Show don't Tell...or Show VS Tell?

"Show don't tell" has to be one of the most popular, if not the most popular writing advise. At first glance, of course, it makes sense. You don't need to tell your reader everything about the characters, scene, messages, etc. You want the reader to find out about certain things on their own or you want them to reach their own conclusions, nothing bad about that.

The issue comes when we decide rules like "Show don't Tell" apply to everything and everyone all the time. Applying that rule for every piece doesn't consider the author's idea, style and maybe even culture. As mentioned in "Craft in the Real World" by Matthew Salesses, there are instances where a common advice can completely ignore the author's culture, and consider the author's style "bad writing" because it doesn't follow the general advice given by the majority.

So what to do? If you want to follow the tip forever and see where it leads you that's ok! However, I like to recommend my clients "Show VS Tell."

If you apply "Show VS Tell," you can see what works better for you and your work. I like to recommend my clients to think/write about the scene they are having problems with in two separate ways at the same time: showing and telling. Once they have them side by side they can see the difference and decide what works best. Think about it as building two paths and checking which one is stronger, which one looks and feels the best. What gets lost with only "showing"? How can you convey it? What type of words would be used for the "telling"? Is the "telling" necessary or can it be "shown"? Does the reader need the information in the first place? Is the "telling" coming back later in the piece but in a different way? All of these questions can help you out decide the best option!

There are well known general rules for writing and if you want to learn them all and stick to them good for you! But don't forget that as the writer you are in control of your piece. Write what feels right for you and your story.