Salty Rants

Showing Vs. Telling

Surprise, bitches. I'm back. For now.

I got inspired to talk shit about showing vs. telling by lurking in the "Improve Your Writing" club, namely, in a thread started by someone we know very well and have learned to hate. I won't mention their name, but y'all probably know who it is. I complained about this particular user several chapters back (you'd think that someone who's been banned more than once for being an asshole would do more than just create a new account each time. You'd think that, you know, they'd try to learn from their mistakes and accept criticism. Human beings are wonderful, mysterious creatures). 

Anyway, the debate of showing vs telling is as old as literature itself. As old as when the first caveman scratched lines into the walls of his cave to indicate how many cavewomen he banged (and then later got misconstrued as something much more complicated and philosophical by scientists). There are two kinds of people: 

The Showers: "You should SHOW your readers what you're trying to say, not TELL them!"

The Tellers: "We are called story-TELLERS, not story-SHOWERS. Your readers aren't stupid, leave something to the imagination!!!!"

Well, I say both of them need to shut the fuck up, because not only did they wake me up from my nap with their incessant yapping, but also because they are both right. 

How does that work? Well, too much of anything is bad for you. Drink eight cups of water a day, but drink nine and you risk metamorphosing into a jellyfish. Add salt to your fries, but add too much salt and your heart pressure will skyrocket into Mars. Eat fruit and veggies every day, but eat too many and—you get the point (if you still don't after two very well thought-out examples, I suggest you read them again; reading comprehension is important for a writer).

Personally, I hate when someone shows me too much. Like in sex scenes, for example. I like them to be moderately elaborate, not detailed to the point where I'm actually skipping pages just to avoid having my face freeze into a permanent cringe (you'd be surprised how quickly these can transform from being sexy—to uncomfortable). But at the same time, it really takes skill for someone to intricately describe a sunset, or waves rolling onto the shore, or a villain getting punched in the face.

Those who always say SHOW DON'T TELL are wrong because some things are perfectly fine with being shown, while others are perfectly fine with being told. Like,

Tell: "Adam is struggling with his drug addiction," Stephanie said, eyes flitting downwards.

All throughout:

Show: Adam going through withdrawal, Adam begging on the streets for money to buy his next fix, Adam being forced to go to rehab, etc.

If the situation calls for the character, Stephanie, to only briefly talk about Adam, maybe during a conversation with a close friend, and Adam isn't that important to the story, then it's fine if you just inform us that Adam is struggling with his addiction. On the other hand, if Adam is integral to the story, it isn't just necessary that you tell us that Adam has a drug addiction, it's also important that you show us—you can't go around telling me things and then not acting upon them. Sometimes, actions speak louder than words. (I hope this was a good example)

Basically, show/tell based on what the situation—it's your call, as a writer, to decide when it's appropriate, but remember, it's important to have a balance between the two. 

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Is there something that you're itching to complain about, but have the good sense not to do so on a public forum? I can do it for you! Feel free to PM me with the topic you want me to rant about, and I won't think twice before adding it here. I'll be waiting!