I wouldn't go into a long description of a detail unless it has relevance for understanding a character or their circumstances. Detailed descriptions help to create a richer image but my advice would be don't just choose any old random details to try to paint a richer image. Make sure to keep them relevant.
Something I think of when describing a scene is this: If I gave this to an artist, would they be able to perfectly draw out the scene that is in your mind?
In my opinion, that can lead to OVER description. Many writers seem to think their job is to be painters--but with words. But storytelling is a movement between scenes and places, so you can't linger as long on one place as a a painter can. One art is kinetic, the other static. In a novel, we have other places to go and people to see. In a painting, we are camping out there for the night.
Showing is telling, just indirect, leaving more for the reader to do and giving a richer, more subjective account. "The legs of the creature seemed like demonic claws" is telling us what the legs seemed like, but it implies that the spider is meant to be frightening.
My protagonist his internal narration is quite cynical and elaborate but thenthe bits where he's angry he uses foul words lol cos then he's like: f it with trying to seem smart
6 tips to help you show instead of tell in your writing: 1. Use the most effective details 2. Create a rich setting 3. Use dialogue to reveal character 4. use showing to be subtle with theme 5. Use figurative language carefully (Don't overkill showing) 6. Don't label emotions, describe it When to tell - With things that are not worth to put too much description on, like someone's height. Thank you for the tips Reedsy!
@@xtonibx5770 When it comes to an author and underwriter is someone who gives too little description for his world or characters. Readers find his work needing more.
If the narrator is the main character, or one of the characters, would there be more "tell" than "show" in your book? The character is telling the story.
I was down after I was told my book on Wattpad was telling more than showing but after watching several videos this video not only well explained but it motivated me. Thank you Reedsy.
A sardonic smirk appeared on this writers face, as he possibly appeared to react to the irony that everyone else left "telling" comments, in a reply section about "show not tell". Which turned into a frown as he realized how difficult it is to communicate opinions by showing. He removes his fingers from the keyboard, his eyes scan what he had written for a moment, and then at last he clicks the comment button.
Here's something I'm trying to integrate: How does one mesh the idea of using dialogue to reveal character with the concept of not using dialogue when narrative will do just fine? I know there's a matter of interest and relevance, but it seems like a tricky balancing act.
After the first example (spiders), I was thinking, "Gee, that's a lot of words, though. Isn't there virtue in brevity? Keeping the narrative moving?" And as you were describing how to show someone is an outdoors woman by describing the things in her garage in detail, I thought of how much work this is to make sure the reader really gets it, and doesn't get glazed eyes from all these descriptions without getting the point. And there on the right, in my recommended list, is "'Show Don't Tell' is a SCAM'" and "How to Show AND Tell", both by Brandon McNulty. This all illustrates that writing is an art, and there are so many ways to do things. I love your channel and will of course finish and enjoy your video, but it will be fun to see what the others say. Once a writer has heard all sides, he may decide that it's best in a given context to simply have a character say, "Sarah's terrified of spiders" and she replies "I don't know if 'terrified' is a sufficient word!" and be done with it, while in another context the description of her reaction to seeing one would be best.
Would it be a useful guide to say if it's: Objective (physical objects, for instance) -- tell, unless you want to be intentionally oblique Subjective (emotions, thoughts, characterization) -- show Feedback?
I'm not sure you can split them up in this way. I'm only a learner myself, though, so I can only give you my thoughts xP Show, when it's important for the theme/ character/ story. Tell, when it holds little impact for the theme/ character/ story and only serves to bring the reader on to the next scene or next subject. As Shaelin said at the beginning with the 'Don't tell me the moon is shining, show me the light on broken glass': You set a mood and a beginning theme by having the light refract in broken glass. Broken glass alone starts the imagination up with all sorts of associations, making the image dynamic - and possibly a bit sinister - instead of a still photo of a round ball of light plastered on a night sky. Moonlight and broken glass are both physical phenomena, but depending on how you portray them, they can quickly become subjective and emotional. Maybe think of Show as the picture you want to paint with your words and of Tell as the cotton canvas that keeps the story together? You need the canvas, even if it's kinda bland and boring, or you won't be able to present all your amazing and rich colours? I'm not sure - does it make sense?
