Show Don't Tell Is Terrible Advice

Comments · 1.6K

• TH

  @TheCloserLook · 8 months ago · pinned

  After releasing this video, I realise there&apos;s a bit of tunnel-visioning going on. <br><br>I think I was so excited about sharing my model of the 3 exposition types that I overlooked a key fact; &apos;Show don&apos;t tell&apos; doesn&apos;t just encompass exposition like lore or character backstory, but all kinds of things like character traits and inner feelings.<br><br>So, as a note, this video is specifically around the idea of using show don&apos;t tell when it comes to conventional exposition. The other usage cases go unaddressed.<br><br>You guys should still find it quite useful, but this video is more so about giving good exposition, which is a big portion of showing and telling, but the advice also encompasses aspects of writing beyond those bounds.<br><br>Also, I realised something interesting looking at the comments, but there are some WILDLY different opinions on what the advice &apos;show don&apos;t tell&apos; even means. I guess I fell into that myself, but it&apos;s super interesting how fractured everyone&apos;s perspective is on the advice. I&apos;m seeing 10 or so totally different definitions of it floating around.

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• SI

  @SirPanikalot778 · 8 months ago

  Somehow, even 19 years after kindergarten, I still suck at show and tell.

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• SP

  @SpriteWorld1991 · 8 months ago

  Okay, but the “I am your father” scene WOULD be better without dialogue. You see, in Lego Sta-

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• BR

  @BrickEnthus1ast · 8 months ago

  Literally every “rule” in writing is more like a guideline.

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• YO

  @yourdogfluffy4914 · 7 months ago

  &quot;Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.&quot; -Picasso

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• AP

  @applesthehero · 8 months ago

  &quot;show don&apos;t tell&quot; isn&apos;t just advice about exposition - in fact, the situation where it&apos;s most applicable is for things that <b>aren&apos;t</b> exposition. Don&apos;t have your character say what emotion they&apos;re currently feeling, show them performing actions caused by that emotional state. The viewers don&apos;t want to watch people talking about something exciting and interesting happening, they want to actually watch it happen!<br><br>&quot;Is this important? Would it be more interesting &amp; engaging if it was shown and not just spoken about / narrated?&quot;

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• HA

  @harp167 · 8 months ago

  I feel like show don’t tell usually applies more to showing character’s feelings, traits, and relationships than exposition. Like you kinda missed the whole point of “show don’t tell” <br><br>For example, “he was feeling sad” vs “he let out a sigh”

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• RO

  @royaljunior2125 · 8 months ago

  When I hear &quot;show don&apos;t tell&quot; I always equate it to &apos;during an emotional scene it&apos;s always better to show the emotions of a character rather than them telling you how they feel depending on the type of words you use, direct vs indirect&apos;. <br><br>I thought it always came with the little &apos; * &apos; there

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• YA

  @YahsNavaGirl · 4 months ago

  I think the better phrase is &quot;Show don&apos;t just tell&quot;

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• KU

  @Kulkogo · 8 months ago (edited)

  As an avid believer of Show Don’t Tell myself, I’ve come to accept that there are some times where you have to actually tell the audience what’s going on. If anyone tells me otherwise, I just show them the dumpster fire that is the FNAF “storyline” and how well “showing” treated it in the long run

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• AN

  @angelad230 · 7 months ago

  30% of conversation is just people telling each other things they both already know. It doesn’t feel natural if you completely eliminate it.

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• SO

  @sophie9419 · 8 months ago

  I mean, if that advice was meant literally then everyone would agree silent movies are peak cinema. 😂

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