I know you’ve heard the expression “show not tell,” but what does that mean? Is it always wrong to tell? No, but do it sparingly so as not to slow down the pace of your story.

Below is a brief example of showing versus telling. The times to tell are when you’re giving background info. But don’t give too much at once (called an info dump). Try sprinkling any background info (telling) throughout a chapter and avoid huge blocks of telling. Keep the action moving, whenever possible.

Showing, on the other hand, enables the reader to get inside a character (seeing what she sees, feeling what she feels, etc.). The opening to my present book is a good example. I will mark what’s background info, what’s sensory detail, what’s emotion and what’s dialogue. You can do this with any section of writing and decide if the four elements –background info, sensory detail, emotion and dialogue–are fairly evenly divided. It’s not an exact science, but if your block of text is highly weight toward one of these four, it might be time for a rewrite.

“Cradled between two pine branches, I don’t move a muscle. (Description and Showing with sensory detail – sight – also heightened Emotion – why doesn’t she move a muscle?)

Twenty feet below, a dozen uniformed guards—Jupiter’s personal AI brigade—have fanned out. (Background Info and showing with sensory detail – sight) No doubt their orders are to find me and drag me back to the Supreme Leader. Dead or alive. (Emotion) My pulse drums in my ears. (Sensory detail and Emotion)

Once a Principal Artisan and Master Citizen, the highest caste in our domed city, I, Faron Makram, designed one-of-a-kind jewelry (Background Info) But now, I’m a fugitive, hiding in a tree to avoid Jupiter’s net. (Description and sensory detail — sight) A net that’s slowly, inexorably closing around me. (Emotion and Metaphor)

Don’t fool yerself, Faron. Yer gonna get caught. (Dialogue and Emotion) While he was alive, my father used every opportunity to taunt me. Now, even as an adult, I can’t get his voice out of my head. (Background Info but also establishing empathy for the character)“

Background information is telling, but if it’s sprinkled with sensory detail, broken up by dialogue, and peppered with emotion, the reader won’t find it objectionable.