If you've ever read a writing guide before, you knew this was coming. When I began writing, I was confused by that statement so much, that I completely threw it away.

Don't do what I did. Be smart.

Now, when I say show, don't tell, you might be very confused. All writing is telling, right? WRONG. I don't want you to tell me Axel was terrified. I want to feel Axel's fear, like I'm right beside him, waiting for anything to happen.

Here are some examples of showing, instead of telling. (I do not own this image. It is the right of the sole creator to use and distribute.)

Which would you rather read?

Axel was scared the monster would eat him, and had a kitchen knife in his hand. He screamed. Then opened an eye. The monster was staying in one spot, a purple light surrounding it. Did Axel do that?

"You didn't do that. I did." a person said, jumping next to him.

She had dark blue eyes with a bit of dark purple. She looked smart. And powerful.

"We need to leave. Now. I won't be able to keep him like that very longer," she said.

"What was that?" Axel said.

"Was it? No, it couldn't be. If they're forces are uniting..." she said.

"What do you mean by that? What's happening?" Axel said.

She shot an arrow, making a werewolf turn into greyish dust.

"We're leaving. Now."

or

2. Lukas' stomach dropped. He was so close he could smell the creature's rancid breath. A low growl filled his ears, as the beast crawled toward him. Somehow he knew that the puny kitchen knife he grabbed wasn't going to do anything to this.. thing. His knees buckled, as he desperately tried to move, to run, to just leave. But he couldn't. He was stuck, destined to die by the hands of this evil creature. The monster pounced, and Lukas dropped the kitchen knife. He put out his hands, and closed his eyes.

Lukas screamed. And screamed. And screamed some more. Why wasn't he dead? He slightly opened his eye, and saw the beast petrified, a soft purple glow keeping it from moving. It's eyes darted around, and it gave a howl at him, that made him jump back. Lukas looked at his hands. Did he do that?

"You didn't do that. I did." cloaked figure said from the treetops, jumping down with acrobatic grace.

Lukas was so startled, he let out a yelp.

The figure placed down her hood, revealing jet black hair, with the slightest raven purple tint. She had intense dark blue eyes, that seemed to be rimmed with a piercing purple. They gleamed with intelligence and power, but also a war hardened look. A fully stocked quiver was strung behind her back, and a bow was in her hands.

"We need to leave. Now. I won't be able to keep him like that very longer," she ordered, starting to walk away.

"What was that?" Lukas asked, scurrying next to her.

"Was it? No, it couldn't be. If they're forces are uniting..." she muttered under her breath.

"What do you mean by that? What's happening?" Lukas' asked frantically.

She muttered a few quick words under her breath, a soft glow surrounding her bow, and the monster crumbled into pieces of stone. Then, she turned her head into a certain direction.

Suddenly, a monster lunged from a bush in the direction she had turned to.The girl quickly pulled a silver tipped arrow out of her quiver and shot. It hit the werewolf like creature straight between the eyes, and it disintegrated into a greyish powder, with only a single tooth left.

"We're leaving. Now."

You liked number two better? Whaaaaat??? So unexpected, right? They both told the same scenarios, so what made number two so good?

I showed you, I didn't tell you. I didn't say "He was afraid." I described a frightful situation, and let your mind do the rest. I didn't say "Her eyes were smart." I said "Her eyes gleamed with intelligence and cunning."

If I had just told you everything, it wouldn't be nearly as exciting. But when I showed you the situation, suddenly things got interesting.

Showing, not telling, is something that I'm working on. We all should be working on it. If you're writing looks like the first, then you have some room to improve. Bewarned, too much showing instead of telling is bad for you. If there's information overload, readers lose interest.

Show, don't tell. That's what all good writers do