The Craft: ‘Show, Not Tell’ and What It Might Mean

[This is part of a continuing series on the craft of writing fiction.]

Time to get back to the meat of this blog: the craft of writing fiction. Here’s one you’ll hear every time. In writing workshops..from editors…from other writers: “Show, Don’t Tell.” You will hear it all the time, but what it means varies from person to person. They will only agree that it’s vital to your writing.

From “The First Degree,” 1923.

So, what might it really mean? Well, (credit where credit is due) during...