Tell in Creative Writing

"Show don't tell" might be the most quoted piece of writing advice out there. Also the most misunderstood. Every writer has heard it, but many struggle to apply it effectively. The result is often manuscripts that feel flat, characters that appear one-dimensional, and readers who remain emotionally disconnected from the story. In this article, we'll dive into what exactly it means, examine common places to apply this advice in your novel, identify red flags to avoid, and explore how to master this crucial technique.

What "Show Don't Tell" Really Means

When people say "show don't tell," they're talking about inference. They're telling you (pun intended) not to explicitly lay out what's happening in a scene. Instead, they're saying you should create scenes that allow readers to draw their own conclusions. Put another way, at its core, showing versus telling is the difference between creating an experience and delivering a report. When you tell, you're acting like a news anchor, stating facts for your audience to absorb passively. When you show, you're creating a vivid scene that pulls readers into the moment, making them active participants in the story.

The magic happens when readers feel like they're discovering information on their own, rather than being spoon-fed details. They're thinking as they read, uncovering layers of the story like an archaeologist dusting fossils. This creates a deeper emotional connection because readers have to engage their imagination and empathy to understand what's happening. They start sympathizing with the protagonist, their skin crawls during scenes with the antagonist, they make predictions about how the story will unfold, and so much more.

But here's the crucial point: like all advice, take "show don't tell" with a grain of salt. Showing doesn't mean you can never tell. Strategic telling serves important purposes—moving quickly through less crucial scenes, providing necessary transitions, or summarizing background information. The key is knowing when each technique serves your story best.

Showing Emotion: Beyond "He Was Angry"

The classic example of show versus tell involves emotion. Let's imagine a scene where an employee just received a pay stub for only $10 when they were owed much more. Consider the difference between these approaches:

Telling: "He glanced at his $10 paycheque. He was angry."

This barely registers with readers. It's information without impact, a clinical observation that creates no emotional resonance.

Physical Showing: "It wasn't the 10 that caught his eye. It was the decimal right after that made him furrow his brow."

Now readers can picture something concrete. They see the physical manifestation of anger and can connect it to the emotion. It's a step in the right direction, but we can go deeper.

Mental Showing: Instead of stating his anger or even describing his furrowed brow, you might write something like:

"As he stared at the number 10, his mind drifted to the family photo on his boss's desk. A wife and two kids, dressed all in white, saluting on the deck of their pristine yacht. He imagined their carefree summers, sailing from port to port, the sound of children laughing and waves lapping the hull. Then he pictured his own children, hungry at home. Minutes passed. The number didn't change."

The character's thoughts reveal his resentment and sense of injustice without ever stating "he was angry." By following his mental journey, readers experience the same building frustration. They empathize because they're walking in his shoes, not just observing from the outside.

The Exposition Trap: When World-Building Becomes Info-Dumping

One of the most common places writers fall into telling mode is exposition. You've spent months, maybe years, building an intricate world and developing complex backstories for your characters. Naturally, you want readers to appreciate all that work. The temptation is to download all this fascinating information directly into your reader's brain.

Resist that urge.

Instead of telling us: "Marcus had grown up in poverty, which made him suspicious of anyone who seemed too generous."

Show us through action: "A voice offered to pay for Marcus's coffee. His eyes narrowed. "What do you want?" The words came out sharper than intended. It was a hard-learned lesson, but he knew better than anyone: there was no such thing as a 'free' coffee."

The second version accomplishes multiple things simultaneously. It reveals Marcus's background, demonstrates his personality, creates tension in the scene, and hints at specific experiences that shaped him. All without a single line of exposition.

This principle applies to world-building as well. Don't explain your magic system in a three-paragraph info dump. Show it through a character struggling to cast a spell. Don't describe the political tensions in your fantasy kingdom through backstory. Reveal them through overheard conversations, nervous glances between characters, or the way people react when the royal guard passes. Your readers don't want to be told what's happening. They want to figure things out for themselves. Like your characters, they're here for the journey!

Character Development Through Action

Perhaps nowhere is show versus tell more crucial than in character development. Anyone can write "Sarah was generous," but that tells us nothing meaningful about Sarah or why her generosity matters to the story.