@@KathTalia I have a very visual imagination, so my understanding is that telling is what a camera sees and showing is the context of what's being seen. The moon shining in the sky or hanging hazy in the sky is more detailed than saying it was night, but might still be considered a form of telling. The moon cast it's pale light upon her glinting skin shows the moon and night's relevance on a character, but we can go even further. "The moonlight is beaming down upon her, bringing her skin to a near glow. She's radiant, almost immaterial, as she stare back at him with just as bright a smile across her face." This, in my mind at least, gives details of specific things that form a clear and coherent picture based on details and shifts the focus from the moon to the girl and the effect it has on her and then into the perception of the boy. I could even see someone saying that it's still entirely telling, but much like a picture, a detailed image can have an effect of the reader just as much as a painting. I think that writing for effect and to affect the reader is always the goal. The deeper the perspective, the more emotional and subjective the impression is. From the perspective of a character, how they feel about it is the focus. From narration it becomes more about the setting and details that are more objective and may be perceived somewhat differently by different readers. FYI, this is coming from someone who has been writing a story in third person omniscient present tense, but I chose to focus on a single character per scene. The focus character acts as a filter for narrative interpretation and can lead to personal impressions or misinterpretations. What's in the scene is objective, but how the character processes it is subjective. I would appreciate any feedback if possible on my understanding of this subject.
This is great content! I'm actually using this information to help me express while I DM for a DnD campaign. I've found it a challenge to instill color into the huge expanse of a world, that DnD covers. I feel like there's a specific, deep seated color that coats all of the life in the world but it's been difficult for me to access that in my descriptions. So thanks for this stuff!
this was a very helpful video tysm for the first time i finaly understand what show not tell actually means. i always hear people say it but i never understood what it meant but now i do.
Agree with most, however, generic adjectives like tall, large, etc. mean different things for different people. For example, I'm 6'8", tall means something completly different to someone 5' tall. A large house means something different to someone who lives in a one bedroom shack as opposed to a person who lives in a 6 bedroom mansion.
@@Lailas198 It's a challenge, but the key is to keep either the protagonist or antagonist mum, with either defining the other, perhaps with narrative input.
This was so great!! Thank you for covering both sides of the coin at the end there. E: I have a tendency to make weird hard and fast rules about things that are “better” in some way, so having show & tell emphasized was really reassuring.
Even though it was across the room, her skin scuttled as if its legs were scrambling all over her. she breathed so quickly she felt like she wasn't breathing at all
All writing is telling. We need our senses to 'show' something, not symbols in a medium (words). It explains why all the great novels do a lot of telling in the sense that you mean. Expressing ideas and states of affairs. Need I give examples? My favorite line from Emma by Jane Austen is "Harriet had no penetration". Where is the show? Or the famous first line of Pride and Prejudice “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
I used to think storytelling was literally storytelling myself. But I have been to many writing groups that would say, "All showing, no telling." If you try to explain to them about the authors of the past using tell in their stories, they would say it doesn't matter. That was in the past, we focus on the authors today. The popular authors of today use only show in their writing, no adverbs, etc. All the advice on the internet for a writer can be confusing, discouraging, and make the writer quit. But I refuse to quit and I only take advice that is sound and others with a grain of salt. I have written 22 stories so far. I enjoy it.
@@thomasr.g.2037 Nothing more destructive of true creativity than these so-called workshops. But it doesn't change the fact that whoever is telling the story is the narrator, regardless of the POV. Look it up.
tell then show...Telling gives the reader what the author wants to say, and showing gives the reader the concrete meaning what the author wants to convey.
If you are a screenwriter or learning that art-form you have to show not tell anyway. If you are writing picture books for children it is probably a mixture of both.
I really love your videos. I've started writing a short story to get my hand in while I'm planning a book i want to write. The first part I was really pleased and proud of. But the second part of the story fell flat and I think it's because I was so eager to get to the climax I did way too much telling in comparison to the first part of the story where I was introducing the world, premise and main character. It just felt a bit flat and rushed. I took a break, saw your video and I'm going to do a bit of reworking. Thanks!!😆
‘Show, don’t tell’ is one of the most common (sometimes, over-emphasized) rules in fiction writing. And yet, it is neglected. If you’re one of them, bookmark this article that has over 300+ Show Don’t Tell Examples: oakwords.com/sensory-imagery-literary-examples/ These sentences are completely at your disposal. You can use them in your writing as they are. (Just put us in attributions, it’ll make us happy).
