Six Tips on Showing not Telling

  1. Remember, the reader isn’t stupid; you don’t have to explain everything. They’ll probably understand what you’re getting at.
  2. Describe effects, not causes: she shivered not she was cold
  3. Unless you happen to be a Victorian novelist, there’s no need to describe everything in a scene.
  4. Writing about how characters react is often better than simply stating. The smell of the eggs made him feel sick is better than He didn’t like eggs
  5. If you don’t know the meaning of pragmatics, Google it. Now use that when writing conversations.
  6. Finally, don’t tie yourself in knots. Sometimes it’s okay just to tell.

See Also