Rethinking "Show, don't tell"

Rethinking “Show, don’t tell”

In the Craft of Fiction (1921), Percy Lubbock wrote that “Fiction’s art begins when a novelist thinks of his story as a matter to be shown, to be so exhibited that it will tell itself.”

That idea has shaped a century of writing advice. Writers are told, again and again: Show, don’t tell.
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Show the action and emotion

Let readers feel the moment.

Showing draws them into the scene through well-chosen verbs and vivid detail. When an adverb intrudes, the director may yell, “Cut!”

Storytelling can be cinematic as it unfolds in the mind’s eye. The page becomes a screen and the reader has been given the best seat in the house.

Quiet moments also bring value. A barrage of action can shatter the spell. Selective showing preserves dramatic and emotional tension.

Tell to reflect and deepen

It can enrich tone and truth.

Telling moves the story forward. It compresses time, drops in backstory, and deepens tone. It reveals facts, voices inner thoughts, and guides transitions. When an author chooses to tell, the camera steadies, and the characters breathe.

Telling should not interrupt the pace of events. Well-chosen description and reflection add depth without distraction.

You're the director

Balance action and stagecraft with care.

Show and tell are costars. Scenes charged with emotion or action call for showing. When the script calls for quiet realizations, telling might be just right. Together they serve the story.

The craft lies in knowing when to zoom-in to events, and where to place an establishing shot. Your work in the editing room, maintaining momentum, will keep the pages turning.

George Pond

In his tech writing work, George created a chest-high stack of unattributed training and computer manuals for Walt Disney World Co and in consulting assignments across the eastern U.S. He also wrote and published fiction and nonfiction books.
George holds a Poynter ACES Editing certificate. He currently provides beta reader and coaching services at SecondEyesEditorial.com.