As someone who is writing a middle grade novel, I really struggles to apply show not tell. . It's difficult not to become too wordy and I wonder if the young reader's deduce your meaning in the same way adults do. I totally understand the concept but it's difficult to apply in this context.
As a mother of several avid readers, you don't need to worry about being too wordy if the words are just descriptive enough to give a clear picture of what's going on and keep them engaged. My middle schoolers love the Harry Potter series, even though it has lots and lots of "words", because every word is used well!! They also love these series: Ranger's Apprentice, Alex Rider, Brotherband, 39 Clues, Lemony Snicket... The only series I would love for them to read but I'm being patient about is JRR Tolkien, because guess what, he's just a bit too wordy for middle schoolers. Let them enjoy it in high school when they might have a little more appreciation for his very descriptive scenery. So unless you're on his level of wordiness, you can't go wrong! :)
I wouldn't go into a long description of a detail unless it has relevance for understanding a character or their circumstances. Detailed descriptions help to create a richer image but my advice would be don't just choose any old random details to try to paint a richer image. Make sure to keep them relevant.
@Emilio Bankier *Bengali literature
@@ehanfayaaz5573 Nope. Bengali literature is perfect. All those extra details will come in form of MCQs.
Nailed it.
Something I think of when describing a scene is this:
If I gave this to an artist, would they be able to perfectly draw out the scene that is in your mind?
But you are the artist!
In my opinion, that can lead to OVER description. Many writers seem to think their job is to be painters--but with words. But storytelling is a movement between scenes and places, so you can't linger as long on one place as a a painter can. One art is kinetic, the other static. In a novel, we have other places to go and people to see. In a painting, we are camping out there for the night.
How is someone this young, so articulate? Impressive.
I'm going to be honest with you; I dont know what articulate means but I couldn't agree with you more. Weird
Karen_Tendo09 XD means they can explain things really well from different angles and stuff
Ohhh! Gotcha! Thanks!
Because she's reading from a teleprompter, that's why.
u can be young AND wise or articulate its not that surprising
Showing is telling, just indirect, leaving more for the reader to do and giving a richer, more subjective account. "The legs of the creature seemed like demonic claws" is telling us what the legs seemed like, but it implies that the spider is meant to be frightening.
Also, it depends on the genre you're working in. Sometimes "shit" is more appropriate than "human excrement".
yeah ! i think it also depends on the pov/characters voice
My protagonist his internal narration is quite cynical and elaborate but thenthe bits where he's angry he uses foul words lol cos then he's like: f it with trying to seem smart
6 tips to help you show instead of tell in your writing:
1. Use the most effective details
2. Create a rich setting
3. Use dialogue to reveal character
4. use showing to be subtle with theme
5. Use figurative language carefully (Don't overkill showing)
6. Don't label emotions, describe it
When to tell
- With things that are not worth to put too much description on, like someone's height.
Thank you for the tips Reedsy!
OMG I've been told a million times to SHOW not TELL and never knew what the heck it meant but now.... THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!
Never TELL a girl you love her, but always SHOW her you love her.
(UK)
I prefer a back hug for this.
I'm using these tips for writing my poetry and it's really helping
Hey! Sorry to bother you, but I wanted to ask what your icon is? I've been seeing it a lot on youtube.
@@misterkingdom3571 It's the pfp of a man named MaximillianMus, he was a UA-camr but he got arrested for CP
@@meatiest1989 Ohhh! Jeez. Thanks so much for telling me. It was really bothering me not knowing.
I'm a bit of an underwriter so I'm trying to learn the art of showing more in my novels. :)
What's an underwriter??
@@xtonibx5770 When it comes to an author and underwriter is someone who gives too little description for his world or characters. Readers find his work needing more.
