“Show, don’t tell.” It’s old writing advice, and still touted today for good reason: One of the hallmarks of good creative writing is being able to draw the reader into the book’s world. If the reader feels connected to place, to character, to action, anything is possible. A lack of description leaves much to be desired in the way of proper world-building or even scene-building, to say nothing of being able to create a main character in the mind’s eye.

A November 2022 Reedsy blog post lists four tips for building up your “showing” skills:

1. Create a sense of setting.

There are plenty of ways to do this depending on the POV you’re employing, but one of the easiest ways to build up the world your character’s in is simply to have them experience it. Whether they’re pulling up their coat collar and hunching their shoulders against the wind (it’s cold outside), jumping into ankle-high puddles while rain drips off their sodden bangs (it’s pouring rain), or tapping their foot to the chill jazz playing over the café speakers while warming their hands with a mug of coffee (building overall ambiance), the richness of your story’s setting builds with each description fanning outward from your character’s perceptions.

2. Use dialogue to show character.

I’d never thought of this one, but it makes perfect sense. When you first meet someone, beyond physical appearance the way they speak helps flesh out your first impression of them (for good or ill). In the same way, you can use the way your character speaks (or even thinks, if the introduction is via internal monologue) to create an outline of who they are. Do they speak in clipped sentences? Do they dominate a conversation? Is their verbiage more academic or are they prone to slang? Every part of your character has potential to paint the picture of their personality.

3. If in doubt, always describe action.

This tip is related to narrative momentum. If every time your character steps into a new place you have to describe what’s around, the flow of the story immediately pauses until you’re done. Rather than halt that flow, allow the character to move organically through the setting, again letting the picture build from the character as a center. Perhaps they push through a crowd, hear church bells chiming the time, and sidestep a dropped ice cream cone. Keep the character moving along with the description.

4. Use strong details, but don’t overdo it.

This, I think, may be a tip for the editing process. Sometimes more is just more. You don’t want to bog down your story with too much description just as you don’t want too little. Where is the lauded perfect middle ground? Probably not in the first draft, that’s for sure. My advice, tacked on to this tip, is to describe to your heart’s content initially. By the time you complete your draft you’ll have found your pacing and descriptive style, and can go back to refine during the editing process.

Do you have any favorite books that exemplify “show, don’t tell?”