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teen-friendly rule-breaking
Your English teacher made show-don't-tell sound like a law. It isn't.
It's a guideline that gets in the way half the time. Real writers break it deliberately — and the readers don't notice because the writers know when to do it. We walk through when teen writers can absolutely ignore the rule, when they shouldn't, and a sharp little ten-second test you can run on your own paragraph that's more useful than the rule itself. The rule is training wheels. Use them, then take them off.
When to ignore show-don't-tell
| Telling wins | Showing wins |
|---|---|
| You need to skip 3 weeks | Big emotional moment |
| Routine action | Turning point |
| Travel between scenes | Climax |
| Recurring info | First reveal |
The ten-second test
- Read the paragraph.
- Ask: does the reader need to FEEL this or just KNOW this?
- Feel = show. Know = tell.
- If you're not sure, default to tell. It's faster.
- Move on.
Show-don't-tell is training wheels. Useful at first. Annoying past 15. Take them off when you know how to ride. Most teen writers know how to ride.
— L.A. Walton, The Book Maven
From the Maven Catalog
- Teen Master Course — Show, Tell, or Both (Teen)
- Teen eBook — Break the Rule on Purpose
- Teen Toolkit — Show/Tell Teen Toolkit
- Teen Planner — Revision Planner
Run the ten-second test on your weakest paragraph. Show or tell — whichever the reader actually needs. The paragraph gets sharper. The rule fades into the background. Use it. Don't worship it.