Hot take: the "show don't tell" rule gets way too much credit in writing prompts

I was at a local writers meetup in Columbus last month and this guy kept pushing the rule for every single prompt. But honestly, some of the best prompts I've seen just flat out tell you what's happening and leave room for the story. Has anyone else found that overusing "show don't tell" actually kills the creativity in a prompt?

2 comments

2 Comments

adam_robinson27d ago

Saw the same thing at a workshop in Cincy last year. Dude literally said "show don't tell" every five minutes. But some of the best prompts I've used just say "you find a locked door with no handle" and boom my brain fills in the rest. Took a prompt from a friend once that just said "the library is haunted and all the books are blank" and that was it - way stronger than three paragraphs trying to describe the cobwebs and the cold air. Overexplaining everything can actually box you in as a writer.

olivia_murphy26d ago

Used to think more description was always better but you're right, a simple setup that leaves room to imagine does way more work. That library one is killer, it sticks with you.