Inside the writer’s brain (4/6): The secret to immersive storytelling

Why am I getting immersed in this novel, but not the other one?It’s a question many readers (and writers) ask themselves. Some stories grip us completely—we feel part of the world, emotionally attached to the characters, worried for their fate, moved to tears. Other stories, while enjoyable, remain distant. We finish them, smile, and forget them by the next day.

Before reading further, pause for a moment. Ask yourself: why does this happen?
Is it the originality of the idea? The richness of the worldbuilding? The strength of the protagonist?

All of these elements help—but in my humble opinion, the real difference lies in a deceptively simple writing principle: Show, Don’t Tell.

Why “Show, Don’t Tell” Matters

In communication theory, it’s often said that the impact of a message relies on three pillars:

Body language – 55%
Tone of voice – 38%
Actual words – 7%

Now imagine writing a novel. You don’t have tone or body language to rely on—just words. That means, technically, you’re working with only 7% of what humans usually depend on to feel and understand.

So how do you make words alone powerful enough to stir emotion?
By finding creative ways to suggest tone and body language within your writing.
In other words, by showing instead of telling.

6 Essential Elements to Master “Show, Don’t Tell”

To help you apply this principle in your writing, I’ve gathered six core elements that will transform your narrative and engage your readers on a deeper level:

1. Body Language and Physical Reactions

Characters express emotion through their bodies—just like real people. A trembling hand, clenched jaw, or hesitant step says far more than simply stating “she was scared.” This technique allows readers to observe and feel what the character is going through without being explicitly told.

Telling:
She was nervous.

Showing:
Her fingers drummed against the table, and she kept glancing at the door every few seconds.

2. Dialogue and Subtext

What characters say—and what they don’t say—can be one of your most powerful tools. Subtext, sarcasm, hesitation, or unspoken tension lets readers infer meaning. This makes dialogue more realistic and layered, drawing the reader into the emotional undercurrent of the scene.

Telling:
He was angry with her.

Showing:
“Do whatever you want,” he said without looking at her, his voice flat but his knuckles white.

3. Sensory Details

Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell are the gateways to immersion. Describing how a place feels instead of simply labeling it creates an atmosphere readers can imagine vividly. The more senses you engage, the more grounded the scene becomes.

Telling:
The room was scary.

Showing:
Cobwebs clung to the cracked ceiling. The floor creaked with every step, and the air smelled of damp stone and old decay.

4. Internal Monologue

Instead of explaining what a character feels, let readers hear the character’s thoughts. Inner monologue reveals hesitation, fear, desire, or doubt in a way that’s personal and direct. It pulls the reader into the mind of the character, building intimacy and empathy.

Telling:
He didn’t trust the stranger.

Showing:
Why was he smiling like that? No one smiles that much when they’re telling the truth.

5. Symbolic Actions

Actions can speak louder than words—especially when they carry emotional weight. These may be small rituals, habits, or repeated gestures that reflect a character’s inner world. They add subtlety and encourage readers to draw meaning from behavior.

Telling:
She missed him deeply.

Showing:
Every morning, she still set out two cups of coffee.

6. Setting as Emotion

Let the environment mirror the character’s emotional state. A joyful park may seem bleak to someone in mourning, while a rainy day can feel refreshing to someone seeking rebirth. This technique turns setting into an emotional lens, deepening mood and symbolism.

Telling:
He felt hopeless.

Showing:
The streets stretched endlessly ahead, each building a blur of grey. Even the morning sun seemed too tired to rise.

A Skill for Every Genre

“Show, don’t tell” isn’t just a rule for fiction—it’s a principle of emotional storytelling, applicable even in memoirs and nonfiction. We are not just thinking beings—we are feeling beings. The most unforgettable books stimulate both the mind and the heart.

So next time you write, ask yourself:
Am I telling my reader what to feel? Or am I guiding them to feel it themselves?

Because when you show instead of tell—you don’t just share a story.
You invite the reader to live it.

📚 Further Reading: Books by Tarik Bouchnayf

Tarik Bouchnayf

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Author and Cloud Data & Artificial Intelligence Engineer

• Born on October 25, 1982, in Rislane, a small town nestled between Berkane and Oujda in Morocco.
• Holds a Bachelor's degree in Data Science from Johns Hopkins University.
• Former lecturer at the University of Créteil in Paris, where he combined technical expertise with creative passion.
• Currently works as an engineer specializing in cloud data and artificial intelligence.
• Writing, a long-suppressed desire, became an undeniable calling in his early twenties.
• Author of seven novels in English, three of which became bestsellers.
• Recently made a notable debut in Arabic literature with his first fantasy novel, marking a new chapter in his literary journey.
• Now lives in Belgium with his wife and their three children.
• Continues to pursue both his professional projects and his lifelong dream of writing.

Inside the writer’s brain (4/6): The secret to immersive storytelling

Why “Show, Don’t Tell” Matters