Wattpad Creators Weekly Writing Challenges

Show, Don't Tell

Hello Creators! 

As writers, it's important to engage our readers on both a logical and emotional level. One of the key ways to achieve this is through the literary concept of "Show, Don't Tell." The phrase "Show, Don't Tell" comes from Anton Chekhov, a famous Russian playwright, who stressed the importance of describing small details to paint a vivid picture for the reader.

Chekhov wrote, "In descriptions of Nature, one must seize on small details, grouping them so that when the reader closes [their] eyes [they get] a picture. For instance, you'll [create] a moonlit night if you write that on the [pier], a piece of glass from a broken bottle glittered like a bright little star and that the black shadow of a dog or a wolf rolled past like a ball."

"Show, Don't Tell" is all about creating vivid, sensory details that draw the reader into the story world. Telling, on the other hand, forces the reader to come to conclusions based on explanations provided by the author. Telling doesn't evoke images in the reader's mind and robs them of the opportunity to think and discover the story world for themselves. When we tell our readers that a character is angry or sad, they'll rationally understand it, but they won't emotionally connect to it.

To create a strong emotional connection with your readers, you need to "show" them what your characters are experiencing. This means providing your readers with enough emotional or sensory details so that they can draw their own conclusions. By keeping your readers actively engaged in this way, they'll be more invested in your story and more likely to continue reading.

For example:

Don't tell me your character is angry; show me their fists clenching around a knife at the dinner table.

Don't tell me your character is sad; show me their watery eyes holding back tears while they watch their ex make out with their new lover.

Don't tell me your character is anxious; show me how they rip up their paper napkin during their first date with their crush.

When your characters experience something emotional, it's crucial to describe how their emotions manifest in their thoughts, feelings, and actions. This is what will draw the reader in and create a powerful emotional connection. If you simply tell your readers that your characters are scared, or angry, or in love, then they will understand it on a rational level, but they won't necessarily relate to what your characters are feeling. We want to know what your characters feel when they are scared. We want to know what your characters taste when they realize they're falling in love. We want to know what your characters do when they are angry.

To help you put "Show, Don't Tell" into practice, try this writing exercise. Take a scene in your current work-in-progress and analyze it for instances of telling instead of showing. Then, rewrite the scene so that you're showing your characters' emotions and experiences. Try to use sensory details and vivid descriptions to paint a picture for the reader. You'll be surprised by how much more impactful your writing becomes when you "Show, Don't Tell."

Happy writing!