Exposition. Information dumping. Overlong narration.
What is all of this??
There are all types of ways for writers to convey information to their readers about the plot, character, setting, and theme of their story.
Still, how much exposition/info-dumping is too much?
Most writers know that too much info-dumping can bog down the drama, the plot, and just kill the momentum and your reader’s attention. More importantly, it could be a big part whether the editor decides to send you another R letter to be pasted on your wall or that glorious Acceptance letter and ‘we want to buy your story’ call that we all wish to hear.
So… What do we do about it? How much dumping can we do before it is overkill and derail your story? It’s that fine balance we must deal with while weaving our storyline, plots, and characters together, all the while walking on that thin wire between glorious narration and dumping.
There are ways to give information without imparting a lot of information to your readers and your poor, over-worked, over-wrought editor but still give everyone the background they need to enjoy the story. Besides, we all know that paragraphs and paragraphs of long narrative are skipped by most readers (I do it at times. I’m sure you’ve done it a time or too). This break of attention upsets your immersion into the story, you are so busy skipping long narrative sections that you (or your editor) aren’t diving deep in the story.
Bad. Bad. Bad.
This isn’t good because we often miss a key piece of information that is lying there within all that narrative for you to find and realize how important it is to the entire plot. Umm.. Yikes! That’s not a good thing for you as the writer or you as the reader.
After a bit of searching, I found some strategies for handling info dumping and gently giving this needed and vital information to your reader (and editor) in a better fashion that encourages them to stay with the story. I found this first series from the website of ‘The Rth Dimension – Fiction Writing (http://www.therthdimension.org/FictionWriting/fiction_writing.htm):
Deductive Introspection-- Character puts two and two together in his head as the reader "watches"
Introspective Reminiscing--One or more characters reminisce about past events crucial for the reader to understand what's happening.
Flashbacks
"Stranger in a Strange Land"--Person or alien in an new environment has to ask questions; reader gets educated as the plot develops
"The Briefing"--Character in a new situation is briefed by a more knowledgeable person or persons; the reader listens in
"The Bard"-- Poetry at the start or in the interior of a chapter telling us something about the situation and/or characters (as in JRR Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS or Mike Resnick's SANTIAGO)
"Media Blurbs"--Encyclopedic, newspaper, newscasts, e-mail messages or book excerpts at the start or inside a chapter that conveys info (as in Asimov's FOUNDATION TRILOGY; Van Vogt's THE WEAPON SHOPS OF ISHER; Vernor Vinge's A FIRE UPON THE DEEP)
"Strategic Character"--Character specifically chosen by the author so that she's always at the right place at the right time to see something the main character can't
"The Dr. Watson"--the sidekick approach (as in THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES)
"Strategic Debate" --two or more characters argue; during the argument, important information is brought out.
There is another technique used in Fantasy and Paranormal stories with world building. It is called “Incluing” which is a technique where the reader will gradually be exposed to the background information about the world – the setting, the history behind a group of shapeshifters/vampires/fae/etc. As a writer, you will clue the readers to the world you’re building without them really being aware that this is what you’re doing.
In essence, this incluing is the opposite of pure dumping. How can this be accomplished. Well here are a couple of more ways (probably duplicates of the above list):
Info is giving out during a conversation between various characters – gotta love the dialogue.
Back ground details are wonderful to be parsed throughout the story
Establish a scene where a character is followed through a daily routine or life
Then the offhand mention of something behind an open door can also establish familiarity to the world and doesn’t call attention to the happening by the reader.
Whether incluing or using some of the other above techniques, just be sure to scatter these wonderful tidbits of information seamlessly through the test. Make sure they don’t bring the plot/drama to a complete and utter halt.
Let everything naturally flow within the narrative and dialogue and the situation will not jar the poor reader/editor out of their immersion into your story.
When in doubt of how to do this, set aside your story, pick up a few books and check out how other authors handle this necessary lesson of writing.
No matter what… Happy writing!!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Lowdown on Info-Dumping
Exposition. Information dumping. Overlong narration.
What is all of this??
There are all types of ways for writers to convey information to their readers about the plot, character, setting, and theme of their story.
Still, how much exposition/info-dumping is too much?
Most writers know that too much info-dumping can bog down the drama, the plot, and just kill the momentum and your reader’s attention. More importantly, it could be a big part whether the editor decides to send you another R letter to be pasted on your wall or that glorious Acceptance letter and ‘we want to buy your story’ call that we all wish to hear.
So… What do we do about it? How much dumping can we do before it is overkill and derail your story? It’s that fine balance we must deal with while weaving our storyline, plots, and characters together, all the while walking on that thin wire between glorious narration and dumping.
There are ways to give information without imparting a lot of information to your readers and your poor, over-worked, over-wrought editor but still give everyone the background they need to enjoy the story. Besides, we all know that paragraphs and paragraphs of long narrative are skipped by most readers (I do it at times. I’m sure you’ve done it a time or too). This break of attention upsets your immersion into the story, you are so busy skipping long narrative sections that you (or your editor) aren’t diving deep in the story.
Bad. Bad. Bad.
This isn’t good because we often miss a key piece of information that is lying there within all that narrative for you to find and realize how important it is to the entire plot. Umm.. Yikes! That’s not a good thing for you as the writer or you as the reader.
