Show, Don't Tell?

Question

What's this thing with show, don't tell, in writing? It seems to be the biggest thing discussed nowadays.

I don't get where I'm at a healthy threshold.

"He was happy." Okay, wrong. I can see that. It's very vague.

"He was ecstatic." That's getting specific, no? -"Don't use so many adjectives!" Well, what am I supposed to do?

"He was so filled with joy that he leaped around and humped his couch." -- "That's just weird."

What am I supposed to do here? Give me a thing!

Updates

+1 y

He gazed carefully over his wedding ring, twirling it around his fingers. He remembered the car crash and the way she screamed before she died.

Why can't we just say, "He's a widow. His wife died in a car crash."

CupcakeTheDestroyer · Accepted Answer

Ah, I was wondering when this would come up. So here’s the thing: media literacy is way, way down from what it used to be. Being direct in your descriptions is not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s just not as entertaining for the reader. If you want to focus on something dialogue-heavy you might be better off with screenplay or playwriting as that can help with a simplified, direct writing style.

As for more novel-like writing, it gives room for an image to be made in the reader’s mind. For example, let’s say you have a main character and you’re trying to introduce a side character into the story. A direct, and more telling way, would be to say something like “Alan was always a bit of an asshole, which is probably why his wife left him, but he would be there when you need him.”

And a way to show this would be through dialogue:
“Walking into the bar, I could see Alan sitting on a stool, waving me over. As I came up to him, he looked me up and down and said “Damn, you look like shit.”
“And you look old and fat.” I replied.
He laughed, “Yeah, well I guess that’s what happens when you get divorced. Speaking of, how’s Amanda? She still fucking your mechanic?” I glare at him and he lets the subject drop as I take the stool beside him, turning to the bartender, “Hey, get my friend here a beer, one of your lagers.”

And that’s a way to not only establish Alan’s general impression of a personality but also his relationship to the main character and a touch of character exposition. It does multiple things at once and reads much better than a single sentence. I hope this helps.

Rosexøxø · Accepted Answer

Omg, I felt sad about the updated first piece. I think the first is to either bring out a sympathetic side, express some emotion of what they felt (individual (s) involved), or cause people/ readers to be be emotional (“in the feels,” as they say).

First is for the maybe communal or personal types of people and the second is the more practical side. The info perhaps given for the more specific types of people.

Both benefit certain types. It could vary too.

I think it (the simpler version) could be offensive to those if it describes graphic things or events like a death or funeral, but meanwhile the emotional stuff mentioned in articles or other, can annoy/ aggravate those who just need and want the information and facts. Maybe even remain emotionally unattached so they can make decisions there onward.

Having both definitely has its pros and cons.

Sevenpointfive · Accepted Answer

because if it was synonymous that wouldn't be right.

FunkyMonkee · Accepted Answer

I don't have a god damned clue! You're on your own!

7Phoenix7 · Answer

It's more interesting and you get a much clearer picturr when you go into detail with the adjectives

AmyHew1tt · Answer

I'm a writer, and this is something that confuses me so much, lol.

Anonymous · Answer

It's not nowadays, that has always been the rule since the beginning of Hollywood. Movies and television are visual media, stories are told in pictures, not words.

MsBrie · Answer

Someone close dying in a car crash is too real for me.

OtterMan68 · Answer

He was smiling - a smile that was not only on the lips, but in the eyes. His face lit up in joy.

NathanDavis · Answer

I can't tell, what this show is about...

Dongie · Answer

I find myself at a loss for words.

Show, Don't Tell?

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