Thanet Creative: Knowledge Base

The phrase "show; don't tell" is a common one in writing circles. This is because there are two ways to convey information to your reader.

1. Tell them what the facts are.
2. Let them see the facts in action (show).

It is generally considered better story telling to show more than tell. Sometimes telling is the right choice but too much can make the story hard to engage with.

The right balance of showing and telling is a matter of taste. Each writer ahs their own ideas about the right ammount of each.

• What do you mean “show; don’t tell”?