Show, Don't Tell

"Show, don't tell" is fundamental advice for writers. This means showing readers what you mean with effective writing rather than telling them. Readers don't want to be directly told what is happening. They want just enough information so they can figure it out for themselves. That's what makes reading a process of intrigue and discovery. A little bit of "showing" will go a long way with readers, and they will appreciate you letting them put two and two together. For example, instead of writing "She was furious with her sister (telling)," write "Her stomach cramped into knots when she faced her sister (showing)." Let the reader conclude that she was furious. By doing too much telling, the writer intrudes on the reader's experience and deadens the writing. When reading is no longer an adventure, readers lose interest. Showing rather than telling keeps the writer in the background and lets the writing speak for itself. Language can carry its own weight if you let it. Trust that your description or dialogue or narrative passage will impart your essential message to readers if you have chosen your words with care. Effective writing "shows" readers how to lead themselves on a journey they won't soon forget.