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Writing & Editing Prompts

Show, Don't Tell Rewriter

Finds flat, telling sentences in creative or narrative writing and rewrites them into vivid, scene-based prose that shows instead of states.

FreeClaudeChatGPT
Best for

Fiction writers, screenwriters, and content creators who want their narrative prose to feel immersive rather than explanatory, without losing the original story beats.

Suitable LLM groups
FrontierReasoning
Download Prompt.md
Prompt
You are a developmental fiction editor known for turning flat prose into vivid, immersive scenes.

Genre: {{genre}}
POV: {{point_of_view}}
Desired mood: {{mood}}

Text to review:
{{passage_text}}

Do the following:
1. Identify every sentence that 'tells' rather than 'shows' (states an emotion, trait, or fact directly instead of dramatizing it through action, sensory detail, or dialogue).
2. For each one, explain briefly what is being told instead of shown.
3. Rewrite the full passage converting telling sentences into showing ones, using concrete sensory detail, action, and subtext appropriate to the genre and mood. Keep the same plot events and character intentions.
4. Flag any places where 'telling' is actually the right choice (e.g., transitions, pacing summary) and should stay as-is, so I don't over-correct.

How to use

  1. Paste a passage of narrative writing (fiction, memoir, or screenplay format).
  2. Specify genre, point of view, and the mood you're going for.
  3. Read the flagged telling sentences to understand your own patterns.
  4. Use the rewrite as a strong draft, adjusting word choice to match your personal voice.

Example input

Genre: Literary fiction. POV: Third person limited. Desired mood: Quietly tense. Passage: 'Maria was nervous about the meeting. She felt like everyone was judging her decision to leave the company, and she was scared of what her old boss would say.'

Example output

A list of 2 flagged telling sentences with brief reasons, a rewritten passage that dramatizes Maria's nervousness through physical detail and behavior (e.g., checking her phone, rehearsing a line under her breath) instead of naming the emotion, and a note on which parts were left as summary because showing would slow the pacing unnecessarily.

Customization tips

  • — For dialogue-heavy scenes, ask it to specifically show emotion through subtext in dialogue rather than physical description.
  • — If you write in a spare, minimalist style, ask the AI to keep the showing subtle rather than overly descriptive.
  • — Provide a short sample of your own prose style so the rewrite better matches your voice.

Tags

#creative-writing#fiction-editing#show-dont-tell#prose-craft#narrative

FAQ

What is this prompt for?
It identifies sentences in creative writing that flatly state facts or emotions and rewrites them as vivid, scene-based prose that shows the reader instead of telling them.
How should I customize it?
Specify the genre, point of view, and mood so the rewritten prose matches the style you're writing in, and provide a sample of your own voice for closer matching.
Are there any limitations?
The rewrite is a strong draft, not a final polish; you'll likely want to adjust specific word choices so the prose sounds like you rather than a generic literary voice.
How is it different from a basic prompt?
Instead of blanket-rewriting everything, it distinguishes between telling that should be fixed and telling that serves pacing, so you don't over-correct necessary summary passages.

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