: Re: How do I avoid tradeoffs with showing vs. telling? I learned early on (as most writers have) "show, don't tell," which I agree with for the most part. However, I've found many situations in

@BetL639

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Show don’t tell is not about the way you structure a description of some action. It is about allowing the reader to reach their own conclusions.

For example, if you want your reader to understand that a particular character is an evil person, you can tell them:

He was an evil, evil man.

… or you can show them:

He plunged the knife into her neck. Blood sprayed across his face and into his mouth, warm and metallic. Her body slumped against his. He wanted to feel something. Excitement, maybe — even remorse. But like a hundred times before, he felt nothing.

… and let the reader come to their own conclusion that he is an evil person.

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