show, don't tell
/ˌʃoʊ ˌdoʊnt ˈtel/
convey through concrete detail rather than abstract statement
show, don't tell in a sentence
“Not 'she was sad' but 'her hands trembled as she set down the photograph.'”
Origin of show, don't tell
Classic writing workshop advice
Related Words
read aloud
testing prose by speaking it to catch awkward rhythms
tighten
remove unnecessary words while preserving meaning
expand
add detail, examples, or explanation where needed
cut
remove words, sentences, or sections that don't contribute
line edit
editing at the sentence level for clarity and style
developmental edit
editing for structure, argument, and overall organization