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SHOW / TELL

Pure Visual to Full Narration

Show/Tell controls whether emotions are revealed through action or stated directly.

Think of it like film: Level 1 = Pure Visual—the camera shows behavior, the audience interprets. Level 10 = Narration—the narrator tells you exactly what characters feel.

THE SHOW/TELL SPECTRUM
LEVEL 1
Show
(Actions Only)
LEVEL 5
Balanced
LEVEL 10
Tell
(States Directly)

See Show/Tell In Action

Same story. Same voice. Watch how "nervous" becomes "fingers tapping" at Level 1, or "felt a knot of anxiety" at Level 10. Romance Fiction

The Original RAW INPUT
Emma was nervous about seeing Jake again. She still loved him but wasn't sure if he felt the same way. When he walked into the coffee shop, her heart raced. They needed to talk about what happened last week. She hoped they could work things out.
Word Count 53

Starting point: Pure TELLING. "Was nervous," "still loved him," "heart raced," "She hoped." Every emotion stated directly. The narrator tells you what Emma feels.

Pure Show LEVEL 1
Emma sat at the table, fingers tapping against her coffee cup. Jake pushed open the door, scanning the room until his eyes landed on her. Her breath caught, and she straightened in her chair. He approached, hands tucked into his pockets, a slight hesitation in his step. She offered a tentative smile, her eyes searching his face for any sign of what he might be thinking.
Voice Clarity 91%
Word Count 71

Approach: Pure cinematography. "Fingers tapping," "breath caught," "straightened in her chair," "hands tucked into his pockets," "tentative smile." No internal states named. The READER interprets emotion from action. Voice Clarity at 91%—Romance Fiction naturally leans toward showing.

Direct Tell LEVEL 10
Emma felt a knot of anxiety at the thought of seeing Jake again. Her feelings for him remained strong, yet uncertainty clouded her mind about his emotions. When he entered the coffee shop, her pulse quickened. They had to address the events of last week. She wished for a resolution that would mend their relationship.
Voice Clarity 82%
Word Count 56

Approach: Direct emotional statements. "Felt a knot of anxiety," "feelings for him remained strong," "uncertainty clouded her mind," "wished for a resolution." The narrator tells you exactly what Emma feels. Voice Clarity at 82%—pure telling deviates more from Romance Fiction's natural style.

🎬 THE KEY TAKEAWAY

Show/Tell controls HOW emotions reach the reader.

Level 1 = Show (71 words, actions reveal emotion, reader interprets)
Level 10 = Tell (56 words, narrator states emotion directly)

You decide the approach. Visual scene? Pure show. Quick exposition? Tell it. Internal monologue? Blend both. That's narrative control.

About Voice Clarity: The Romance Fiction preset is calibrated for optimal voice preservation. Notice that Level 1 (Show) has higher clarity at 91%—Romance naturally leans toward showing emotion through action. Level 10 (Tell) drops to 82% because pure telling deviates further from the genre's natural style. The Equalizer measures this so you always know. That's integrity.

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Explore The Other 6 Controls

Each control gives you a different dimension of directorial power