Show, Don't Tell: The Golden Rule of Writing Explained

"Show, Don't Tell" is the most common advice given to writers. It's also the most misunderstood. Here is exactly what it means and how to do it.

The Core Concept

Telling is stating a fact: "John was angry."

Showing is describing the evidence of that fact: "John slammed his coffee mug onto the table, coffee sloshing over the rim and burning his hand. He didn't flinch."

Showing invites the reader to interpret the scene. It engages their senses and emotions.

Examples: Before and After

How to Spot "Telling" in Your Writing

Look for "emotion words" used as adjectives. If you see words like afraid, excited, sad, happy, nervous, ask yourself: "How do I know the character feels this way?"

Describe the physical reaction instead of the label.

When is it Okay to Tell?

"Show, Don't Tell" isn't a law; it's a guideline. Sometimes telling is better for pacing.

• Transitions: "They drove to the airport." You don't need to show every turn of the steering wheel.
• Repetition: If a character is always angry, you can eventually just say they were angry.
• Summary: Skipping over boring time periods.

Using AI to Improve Showing

Hearth's AI tab-complete is great for this. Type a "telling" sentence like "The room was messy" and then ask the AI to expand it: "The room was messy. Clothes were..." and let the AI suggest details like "strewn across the floor" or "piled on the chair."