@@cwfcwfcwf Thank you :)
Hm. This video actually helped me. The "Don't label emotions" part especially. Thanks!
You are amazing! I have received more from your tutorials than most very well known authors. Thank you so much. Much admiration, respect and love.
what a different way of describing how to show and not tell! thank you!
tell when you need to move forward quickly, show when it matters, when the details count for more than the description.
The person who made samurai Jack does the show don't tell method of storytelling really good.
Samurai Jack was awesome.
Thank you, Your explanation was so clear. This "show , not tell" was really confusing for me before.
You are a great source for the upcoming writers, I always learn from you.Stay blessed.
If the narrator is the main character, or one of the characters, would there be more "tell" than "show" in your book? The character is telling the story.
Thanks for the video. Quite an important subject in terms of writing, yet something that many aspiring writers haven't fully grasped. Amazing!
Friend, you're a life saver.
This was awesome and monumentally informative; thank you!!!
Agree!
I was down after I was told my book on Wattpad was telling more than showing but after watching several videos this video not only well explained but it motivated me.
Thank you Reedsy.
A sardonic smirk appeared on this writers face, as he possibly appeared to react to the irony that everyone else left "telling" comments, in a reply section about "show not tell". Which turned into a frown as he realized how difficult it is to communicate opinions by showing. He removes his fingers from the keyboard, his eyes scan what he had written for a moment, and then at last he clicks the comment button.
This is the main trick of writing.I appreciate,I learn it.
Showing dramatizes and evokes.
Telling summarizes and explains.
Here's something I'm trying to integrate: How does one mesh the idea of using dialogue to reveal character with the concept of not using dialogue when narrative will do just fine? I know there's a matter of interest and relevance, but it seems like a tricky balancing act.
Another useful and concise video. Thanks for doing this
OMG, this was so helpful! i am so glad that i watched this video!
Thanks, we are using this in class in Australia!
After the first example (spiders), I was thinking, "Gee, that's a lot of words, though. Isn't there virtue in brevity? Keeping the narrative moving?" And as you were describing how to show someone is an outdoors woman by describing the things in her garage in detail, I thought of how much work this is to make sure the reader really gets it, and doesn't get glazed eyes from all these descriptions without getting the point. And there on the right, in my recommended list, is "'Show Don't Tell' is a SCAM'" and "How to Show AND Tell", both by Brandon McNulty. This all illustrates that writing is an art, and there are so many ways to do things. I love your channel and will of course finish and enjoy your video, but it will be fun to see what the others say. Once a writer has heard all sides, he may decide that it's best in a given context to simply have a character say, "Sarah's terrified of spiders" and she replies "I don't know if 'terrified' is a sufficient word!" and be done with it, while in another context the description of her reaction to seeing one would be best.
now THIS is a writing advice video. really appreciate all the tips in this big time!!
Eww
@@hm6913 🤨
she is such a good writer she should write a book!!!!!!
great job by this young lady - thank you.
thank you so much for describing this topic properly, now at least i get the gist of it 😁
now i just need to practice 😁
This is awesome! You did a very good job of explaining this, I found your video very useful :)
Would it be a useful guide to say if it's:
Objective (physical objects, for instance) -- tell, unless you want to be intentionally oblique
Subjective (emotions, thoughts, characterization) -- show
Feedback?
I'm not sure you can split them up in this way. I'm only a learner myself, though, so I can only give you my thoughts xP
Show, when it's important for the theme/ character/ story.
Tell, when it holds little impact for the theme/ character/ story and only serves to bring the reader on to the next scene or next subject.
As Shaelin said at the beginning with the 'Don't tell me the moon is shining, show me the light on broken glass': You set a mood and a beginning theme by having the light refract in broken glass. Broken glass alone starts the imagination up with all sorts of associations, making the image dynamic - and possibly a bit sinister - instead of a still photo of a round ball of light plastered on a night sky.
Moonlight and broken glass are both physical phenomena, but depending on how you portray them, they can quickly become subjective and emotional.
Maybe think of Show as the picture you want to paint with your words and of Tell as the cotton canvas that keeps the story together? You need the canvas, even if it's kinda bland and boring, or you won't be able to present all your amazing and rich colours?
