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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/41753
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

 **Answer:**

There are many tricks. But **beware of symptomology**. We are told that phrases like the examples below are 'showing,' but they are not the mark of good published authors. They are symptomology. Some is OK, but try to dig deeper.

_Her cheeks grew wet._

_He clenched his jaw._

_She took a shuddering breath._

Instead, feel free to **tell** in a word or two--and then augment with something 'outside the box.'

An easy trick to remember is to have your viewpoint character notice something that no one else would, and reflect on it. Your goal is to evoke feelings in the _reader_--not to just show your characters having feelings.

_Stunned, he sat there, watching his mother lightly trace the tabletop. Dad had made that table out of the oak in the back yard. Jake remembered when the tree had fallen. Dad had said it held too many good memories not to use, and they'd milled it. Widow makers, those oaks were sometimes called._

_Mom always ran her fingers along the table when she missed Dad._

No symptoms, just the kid noticing something that no one else might, and reflecting on it.

There are many tricks. You will start to pick them up, especially as you read and take notes from successful authors.

Original score: 7