What is the Difference Between Showing and Telling in Writing?

The difference between showing and telling in writing lies in the level of detail and vividness of the descriptions. In a nutshell:

• Showing uses description and action to help the reader experience the story, making the writing more vivid and engaging. It involves providing specific details about a scene, including what the characters are seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, smelling, thinking, and feeling emotionally. This technique allows readers to interpret the descriptions of actions and scenes for themselves, creating a more immersive experience.
• Telling, on the other hand, summarizes or uses exposition to simply inform the reader about what is happening. It provides the bare facts with little to no illustration, making the writing less engaging and less descriptive.

For example, consider these two descriptions:

Telling: John was sad to see his girlfriend leave.

Showing: John wiped tears down his face as he watched his girlfriend board the plane.

In the showing example, the reader can better visualize and experience John's emotions through his actions and facial expressions. Both showing and telling have their value in writing, and the key is to understand their respective strengths and use each to the story's best advantage.

Comparative Table: Showing vs Telling in Writing

The difference between showing and telling in writing lies in how the author conveys the story to the reader. Here is a table comparing the two techniques:

Both showing and telling have their place in storytelling, but a balance between the two is essential for an engaging and successful narrative. Showing is often used for major events, while telling is used to describe background information or unimportant events. The key is to create a vivid and descriptive writing style that allows readers to interpret the descriptions of actions and scenes, making the story more immersive and engaging.