How to Write Emotion Without Overexplaining—and Actually Move Your Reader
We’ve all done it.
You’re in the thick of an emotional scene—your character’s world is falling apart, the coffee’s cold, the dog just died, and you’re piling on metaphors like whipped cream on a sundae. Just to make extra sure your reader knows: This. Is. Sad.
But here’s the hard truth:If you have to explain the emotion, the scene isn’t working as hard as it should. And worse? You’re robbing your reader of the one thing they want to do—feel something for themselves.
One of the most important and frequent critiques when I work with authors is to tell them to trust their readers. It’s a tough thing to do. I know. Many of you are tempted to ask, “Did you catch that? I meant to do that. Did you understand what I did there?” But you have to resist that urge. Trust me.
In true Red Ink fashion, I’m pulling out the highlighter of truth and the scalpel of better storytelling. Here are the Top 5 Ways to Stop Overexplaining and Start Hitting the Feels Without the Fluff.
1. Show, Don’t Tell (Yes, but really!)
Yes, we’re saying it again. Show, don’t tell.
But I’m taking it further: show… and then walk away. Trust that a clenched fist, a cracked voice, or a character backing out of a room mid-sentence can say everything.
If the line ends with “because she felt…”—delete it. Your reader already knew.
2. Let Subtext Do the Heavy Lifting
People rarely say exactly what they mean, especially when emotions are running high. So, stop making your characters emotional narrators. Let their actions and what’s unsaid do the talking.
“I’m fine.” (Narrator: She was absolutely not fine.)
Leave the rest between the lines.
3. Cut the Redundancy
If your dialogue, body language, setting, and internal monologue are all telling us the same thing? You’re not being powerful. You’re being repetitive.
Instead of “He was angry. He yelled and clenched his fists,” just let him yell and clench. We get it.
If you want to learn to love “re-visioning” read more here.
4. Use the Setting Like a Mirror
Let the environment reflect or contrast your character’s emotions. Is it raining? Windy? Stiflingly bright in the funeral home? The world around them can magnify what’s happening inside.
A dusty church pew creaking beneath them says more than “He felt alone.”
5. Leave a Little Room
Readers want to connect emotionally, but they don’t want to be micromanaged. Sometimes, the most impactful lines are the ones that stop just short of telling you how to feel.
Don’t tell me she cried. Make me want to cry with her.
Final Take: Less Is More (And Smarter)
Your readers are not dumb. They’re intuitive, emotional, and—most importantly—invested. But if you overexplain, you block them from engaging. Let your writing do what it was meant to do: move people.
Want Help Spotting Overwritten Moments in Your Manuscript?
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Watch the Full Episode on YouTube
Your Readers Aren’t Dumb: Top 5 Ways to Use Less Words & Have More Feels
And remember:
Good writing doesn’t overexplain. It invites your reader in—and trusts them to feel it.
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