History Main / ShowDontTell

* HollywoodDateless: Character is said to be unable to get a date, yet is shown getting dates left and right.

'''Now this is sometimes quoted as an absolute gospel truth, which is not true.''' We have an entire line of tropes including AnthropicPrinciple, HandWave and NecessaryWeasel that admits certain things are impossible to avoid when trying to make a coherent story, but it's important to know where. Many writers consider treating it like an iron-clad rule makes the writing stagnate, leading new writers to believe they have writer's block or feel they have filled the page with too much meaningless quirks, when they just need to get the idea out as plainly as possible and then revise later. One of the best scenes from ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' was a monologue about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis as [[ShellShockedVeteran Quint's haunted recanting of events]] dominates the scene.

It should also be noted that '''action is not the same as showing, and dialog is not the same as telling'''. Conversations between friends, [[ChekhovsLecture recurring topics of interest]] and sharing issues that matter to a character is not the same thing as an InfoDump. Sometimes [[FirstPersonPerspective characters narrating to themselves]] does a lot to show the perspective they is coming from. Conversely action may just be [[{{Spectacle}} time wasting filler]]; nothing may actually be accomplished in an ActionPrologue other than setting up a ClicheStorm that follows. In the ultimate defiance of "Show, Don't Tell" is that what a character says ''is'' an action.

* InfoDump: Infodumping (that is, information + dumping) is a type of Exposition that is particularly sesquipedalian. Although it can be done in a way that is unintrusive or entertaining, most infodumps are obvious, intrusive, patronizing, and sometimes downright boring. Specifically, if the premise of your story is laughably ridiculous, an infodump will call attention to the fact. This infodump, for instance. The word 'infodump' is often used as a pejorative.
* Administrivia/JustAFaceAndACaption: Images for tropes should ''show'' how the trope is used, rather than just have the caption tell how the trope is used in the image.

* ExplainingYourPowerToTheEnemy: When a character's power is spelled out by that character, rather than made clear through visual representation.

* CharacterShilling: "Wow," said Alice, "Bad Bob is the most amazing guy in the world, isn't he?" "He sounds wonderful; I can't wait to meet him in person." said Carol.

* GreatOffscreenWar: Not every writer can convincingly depict a war. Especially if they have no experience with the subject.

* TakeOurWordForIt: Writers describe something they can't possibly live up to by showing it, so they just tell us what it's like, and let our imaginations fill in the gaps.

** ContinuityPorn: An abundance of references to previous installments, which risks a ContinuityLockout or, at least, takes up room that could be used for new storyline;

* {{Padding}}: In its worst form, Padding is mainly superfluous fluff that is only shown rather than told in order to to lengthen the runtime of the story.

'''Now this is sometimes quoted as an absolute gospel truth, which is not true.''' We have an entire line of tropes including AnthropicPrinciple, HandWave and NecessaryWeasal that admits certain things are impossible to avoid when trying to make a coherent story, but it's important to know where. Many writers consider treating it like an iron-clad rule makes the writing stagnate, leading new writers to believe they have writer's block or feel they have filled the page with too much meaningless quirks, when they just need to get the idea out as plainly as possible and then revise later. One of the best scenes from ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' was a monologue about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis as [[ShellShockedVeteran Quint's haunted recanting of events]] dominates the scene.

'''Now this line is sometimes quoted as an absolute gospel truth, which is not true.''' It's certainly a good thing to know how to show, but it's just as important to know ''when'' to show. Many writers consider treating that like an iron-clad rule makes writing much harder than it needs to be and can lead new writers to believe they have writer's block when in fact it's merely a scene in which they should be telling, or that they've been showing so much, they've run out of ways to show. One of the best times to Tell something instead of Show it is when you want to summarize lots of events — the written equivalent of a TimePassesMontage. Some times, one might Show so much that it becomes {{padding}}, with most of the shown detail being superfluous and/or [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment repetitive]] fluff that kills whatever pacing the story has.

It should also be noted that '''action is not the same as showing, and dialog is not the same as telling'''. If characters are having a conversation (or even just [[FirstPersonPerspective narrating to themselves]]), things can be revealed, but the ''way'' they are revealed, and how others react, can be a form of showing. Conversely we could see characters doing their job, but nothing else is revealed, so while we are shown characters have employment, it would not show much else about the character.

An extension of the concept in interactive media like VideoGames is "play, don't show." Rather than the player being ''told'' that the Dragon Lord killed your ninja clan and dishonored you by defeating you in a duel or being ''shown'' a movie sequence, the player is allowed to act out the journey to the DoomedHometown and fight a HopelessBossFight against the far more powerful foe prior to the game proper.

* AsYouKnow: As you know, this is when a troper like you recognizes the act of characters giving out exposition nobody in the scene would need.

->''"A little less conversation, a little more action..."''

'''Now this line is sometimes quoted as an absolute gospel truth, which is not true.''' It's certainly a good thing to know how to show, but it's just as important to know ''when'' to show. Many writers consider treating that like an iron-clad rule makes writing much harder than it needs to be and can lead new writers to believe they have writer's block when in fact it's merely a scene in which they should be telling, or that they've been showing so much, they've run out of ways to show. One of the best times to Tell something instead of Show it is when you want to summarize lots of events — the written equivalent of a TimePassesMontage. Some times, one might Show so much that it becomes TooMuchInformation, with most of the shown detail being superfluous and/or [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment repetitive]] fluff that kills whatever pacing the story has.