I'm not sure - does it make sense?
@@KathTalia Definitely makes sense. Great points! I love the canvas analogy.
@@KathTalia "think of Show as the picture you want to paint with your words and of Tell as the cotton canvas"
Very good analogy!
@@KathTalia I have a very visual imagination, so my understanding is that telling is what a camera sees and showing is the context of what's being seen.
The moon shining in the sky or hanging hazy in the sky is more detailed than saying it was night, but might still be considered a form of telling. The moon cast it's pale light upon her glinting skin shows the moon and night's relevance on a character, but we can go even further. "The moonlight is beaming down upon her, bringing her skin to a near glow. She's radiant, almost immaterial, as she stare back at him with just as bright a smile across her face."
This, in my mind at least, gives details of specific things that form a clear and coherent picture based on details and shifts the focus from the moon to the girl and the effect it has on her and then into the perception of the boy. I could even see someone saying that it's still entirely telling, but much like a picture, a detailed image can have an effect of the reader just as much as a painting.
I think that writing for effect and to affect the reader is always the goal. The deeper the perspective, the more emotional and subjective the impression is. From the perspective of a character, how they feel about it is the focus. From narration it becomes more about the setting and details that are more objective and may be perceived somewhat differently by different readers.
FYI, this is coming from someone who has been writing a story in third person omniscient present tense, but I chose to focus on a single character per scene. The focus character acts as a filter for narrative interpretation and can lead to personal impressions or misinterpretations. What's in the scene is objective, but how the character processes it is subjective.
I would appreciate any feedback if possible on my understanding of this subject.
Brilliant job, always come back to this. I only write as a hobby but I do want to do my best. Anyways great video
Please do a review on common grammar mistakes.
You explained this topic in simple way.
Amazing ❤️ you simplify things so well❤️
Shaelin, thank you for telling us how to show ;)
You present great content very well, kudos ☺
This is great content! I'm actually using this information to help me express while I DM for a DnD campaign. I've found it a challenge to instill color into the huge expanse of a world, that DnD covers. I feel like there's a specific, deep seated color that coats all of the life in the world but it's been difficult for me to access that in my descriptions.
So thanks for this stuff!
Very clear, thank you for explaining
You are absolutely enchanting!
Gary Provost wrote a little book 100 ways to improve your writing,that talks about this concept. Great little reference book.
this was a very helpful video tysm for the first time i finaly understand what show not tell actually means. i always hear people say it but i never understood what it meant but now i do.
I don't know how good this video is and never will because I find 8 1/2 minutes of vocal fry insufferable.
This is the best video on the topic I've seen. Thank you so much!
Thank you for making me understand ❤️
Agree with most, however, generic adjectives like tall, large, etc. mean different things for different people. For example, I'm 6'8", tall means something completly different to someone 5' tall. A large house means something different to someone who lives in a one bedroom shack as opposed to a person who lives in a 6 bedroom mansion.
I think "telling" vs. "showing" can be used to distinguish a character of intellectual and psychological import from one who isn't.
@@Lailas198 It's a challenge, but the key is to keep either the protagonist or antagonist mum, with either defining the other, perhaps with narrative input.
This video is inspirational to say the least. I am so appreciative for the clarity with which you describe the process.
This was amazingly helpful!
the best writing advice
This was so great!! Thank you for covering both sides of the coin at the end there. E: I have a tendency to make weird hard and fast rules about things that are “better” in some way, so having show & tell emphasized was really reassuring.
Thank you for this information😁
Even though it was across the room, her skin scuttled as if its legs were scrambling all over her. she breathed so quickly she felt like she wasn't breathing at all
Thank you so much for this video it helped me a lot.
All writing is telling. We need our senses to 'show' something, not symbols in a medium (words). It explains why all the great novels do a lot of telling in the sense that you mean. Expressing ideas and states of affairs. Need I give examples? My favorite line from Emma by Jane Austen is "Harriet had no penetration". Where is the show? Or the famous first line of Pride and Prejudice “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
I used to think storytelling was literally storytelling myself. But I have been to many writing groups that would say, "All showing, no telling."
