“Show. Don’t tell.” This is often one of the first pieces of advice young writers receive. But how do we get our students to understand and implement this sage phrase? Keep reading and I’ll walk you through how to teach your Creative Writing students how to “show, don’t tell.”

Want to skip the lesson planning and get right to it? Grab my done-for-you Show. Don’t Tell Creative Writing Mini-lesson!

How to Teach “Show, Don’t Tell” Step #1: Introduce The Topic

First, gather your kiddos around and repeat the advice you’ve so often heard yourself, “Show. Don’t tell.”

They won’t have a clue what you mean. But keep going. 

Let students know that if the phrase doesn’t make a lot of sense right now, it will by the end of class.

How to Teach “Show, Don’t Tell” Step #2: Compare “Telling Sentences” vs. “Showing Paragraphs”

You’ll have to show your students examples of both showing and telling in writing for them to “get it.”

I use “telling sentence” examples and “showing paragraph” examples. 

Telling sentences give away all of the meaning without making the reader work for it. For example “Betsy was mad” or “The man was old.” They are to the point but don’t paint a picture or create an experience for the reader. 

Showing sentences, on the other hand, force a reader to use clues to determine the meaning. 

Instead of “Betsy was mad,” a showing paragraph might read, “Betsy curled her hands into fists, her arms shaking. She could feel the heat coming off her face as it grew red. It took all of her strength to keep from screaming.”

Does the paragraph say anywhere that Betsy was mad? No. But readers can pick up the meaning from various clues given. 

Plus, the showing paragraph paints a picture in the reader’s mind. It’s a much more engaging read. 

Give your students several examples of “telling sentences” vs. “showing paragraphs.” Remember, when it comes to writing, there’s no such thing as too many examples!

How to Teach “Show, Don’t Tell” Step #3: Have  Students Turn a “Telling Sentence” into a “Showing Paragraph”

Now comes this fun! Give your students a “telling sentence.”

You could do this aloud or make it up on the spot. I like to have students pick a sentence out of a hat and include sentence strips for this purpose in my Show. Don’t Tell Mini-lesson. 

Once students have their telling sentence, challenge them to turn it into a showing paragraph. 

For students who really struggle, you may want to give them a few minutes to brainstorm clues or details they may want to include in their paragraphs before expecting them to just write. You may also want to give some kind of requirement like “at least 3 sentences.”

After students have written their showing paragraphs, invite them to share! 

A fun way for students to share their writing is to hang the showing paragraphs on the wall and have the class try to match the telling sentence with the correct showing paragraph!

How to Teach “Show. Don’t Tell” Step #4: Incorporate “Show, Don’t Tell” Into Longer Writing

Now that students understand the concept of “show, don’t tell,” it’s time to make it a habit. 

Remind students of this advice whenever they write a longer Creative Writing piece. When students peer-edit, making looking for too many “telling sentences” a part of the editing process. Make highlighting boring telling sentences part of your feedback routine. 

The more students have a lack of “showing” pointed out to them and receive that crucial critical feedback, the more they’ll improve their ability to “show” in their writing.

Don’t forget to keep adding to your students’ writing toolbox! Here are some more mini-lessons you NEED to incorporate into your Creative Writing class!

Conclusion

I think “Show, Don’t Tell” is a fun, engaging lesson for all Creative Writing students. It’s the kind of advice that will serve them in your class and out in the real world. 

Be sure to grab my done-for-you Show. Don’t Tell Mini-lesson to bring this lesson to life in your classroom. Inside, you’ll get a slideshow, student worksheets, telling sentence strips, and more!