So this is probably a ridiculously vague question but I've been trying to write and I was wondering how you "show" your readers what's happening instead of "telling"in your writing and especially when writing in 3rd person because I usually feel like I'm "telling" lol. I hope that makes sense. Thanks!
Oh wow, this is a very complex question! Haha. Books could be written on this subject (they probably have, actually). I can tell you that showing and not telling is one of the absolute hardest parts of writing, and I don't think any author ever completely masters it. This is a daily struggle for me! That being said, it's well worth the effort, because very little will improve your writing as much as more showing and less telling.
One of the major areas where I see authors slip up with this is in conveying characters' emotions. It can be really tempting to just say: "XYZ was angry", "ABC was thrilled", etc. And don't get me wrong - it's fine to do that every now and then. What's often far more effective, though, is to let the reader figure out what the character is feeling on their own through context clues - tone of voice, body language, expression, etc. For example, anger can be easily recognized by scowling, clenched fists, a harsh tone, and so on, without you as the author ever having to actually say the word "angry". You don't always need to tell your readers what your characters are feeling and thinking. The characters should be doing that for you through their behavior.
Another area where telling tends to overtake showing is in the exposition of backstory. Again, this is sometimes necessary, but I prefer a more natural reveal of backstory that comes through gradually over the course of the story. If you'll forgive me using my own work as an example, imagine if I had started Close Protection with a scene of Evelyn sitting Ryder down and explaining to him how Luca's father had died, what Luca had done in Europe, why he was coming home, and what she wanted Ryder to do about it. What would be the fun in reading the story if you already knew everything that had happened?
Instead, I started CP with Ryder already waiting for Luca at the airport. The reader doesn't know why. Luca's backstory comes in little snippets over the entire course of the story. Sometimes it definitely comes in the form of straight-up exposition, because as I've said, exposition isn't always avoidable. But it's also shown in many other ways, and not all at the same time. This helps create page-turning momentum by keeping the reader wondering why? Control starts with the characters already in the middle of an active mission for the same reason.
Unfortunately, I'm sure I have plenty of examples of telling instead of showing in my stories as well, haha. But we all constantly strive to improve! I hope this was at least a little helpful, and if you'd like more specific advice, please don't hesitate to ask.
