Although “show, don’t tell” has become a cardinal rule in the writing community, feelings remain divided. Is it really more challenging to describe than to simply put the right adjective? Does showing instead of telling encourage writers to exercise their brain muscles in evoking sensory details through nouns and verbs? Is there a concrete, meaningful distinction between “showing” and “telling”? Between showing that “she gritted her teeth” and telling that “she was angry,” is the former a better sentence than the latter?

It all depends. There are occasions where showing action is more interesting rather than being told. On other occasions, telling serves its own purpose that no amount of showing can accomplish. The writer needs to develop a good sense of both. He needs to employ which one is more suited in his story’s situation that will create a more dramatic effect for the reader. This will help to strike a balance in his story. Too much showing can impede the pace of the story. Too many adjectives can be numbing.

Example: Kurt took Pam’s hand and led her to the beach. Pam loathed the seaside. It reminded her of her three-year-old daughter that she lost from drowning. Five years ago, their little Penny was building a sandcastle and waded into the waves to look for seashells. Pam let go of Kurt’s hand and headed to the cottage.

This is “telling” the audience of Pam’s hatred for the beach. Although the death of their daughter provides an interesting background, it isn’t moving enough to create a dramatic effect. It does not appeal to emotions. The past about Penny is offered in a passive manner, and therefore, it is simply told. The information will only pass through the reader’s eyes and will be forgotten after a couple of pages.

Telling is cerebral, it appeals to the mind. Showing appeals to emotions, as it gives a magnified view of whatever is being described. Showing often comes to the scene when a situation demands evoking feelings like sympathy for the character.

Example: The sound of crashing waves pierced through Pam’s heart. She was loosening her hold of Kurt’s hand. The hot sand beneath her feet prickled her in a bitter recollection. The memory of their daughter Penny drowning was growing heavy on her chest. She let go of Kurt’s hand and said, “I’ll just go lounge at the cottage.”

If information is mentioned in passing and the writer does not intend to evoke feelings, it can be told. If Pam stays away from the beach simply because it reminds her of Penny’s death, then the memory is passive. If she reacts with intense loathing at the beach and it demonstrates her feelings whenever she is near the seashore, the scene becomes empathic.

It is the writer’s call to decide when to show and when to tell. It is not a rule carved in stone. It is applied based on the writer’s judgment on how well this rule will serve his purpose because people react differently in every situation.