Show, Don’t Tell is a 24-page practical, accessible, fillable PDF workbook designed to help you understand what “showing” really means, when it works best, and how to use it deliberately.

“Show, don’t tell” is one of the most common pieces of writing advice — and one of the most confusing. Writers are often told to show more, without ever being shown how, when, or why. This workbook breaks the concept down into clear, usable tools you can apply immediately to your own writing. You’ll learn how sensory detail, action, and behaviour can pull the reader closer — and when telling is not only acceptable, but the better option for clarity, pacing, and control.

This workbook is ideal for:

  • Writers who’ve been told to “show more” but aren’t sure what that actually means
  • Anyone struggling with flat, vague, or over-explained prose
  • Writers who want to improve clarity, immersion, and emotional impact
  • Those revising a draft and wanting to strengthen specific passages

Inside you’ll explore:

  • What “show, don’t tell” really means (and what it doesn’t)
  • Clear definitions and side-by-side examples of showing vs telling
  • Using sensory language to place the reader inside the moment
  • Synaesthesia and blending senses effectively
  • How filtering words create distance — and how to remove them
  • Showing emotion through action, behaviour, and physical response
  • Replacing weak verb/adverb combinations with stronger choices
  • When telling is the right choice — and why
  • Narrative distance, control, and intentional craft decisions
  • A red-flag checklist to spot telling in your own work

Practical writing exercises include:

  • Spot-the-telling quizzes
  • Sensory rewriting exercises
  • Filtering and distance rewrites
  • Emotion-through-action prompts
  • Application exercises for your own manuscript

Designed to be written in directly, this fillable workbook is both a teaching guide and a hands-on craft tool. You can work through it cover to cover or dip in as needed while drafting or revising.

Please note: This product is a digital download and includes access to my private Facebook group. You’ll find joining details on the final page of the product. No physical product will be shipped.

Related products