Showing and telling are two elements in a novel that are necessary.
Showing:
Showing refers to a form of writing that reveals the events of a story as they are happening. Thus, allowing the readers to create their own judgements on what they are perceiving.
For example: The cat peers around the corner, scanning the hallway for movement. Her eyes suddenly freeze. The small, brown mouse scurries towards the gap under the front door. The cat leaps into the air and dashes towards the mouse, but not before he was able to swiftly escape into the outside world. The cat hung her head, walking to the living room. She jumps on the couch and curls into a ball until, all that can be heard, is her gentle snoring.
Showing is necessary in a novel to engage the readers within a story. It captures their attention and leaves readers wanting to know more. Through showing, the readers are encouraged to ask questions and make predictions as to what could possibly happen next. Showing is particularly used when the author wants to progress the story further and can be written in both present and past tense. It does not explain to the reader what is happening and, instead, allows the events to unfold for the reader allowing them to experience it for themselves.
Telling:
Telling refers to a form of writing that explains and recounts an event that has happened. It usually tells the reader what to think and what the event means.
For example: The cat was looking for the mouse that she had seen earlier. She felt it was her duty to keep her house safe from unwanted visitors. She finally saw him running towards the front door. Unfortunately, the cat was not quick enough and the mouse escaped. The cat felt disappointed and wished she could go outside and find him. Instead, she went into the living room and slept on the couch.
Telling is necessary to help readers fill in the blanks and understand an event that has happened. It allows a clear way of explaining to the readers worlds, situations and people that can not be presented in a showing format.
In terms of world building, telling can set up and explain to readers what exactly they can expect from the novel they are reading. This is usually done through description and informing. This tends to answer the question of location and genre. Are they in a dystopic world or a place like our current society?
For events, the author may need to tell the reader about a situation that has already happened. It does not need to be seen but is necessary to know about for the plot. This usually entails a recount with some after thoughts from the character or narrator.
People are usually described to the readers in a telling format. ‘Lilly has blonde hair and blue eyes. She always says please and thank you and is always willing to lend a helping hand.’ Telling presents to the reader, the protagonist’s view of the people that are around them.
Telling is mostly told in a past tense, however can be told in a present tense as well.
You will hear from many teachers that it is best to show rather than tell. This, in most cases, is true; however, it is best to remember to do whatever your story needs. Do not hold back from telling if you really need to explain something to your readers, but do not get carried away as they can lose interest if there are pages and pages of explanation and not enough progression.
‘1984’ by George Orwell, is an example of a story where there are clear examples of both showing and telling.
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