I was coaching a writer recently who’d done extensive research for his historical thriller. He knew the Ethiopian Jewish community’s ancient practices, the Knights Templar’s connection to religious artifacts, the details of World War II Italian fascism, and dozens of other historical elements that informed his story.
His problem? All of that research was ending up on the page.
“I needed to explore all these different points of view to understand the story,” he told me. “I wrote scenes from the Ethiopian guide’s perspective, the Italian officer’s perspective, the German scientist’s perspective. But now I’m wondering—do I need all of this?”
This is where Hemingway’s iceberg theory becomes invaluable.
The Iceberg Metaphor
Ernest Hemingway described writing like an iceberg floating in the ocean. Only about one-fifth of an iceberg is visible above the waterline—the rest lies hidden beneath the surface.
According to Hemingway, your writing should work the same way. Everything you know as the writer—all your research, backstory, character development work—sits below the surface. But the reader only sees that crucial one-fifth above the waterline.
The magic happens when the reader feels the weight and presence of everything underneath without having it explicitly explained.
Why Writers Struggle With This
You needed to know it all to write it well. Just like my client needed to understand his Ethiopian guide’s background, the historical connections between different religious sects, and the complex politics of 1940s Europe.
Writing is often exploration. You wrote scenes from multiple perspectives because that’s how you discovered what the story was really about.
Research feels valuable. After spending hours learning about Knights Templar history or Ethiopian Jewish traditions, it’s natural to want to share that fascinating information.
You can see the connections. Because you know how everything fits together, it’s hard to imagine readers understanding without seeing the same details you needed.
What Goes Above vs. Below the Waterline
Above the waterline (what readers see):
- The essential action of each scene
- Character details that serve the immediate story
- Historical context that directly impacts the plot
- Research details that create authenticity without overwhelming
Below the waterline (what you know but don’t show):
- Extensive character backstories you developed
- Historical research that informed but doesn’t drive the scene
- World-building details that help you write consistently
- Points of view you explored but don’t need for the final story
My client had written detailed scenes from his Ethiopian guide’s perspective because he needed to understand that character’s motivations and background. But for the reader, those chapters could be condensed into a single detail: the character wore “a gold ring on his left hand with a Knights Templar cross on it.”
That one sentence carries the weight of all the research and character development without burdening the reader with information they don’t need.
The Reader Experience
When you apply the iceberg principle effectively, readers experience something remarkable: they sense depth without being overwhelmed by detail.
The Knights Templar ring tells readers this character has complex religious and historical connections without requiring a lecture on Ethiopian Jewish history. Readers feel the iceberg’s mass beneath the surface—they know there’s more to this character and situation than what they’re seeing.
This creates engagement rather than exhaustion. Readers become active participants, piecing together implications rather than passive recipients of information dumps.
How to Identify What Goes Where
Ask yourself these questions:
Does the reader need this to understand what’s happening right now? If no, it probably belongs below the waterline.
Does this detail serve the immediate scene’s purpose? Action, character development, or atmosphere that matters here and now goes above the waterline.
Am I including this because it’s interesting or because it’s necessary? Interesting belongs below; necessary goes above.
Would the scene work without this information? If yes, consider cutting or condensing it drastically.
The Revision Strategy
First, recognize what you needed vs. what readers need. My client needed to write from multiple points of view to understand his story world. But readers might only need one or two perspectives to follow the actual plot.
Create your scenario outline. Write 1-2 sentences describing what actually happens in each chapter. This shows you what’s above the waterline—the essential story progression.
Identify the iceberg’s mass. All your additional research, character work, and exploration becomes the foundation that supports what readers see.
Trust the weight beneath. When you know your world deeply, you can write that crucial one-fifth with confidence and authenticity. Readers feel the depth even when they don’t see all the details.
The Counterintuitive Result
Here’s what many writers don’t expect: narrowing your focus actually allows you to go deeper in the areas that matter.
When my client stopped trying to show readers everything about the Ethiopian guide’s background, he had more space to develop the scene where his protagonist first sees the mysterious artifact. He could slow down, add sensory details, and really let readers feel the character’s amazement.
By putting most of the iceberg underwater, he could make the visible portion more vivid and impactful.
The Trust Factor
The iceberg principle requires trusting both yourself and your readers.
Trust yourself: You did the research and character work for good reasons. That knowledge will inform your writing even when it’s not explicitly on the page.
Trust your readers: They don’t need to know everything you know to engage with your story. They’re capable of inferring, imagining, and filling in gaps.
Trust the process: The exploration you did wasn’t wasted—it was essential preparation that allows you to write the visible portion with depth and confidence.
Your Revision Lens
As you revise, think of yourself as a sculptor revealing the essential form by removing what’s unnecessary. You’re not losing your research and exploration—you’re using it as the foundation that supports what readers actually need to see.
The goal isn’t to write less—it’s to write what matters most, supported by the vast knowledge you’ve accumulated beneath the surface.
When you master the iceberg principle, readers will sense the weight and depth of your story world without feeling overwhelmed by information they don’t need. They’ll trust you to take them on the journey because they can feel how thoroughly you know the territory, even when you’re only showing them the essential path.
Struggling with what to include and what to cut in your revisions? This kind of structural decision-making is exactly what coaching can help you navigate. Schedule a consultation to work through your revision priorities, or take my Show Don’t Tell course to master the techniques that help you reveal character and story through action rather than explanation.