If you try to explain to them about the authors of the past using tell in their stories, they would say it doesn't matter. That was in the past, we focus on the authors today. The popular authors of today use only show in their writing, no adverbs, etc.
All the advice on the internet for a writer can be confusing, discouraging, and make the writer quit. But I refuse to quit and I only take advice that is sound and others with a grain of salt. I have written 22 stories so far. I enjoy it.
@@thomasr.g.2037 Nothing more destructive of true creativity than these so-called workshops. But it doesn't change the fact that whoever is telling the story is the narrator, regardless of the POV. Look it up.
I agree thethikboy, whatever is the POV is still the narrator. Throughout the story.
Very great video! loads of knowledge here! Thanks
i really liked this video and i will probably end up watching It again to refresh my memory
I appreciate your sharing here. Thank you very much
This really helped a lot! :)
Showing & telling should always be balanced.
Thank you.
Thank you, Internet lady.
Watching this made me slump down in my leatherette armchair as I slowly released carbon dioxide from my lungs.
That's sounds sooo well, well showed
tell then show...Telling gives the reader what the author wants to say, and showing gives the reader the concrete meaning what the author wants to convey.
My essays have improve because of your video.Great effort! 👍😏
Singapore
Outstandingly well explained!
Beautiful! Thanks!
I struggle between ‘showing’ and cutting all the words I can löl.
less is usually more. make it as close to poetry as you can.
Thanks girl💗
If you are a screenwriter or learning that art-form you have to show not tell anyway. If you are writing picture books for children it is probably a mixture of both.
I really love your videos. I've started writing a short story to get my hand in while I'm planning a book i want to write. The first part I was really pleased and proud of. But the second part of the story fell flat and I think it's because I was so eager to get to the climax I did way too much telling in comparison to the first part of the story where I was introducing the world, premise and main character.
It just felt a bit flat and rushed. I took a break, saw your video and I'm going to do a bit of reworking.
Thanks!!😆
I needed this video, thank you!
Very impressed
Please keep up the good work
With that spider example, you could have cut all of the first couple of lines and gone straight for the demonic shadow.
Good job. Thanks!
tysm for this video
‘Show, don’t tell’ is one of the most common (sometimes, over-emphasized) rules in fiction writing. And yet, it is neglected. If you’re one of them, bookmark this article that has over 300+ Show Don’t Tell Examples: oakwords.com/sensory-imagery-literary-examples/ These sentences are completely at your disposal. You can use them in your writing as they are. (Just put us in attributions, it’ll make us happy).
I wish she were my writing teacher!!
Very important video!
first thank you that was so helpful,second you look so pretty !
Thanks, that was very helpful! Ironically, my comment is rather descriptive and not very narrative ;).
how would you use this to describe a character that just moved from a big city to the countryside?
Thank you so much.
Obviously picture books literally show the story, but do you recommend showing in the writing in picture books as well?
Fantastic explanation😍😍
Show is basically an advanced way to tell. Bloody hell.
Tip for showing not telling:
Try to not to use 'I' and adjectives much because if you do, it is harder to describe the setting in detail.
I am working on a poem which I want to publish. So I need all the tips I can get
As someone who is writing a middle grade novel, I really struggles to apply show not tell. . It's difficult not to become too wordy and I wonder if the young reader's deduce your meaning in the same way adults do. I totally understand the concept but it's difficult to apply in this context.
As a mother of several avid readers, you don't need to worry about being too wordy if the words are just descriptive enough to give a clear picture of what's going on and keep them engaged. My middle schoolers love the Harry Potter series, even though it has lots and lots of "words", because every word is used well!! They also love these series: Ranger's Apprentice, Alex Rider, Brotherband, 39 Clues, Lemony Snicket... The only series I would love for them to read but I'm being patient about is JRR Tolkien, because guess what, he's just a bit too wordy for middle schoolers. Let them enjoy it in high school when they might have a little more appreciation for his very descriptive scenery.
So unless you're on his level of wordiness, you can't go wrong! :)
I like to read Edgar Allen Poe if I find myself telling too much.
Good tips!
Thanks...Very nice@
Or you can just write like Hemingway.
WHY BACKGROUND MUSIC?
Thanks a lot
Awesome