The Dilemma of Showing vs. Telling
Photo made by onefictionalauthor on canva.com As a writer, one of the first things you learn is to show, don't tell. Writing courses, famous authors , self-help writing books; they all preach the power of showing over telling. But why? What makes showing so powerful? Why not just use the word "cold," or "tired," or "angry" when you're describing someone or something? Well, it all comes down to how you want your audience to read your work. Let's get into some of the reasons that we have come to rely on the proverb "show, don't tell," and what it means for us as writers. Photo from quotefancy.com What's the difference? On the surface, it's pretty self-explanatory . Showing is using descriptive words and prose to help the reader empathize with the story. Telling is simply relaying to the reader the process of events. Don't tell me a character is cold. Show me their runny nose, their mitten-covered hand
