Showing vs. Telling: What’s the Difference?
If you’ve ever had to do a creative writing assignment, you may remember receiving the instruction “show, don’t tell”. If you’re like me, you probably wondered what this means. How exactly do you “show” in your writing? And why is it so much better than telling?
Consider the following two statements that you might see in a college essay or cover letter:
- “I’m a natural leader who is passionate about helping others.”
- “In the past year, I organized several fundraisers to help raise money for my local homeless shelter, which I also spend time volunteering at every weekend.”
Although the statements basically say the same thing, the second one resonates with the reader much more because it shows, rather than tells. Think about it: anyone can say that they love to help others. All they have to do is simply write it down. However, not everyone has the evidence in their past to show their love for helping others.
When you show, you give evidence to support the things you claim. It explores the “why” behind what you say. Along with this, it helps the reader get to know you as a person, which is very important if the context is around applying to college or a job. Finally, showing creates more engagement for the reader as it puts together a story for them to read, rather than just a collection of statements.
If you’ve been thinking about writing or revising your cover letter or college essay, remember this: your story is everything.
