SEE AND HEAR THE DIFFERENCE
TELL:
"The team was down by two, and it was up to her to save the game. She went down the court and made the shot. It was incredible. The crowd got up from the seats. She was the hero."
SHOW:
"The crowd stood as the last remaining seconds on the clock ticked off. Down by two, she needed a long basket. Coming up on her toes, the shot left her hand. The ball spun toward the goal and lightly touched the metal hoop. It circled round and round. She held her breath. The ball tilted in. Basket! The crowd screamed and jumped in the bleachers. She was the hero."

TELL-TAILS OF TELLING
1. Passive, non-picture verbs. (was, is, were)
2. Subjective, judgment words. They tell; they don't describe.(incredible, beautiful, majestic)
3. "Ly "adverbs. Often a first draft way of writing when the writer hasn't looked for a better, stronger verb.
    (She walked slowly -- instead of strolled, ambled, moseyed . . .)

HELPS FOR SHOWING
1. Zero in on only a couple of features. Instead of a "pretty" girl or "majestic" mountains --
     note down a couple of features that make them pretty or majestic.
2. Appeal to the reader's five senses. Instead of using only sight, help your reader smell, hear, feel, taste.
3. Use a short sentence or paragraph to drive home the point of your description. (See above: "She held her breath.")
4. Try a non-cliche simile and metaphor. "Coming up on her toes, like an MBA pro..."

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