Show Don't Tell

Replace abstract statements with concrete sensory details that let readers experience meaning.

Category: Writing | Type: Skills

Skills: Descriptive Writing, Sensory Detail, Immersion

Techniques: Constraint-Based

Prompt

"Show, don't tell" is the most given and least understood writing advice. The principle: replace judgment words with evidence. Don't write "She was nervous" — show the nervous behavior: "She folded and refolded the napkin into smaller and smaller squares." Framework: 1. Identify every emotion word in your draft. 2. For each, ask: "What does this look like in the body?" 3. Replace the label with the physical manifestation. 4. Add one sensory detail that is NOT visual. 5. Trust the reader to feel the emotion without being told. Exception: sometimes telling is more efficient. In transitions, summaries, and time-jumps, telling serves pacing. The skill is knowing when to show and when to tell.

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