Instead, show Sarah's generosity through her choices. Maybe she gives up her bus fare to help a stranger. Maybe she volunteers at the shelter every weekend, even though she's exhausted from working double shifts. Maybe she listens patiently to her neighbour's complaints every morning, offering genuine empathy instead of rushing off to work.

Similarly, show us their flaws. Maybe Sarah isn't all she seems. Perhaps she pretends to sleep on the bus instead of giving up her seat for the elderly, watching through thin eyes. Maybe she listens patiently to her neighbour, but only because it makes her feel better about her own life. Or maybe she's in love with her neighbour, and even if they can't be together, she would rather hear them complain than not hear them at all.

These actions don't just tell us about Sarah, they show us key pieces of her character by revealing her decisions. Readers can then decide for themselves how they view her. And more often than not, it's precisely how you intended.

The Power of Subtext

Dialogue and pointed narration offer another powerful opportunity to show rather than tell. Characters rarely say exactly what they mean, especially when emotions run high. Use this natural human tendency to your advantage.

For example: if Tom is getting ready for a job interview, instead of having him comment about how nervous he is, have him straighten his tie in the mirror for the third time. Have him arrive to the interview an hour early and tie his shoes over and over again. Have him ask the receptionist precisely how the manager would like to be addressed.

The text itself never mentions 'worried' or 'nervous,' but his mental state comes across clearer than if it had. The scene is painted. Tom is sweating.

Red Flags: When You're Telling Instead of Showing

Certain words and phrases often signal that you're slipping into telling mode:

• Emotional states: "felt," "was [emotion]," "seemed"
• Mental processes: "realized," "understood," "remembered," "thought"
• Character traits: "was [adjective]," "had always been"
• Physical descriptions: "looked," "appeared"

When you spot these words, pause and ask yourself: How could I show this instead? What would this look like to someone watching? What actions, dialogue, or sensory details could convey this information more powerfully? How could I lean on all five senses to make the scene more tangible?

Getting the Balance Right

The goal isn't to eliminate all telling from your writing. Sometimes telling is exactly what your story needs. When you're transitioning between important scenes, summarizing less crucial events, or providing necessary context, strategic telling keeps your pacing tight and your readers engaged.

For example, a sentence like, "Three years passed, and much changed in the small town of Oakhaven," is a perfectly acceptable use of telling. It efficiently moves the narrative forward without dwelling on insignificant details. If those three years contained pivotal character development or plot points, you would, of course, show them. But for a simple time jump, telling is more effective.

The key is intentionality. Choose to tell when it serves your story's needs, not when you're taking the easy way out or haven't fully developed a scene.

The Feedback Factor

Here's the challenge: when you're writing your own story, you know all the details intimately. You know exactly what emotions your character feels, what their backstory includes, and what every scene is supposed to convey. But if your job as a writer is to let readers infer these details through subtle hints and carefully crafted scenes, how can you possibly know if you've succeeded?

The answer is feedback. You need fresh eyes to tell you whether your subtle breadcrumbs lead to the right destination, whether your showing actually shows what you think it shows.

This is where Inkshift can help. Inkshift provides instant, expert feedback on all aspects of your novel, including show versus tell advice. It can identify when you've overused exposition, leaned too heavily on certain dialogue tags where narration would be better suited, or missed opportunities to create more vivid, showing-focused scenes. It's free to try and can help bridge the gap between what you think you've written and what readers actually experience. Here's an article that dives into the specifics of how Inkshift works.

And if you'd like an overview of manuscript feedback, including beta readers, critique partners, and professional editors, check out this guide.

Conclusion: Respecting Your Reader's Intelligence

"Show don't tell" is an often quoted, often misunderstood aspect of storytelling. What it means in essence is: don't be overly verbose or explanatory. Your readers are smart and want to be challenged. They want to feel like they're figuring things out on their own.

When you show instead of tell, you're respecting your reader's intelligence and imagination. You're inviting them to participate actively in your story rather than passively consuming it. You're creating the kind of immersive experience that keeps people reading late into the night, desperate to discover what happens next. Good luck!