** {{Padding}}: In its worst form, Padding is mainly superfluous fluff that is only shown rather than told in order to to lengthen the runtime of the story.

* AllThereInTheManual: When plot-crucial information is never actually explained within the work itself and is instead relegated to supplementary materials (e.g., tie-in novellas, [[WordOfGod creator interviews]], etc.)

'''Now this line is sometimes quoted as an absolute gospel truth, which is not true.''' It's certainly a good thing to know how to show, but it's just as important to know ''when'' to show. Many writers consider treating that like an iron-clad rule makes writing much harder than it needs to be and can lead new writers to believe they have writer's block when in fact it's merely a scene in which they should be telling, or that they've been showing so much, they've run out of ways to show. One of the best times to Tell something instead of Show it is when you want to summarize lots of events — the written equivalent of a TimePassesMontage. Some times, one might Show so much that it becomes TooMuchInformation, with most of the shown detail being superfluous fluff which kills whatever pacing the story has.

'''Now this line is sometimes quoted as an absolute gospel truth, which is not true.''' It's certainly a good thing to know how to show, but it's just as important to know ''when'' to show. Many writers consider treating that like an iron-clad rule makes writing much harder than it needs to be and can lead new writers to believe they have writer's block when in fact it's merely a scene in which they should be telling, or that they've been showing so much, they've run out of ways to show. One of the best times to Tell something instead of Show it is when you want to summarize lots of events — the written equivalent of a TimePassesMontage. Some times, one might Show so much that it becomes TooMuchInformation.

'''Now this line is sometimes quoted as an absolute gospel truth, which is not true.''' It's certainly a good thing to know how to show, but it's just as important to know ''when'' to show. Many writers consider that treating like an iron-clad rule makes writing much harder than it needs to be and can lead new writers to believe they have writer's block when in fact it's merely a scene in which they should be telling, or that they've been showing so much, they've run out of ways to show. One of the best times to Tell something instead of Show it is when you want to summarize lots of events — the written equivalent of a TimePassesMontage. Some times, one might Show so much that it becomes TooMuchInformation.

It should also be noted that '''action is not the same as showing, and dialog is not the same as telling'''. If characters are having a conversation, things can be revealed, but the way they are revealed, and how others react, can be a form of showing. Conversely we could see characters doing their job, but nothing else is revealed, so while we are shown characters have employment, it would not show much else about the character.

* BlatantLies: The type when an InformedAttribute is PlayedForLaughs.

* To '''tell''' that she is a badass, the narrator, Alice herself and/or other characters around her would [[FauxActionGirl merely state that fact]]. For instance, they might report on previous incidents that have happened in the past and/or "offscreen" while the other characters were busy. Or maybe there'll be no support for the statement whatsoever, but that's unlikely ("Hey, did you hear about the badass things Alice did the other day?" "No, I didn't." "Well, they sure were badass!" *[[ChirpingCrickets crickets]]*).

* InformedAbility: When something mentioned is an outright lie PlayedForLaughs.

* InformedConversation: The "would otherwise be repeating what the audience has seen already" and "distill the plot" variants.

It's important to note that TropesAreTools - there are reasons why an author may prefer to tell but not show. See UnreliableNarrator and RashomonStyle in which the viewer may find something different than what the narration is telling them. This technique is usually to highlight the UnreliableNarrator's particular agenda and their character.

** NoodleImplements: Stating items used, but not how, to let imaginations fill in the gaps.

** InformedAttractiveness: Alice's attractiveness is stated as fact, whether or not the audience may agree.

* FauxActionGirl: We're told she's a badass, but it certainly doesn't look that way.

* HollywoodHomely: Casting an attractive actor or actress to play someone who's supposed to be bland looking or even downright ugly.

** InformedAbility: "...and Alice, who could [[VoluntaryShapeshifting turn into a pink butterfly on a whim]], dragged herself out of bed and drove to work."

** InformedDeformity: "Alice and Bob might both have been stick figures, but by God, he was hideous."
** InformedFlaw: You are blind.
** InformedJudaism: "Oy vey", said Alice, munching on a bagel. "Didn't you guys ever notice I don't go to church on Sundays?" Bob replied, "I noticed you don't go anywhere on ''Saturdays'', either!"
** InformedLoner: "I don't like being around others," said Alice to Bob and 20 of their very best friends. On being told this, nobody left the room.
** InformedPoverty: Alice is said to be poor yet she lives in one big house.
** InformedWrongness: Bob told Alice that the moon orbits the Earth, ignoring the clear evidence she'd presented that everything in the universe orbited her. Well, we can't all be smart like Alice.

** InformedAttractiveness: Alice is described as drop-dead gorgeous in story, but the audience doesn't really react to her that way.

* HollywoodPudgy: Alice is of ideal or slightly below ideal weight, has broad shoulders, and has round cheeks. Characters act as though Alice is morbidly obese.