If you’ve ever taken a creative writing course, you have probably been admonished at least once to “show, don’t tell.” But, what does that even mean? What’s the difference between showing and telling, and why does it matter?
–Anton Chekov
Showing and telling are two different ways of conveying information in creative writing. Telling refers to when the author simply tells the reader what is happening or what a character is feeling, without showing it through actions, dialogue, or description. For example, “Tessa was angry” is a statement that tells the reader how Tessa is feeling without showing any evidence of her anger.
Continue reading “What’s the difference between showing and telling in novel writing? | Revise and Refine”
Write on the World 