Online Tool Store
Show Don't Tell Finder
Scan your prose for "telling" sentences that pair a state-of-being verb with an emotion word, and get a plain-language reason for each flag, all analyzed locally in your browser.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Flags sentences that "tell" an emotion or state directly (e.g. "felt nervous", "seemed confident") instead of showing it through action or detail. A heuristic check, not a grammar rule — use judgment. Example shown above.
How it works
- Paste your prose into the text box (a sample passage is shown by default).
- The tool splits it into sentences and scans each for a "telling" verb followed by an emotion word.
- Flagged sentences appear below with a brief note on what triggered the flag.
- Rewrite flagged sentences to show the feeling through action, dialogue, or sensory detail — or leave them if telling works better there.
FAQ
What counts as a "telling" sentence?
This tool flags sentences pairing a state-of-being or perception verb (felt, was, seemed, looked, appeared, knew, and similar) with a common emotion word shortly after (nervous, angry, confident, and similar) — e.g. "She felt nervous" instead of showing nervousness through action or detail.
Is this a strict grammar rule I should always follow?
No — telling is sometimes the right choice, especially for pacing or minor beats. Use the flags as prompts to reconsider a sentence, not as errors that must be fixed.
Will it catch every instance of telling?
No — it uses a keyword heuristic focused on the most common patterns, so it will miss subtler telling and occasionally flag a sentence that reads fine as-is. Treat it as a first pass, not a final verdict.
Can I paste a full chapter or just a paragraph?
Either works — the tool splits your text into sentences and checks each one independently, so longer passages just produce more results.
Is my writing uploaded anywhere?
No. All analysis happens locally in your browser as you type — nothing is sent to a server.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Manual self-editing pass | Full AI writing critique tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instant, as-you-type flagging | ✓ | Slow, easy to miss instances | ✓ |
| No account, no text sent anywhere | ✓ | ✓ | Usually requires an account/upload |
| Free, works offline once loaded | ✓ | ✓ | Often subscription-based |
If you just want a quick pass to spot obvious "telling" moments before a deeper edit, this tool flags them in seconds without sending your draft anywhere.