Show, Don't Tell

You often hear writing coaches tell students to use the "show, don't tell" technique when writing. This technique means to let the readers experience an emotion or visualize a setting with descriptive wording rather than just a blunt information dump. When we walk into a cold room, we might wrap our arms around ourselves or grab a sweater. If we have a warm drink such as hot cocoa or coffee, we might wrap both hands around the cup to get our fingers warm. Describing those actions draws the reader into our story more than saying, "It was cold in the room." Readers can picture the actions of trying to get warm. Nothing particular comes to mind with just writing that it was cold. There's nothing to visualize for the reader. 

Writing Prompt: 

Use dialogue or descriptive language to show the readers what is happening instead of telling them. Example: He was cold. (telling) He stepped out and felt the bitter wind hit his cheeks. He immediately stepped back in and grabbed his coat from the closet. (showing)

  • He was very tired. 
  • She was growing taller. 
  • They were excited when they saw the ocean. 
  • They were scared. 
  • He was bored. 
  • She was lost. 
  • The dog was new to their home. 
  • It was late fall. 

Enjoy writing! Share your work with someone. 






• It was late fall. 


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