The problem with "show, don't tell"

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OK, so we've all heard the golden rule of fiction, right?

Show, don't tell.

But did you know that many writers misinterpret that phrase, assuming it means you should always show and never tell?

That's not really how an editor thinks about show, don't tell.

It isn't actually a writing rule. Instead, it's something an editor might write in the margin of your manuscript when they think that, in this particular moment, showing would be more effective than telling. Maybe this part of your story is too expositional. Perhaps you’ve accidentally created distance between the reader and your character. Or the editor might just believe the reader needs to experience the emotion instead of being told about it. 

But an editor might sometimes suggest the opposite: telling instead of showing. Perhaps what the moment needs is more clarity, more emphasis, or a stronger narrative voice, and these are all things effective telling can bring to a story.

But if showing isn't always better, how do you know when to show and when to tell?

That's one of the questions at the heart of Reedsy's upcoming online conference, Beyond Show, Don't Tell, with editor Mary Kole.

Rather than treating show, don't tell as the rule we've all heard before, this conference explores the judgment behind the phrase. Across two in-depth sessions, Mary will explore what good telling actually does, how professional authors balance showing and telling, and the effect these choices have on voice, pacing, character development, and emotional impact.

Because perhaps the real skill isn't following show, don't tell.

Perhaps it's knowing when to show and when to tell.

Reedsy’s Beyond Show, Don’t Tell conference takes place online on June 16 and 23. Use code GLOBESOUP10 to get $10 off your ticket. Replays will be available if you can't attend live.