Show, Don’t Tell
Why restraint carries more weight than explanation
“Show, don’t tell” is often repeated as advice, but rarely explained in terms that are useful while writing.
At its core, it is not about withholding information. It is about letting consequence arrive before explanation. When a character acts, the reader should feel the pressure of that action before being told what it means.
Telling resolves uncertainty quickly. Showing allows uncertainty to linger, and that lingering is where tension lives. A glance held too long, a hand that hesitates, a choice not taken — these invite the reader to participate rather than observe.
In Mortal Immortals, this often means allowing power, danger, or intention to be present without explanation. The reader senses it first. Understanding follows later, or sometimes not at all.
Showing is an act of trust. It assumes the reader is willing to notice, infer, and feel. Telling assumes they are not.
Example from Golden Eyed Wolf (Chapter 2)
I made supper. I made sandwiches and her favorite biscuit. I brought the plate upstairs and sat beside her while she ate. She did not finish the sandwiches. We lay together for a while and I listened to her breathing.
Then, she told me to fetch Father Angelou.
I walked to the rectory and knocked. He came with me without asking questions. He went upstairs alone. I sat at the kitchen table and waited. The house felt different.
When he came down, he said it was time.
We packed my things. Not everything. Only what would fit into one case. Father Angelou locked the door behind us. I did not look back.
Why it’s “show, don’t tell”: the scene never names grief or loss. It lets objects, omissions, and small actions carry the weight.