Hinting at dark elements vs. showing them

[Caveat Lector]

When you're covering darker elements in a story, do you think it's better to hint at them but not explicitly spell them out, or to actually show them? And if you do show them, how much do you think should be shown?

[Asceai]

I like hinting at things - in many ways, it does them more justice / makes them more sinister than if you explicitly spelled them out. Like how the first Jaws was the best- the shark was crappy in all of them, but Spielberg had the sense not to show it. In addition, extremely dark elements require a very talented writer to introduce in a way that doesn't break the reader's immersion / result in the reader not accepting them with the right level of gravity. This can be sidestepped by not explicitly saying anything, because if someone draws their own conclusions and then just sees more and more supporting evidence they'll be a lot more inclined to accept it than if you just stated something outright.

[peapodprincess]

I always find implication better than saying something explicitly because the multitudes of people who experience your work and their unique brains tend to connect the dots that best affects them. Letting them make their own conclusions and use their own imaginations make sure that their reaction is tailor-made for them.

[OokamiKasumi]

When you're covering darker elements in a story, do you think it's better to hint at them but not explicitly spell them out, or to actually show them? And if you do show them, how much do you think should be shown?

I think this depends on what you're trying to accomplish with your story/game.
-- If you want to get a strong visceral/physical reaction from your players, go graphically detailed in words and imagery. If you only want a mild reaction, hint at the details with vague images and creative word choices to describe it rather than spell out the scenes in detail.

Also, consider your Playing Audience.
-- Mature players generally don't mind explicitly graphic images, such as a detailed murder or sex scene. Younger audiences on the other hand, would rather not see such things described in full Technicolor detail.

[MapleWizen]

It honestly depends on what you are aiming for, OP. If you want to get an immediate reaction out of your readers, describe it in detail. If you want your audience to think about what is going on, then imply it. Showing is physical; implication is psychological. Also, I agree with Asceai.

In addition, if your story foreshadows dark elements early on, you are less likely to be called "edgy" or accused of doing asspulls.

[Anastylos]

One of the most intense moments I ever saw in a movie was a scene of a policemen with a flashlight looking at a victim under a small boat declaring "I can' see anything, it's all full of blood." You never see the body but you can imagine how it looked and that was what made it so intense.
Hinting is normaly better than showing.

[Vin Howard]

Well I think both methods are good. Let's look at Gen Urobutchi's works, for example. In particular, Madoka Magica and Fate/Zero.

With Madoka Magica, the dark elements were on the "implied side." The story itself dealt with young girls who suddenly come into contact with a world filled with horrors and despair. The iconic scene (for me) was when one of the characters gets devoured my a witch. There is no blood, and only one silhouette of the poor girl's body, but it still proved horrifying and disturbing.

With Fate/Zero, we have the complete opposite. It is most defiantly on the "shown" side. Its story deals with a organized fight to the death (well sort of) which the involved parties enter of their own free will; and we see cold, calculated planning. The highlight of the series, Kiritsugu, is a person who has been raised around death and misery; and he is prepared to do whatever it takes to accomplish his dream of remove all the "bad people" who cause such death and suffering. The iconic scene (for me) was when a character it forced to abandon his very dream to save his love, only to see his love (and himself) get brutally murdered. The feelings that accompany this scene are shock, horror, and anger.

Out of the two scenes, I would say that the Fate/Zero scene definitely stuck with me a lot more than the other one.

So it depends on what type of story you want to tell. Consider the other themes of your story, and work around them.

[Asceai]

Out of the two scenes, I would say the Fate/Zero one has diffidently stuck with me a lot more the the other one.

... huh?

I haven't heard that word used in that way before!

[Vin Howard]

Out of the two scenes, I would say the Fate/Zero one has diffidently stuck with me a lot more the the other one.

... huh?

I haven't heard that word used in that way before!

Not to mention all the other typos in there >_< (and that was mainly thanks to Google's sometimes gawd-awful spell check)