After a bit of searching, I found some strategies for handling info dumping and gently giving this needed and vital information to your reader (and editor) in a better fashion that encourages them to stay with the story. I found this first series from the website of ‘The Rth Dimension – Fiction Writing (http://www.therthdimension.org/FictionWriting/fiction_writing.htm):
Deductive Introspection-- Character puts two and two together in his head as the reader "watches"
Introspective Reminiscing--One or more characters reminisce about past events crucial for the reader to understand what's happening.
Flashbacks
"Stranger in a Strange Land"--Person or alien in an new environment has to ask questions; reader gets educated as the plot develops
"The Briefing"--Character in a new situation is briefed by a more knowledgeable person or persons; the reader listens in
"The Bard"-- Poetry at the start or in the interior of a chapter telling us something about the situation and/or characters (as in JRR Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS or Mike Resnick's SANTIAGO)
"Media Blurbs"--Encyclopedic, newspaper, newscasts, e-mail messages or book excerpts at the start or inside a chapter that conveys info (as in Asimov's FOUNDATION TRILOGY; Van Vogt's THE WEAPON SHOPS OF ISHER; Vernor Vinge's A FIRE UPON THE DEEP)
"Strategic Character"--Character specifically chosen by the author so that she's always at the right place at the right time to see something the main character can't
"The Dr. Watson"--the sidekick approach (as in THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES)
"Strategic Debate" --two or more characters argue; during the argument, important information is brought out.
There is another technique used in Fantasy and Paranormal stories with world building. It is called “Incluing” which is a technique where the reader will gradually be exposed to the background information about the world – the setting, the history behind a group of shapeshifters/vampires/fae/etc. As a writer, you will clue the readers to the world you’re building without them really being aware that this is what you’re doing.
In essence, this incluing is the opposite of pure dumping. How can this be accomplished. Well here are a couple of more ways (probably duplicates of the above list):
Info is giving out during a conversation between various characters – gotta love the dialogue.
Back ground details are wonderful to be parsed throughout the story
Establish a scene where a character is followed through a daily routine or life
Then the offhand mention of something behind an open door can also establish familiarity to the world and doesn’t call attention to the happening by the reader.
Whether incluing or using some of the other above techniques, just be sure to scatter these wonderful tidbits of information seamlessly through the test. Make sure they don’t bring the plot/drama to a complete and utter halt.
Let everything naturally flow within the narrative and dialogue and the situation will not jar the poor reader/editor out of their immersion into your story.
When in doubt of how to do this, set aside your story, pick up a few books and check out how other authors handle this necessary lesson of writing.
No matter what… Happy writing!!
What is all of this??
There are all types of ways for writers to convey information to their readers about the plot, character, setting, and theme of their story.
Still, how much exposition/info-dumping is too much?
Most writers know that too much info-dumping can bog down the drama, the plot, and just kill the momentum and your reader’s attention. More importantly, it could be a big part whether the editor decides to send you another R letter to be pasted on your wall or that glorious Acceptance letter and ‘we want to buy your story’ call that we all wish to hear.
So… What do we do about it? How much dumping can we do before it is overkill and derail your story? It’s that fine balance we must deal with while weaving our storyline, plots, and characters together, all the while walking on that thin wire between glorious narration and dumping.
There are ways to give information without imparting a lot of information to your readers and your poor, over-worked, over-wrought editor but still give everyone the background they need to enjoy the story. Besides, we all know that paragraphs and paragraphs of long narrative are skipped by most readers (I do it at times. I’m sure you’ve done it a time or too). This break of attention upsets your immersion into the story, you are so busy skipping long narrative sections that you (or your editor) aren’t diving deep in the story.
Bad. Bad. Bad.
This isn’t good because we often miss a key piece of information that is lying there within all that narrative for you to find and realize how important it is to the entire plot. Umm.. Yikes! That’s not a good thing for you as the writer or you as the reader.
After a bit of searching, I found some strategies for handling info dumping and gently giving this needed and vital information to your reader (and editor) in a better fashion that encourages them to stay with the story. I found this first series from the website of ‘The Rth Dimension – Fiction Writing (http://www.therthdimension.org/FictionWriting/fiction_writing.htm):
Deductive Introspection-- Character puts two and two together in his head as the reader "watches"
Introspective Reminiscing--One or more characters reminisce about past events crucial for the reader to understand what's happening.
Flashbacks
"Stranger in a Strange Land"--Person or alien in an new environment has to ask questions; reader gets educated as the plot develops
"The Briefing"--Character in a new situation is briefed by a more knowledgeable person or persons; the reader listens in
"The Bard"-- Poetry at the start or in the interior of a chapter telling us something about the situation and/or characters (as in JRR Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS or Mike Resnick's SANTIAGO)
"Media Blurbs"--Encyclopedic, newspaper, newscasts, e-mail messages or book excerpts at the start or inside a chapter that conveys info (as in Asimov's FOUNDATION TRILOGY; Van Vogt's THE WEAPON SHOPS OF ISHER; Vernor Vinge's A FIRE UPON THE DEEP)
"Strategic Character"--Character specifically chosen by the author so that she's always at the right place at the right time to see something the main character can't
"The Dr. Watson"--the sidekick approach (as in THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES)
"Strategic Debate" --two or more characters argue; during the argument, important information is brought out.
There is another technique used in Fantasy and Paranormal stories with world building. It is called “Incluing” which is a technique where the reader will gradually be exposed to the background information about the world – the setting, the history behind a group of shapeshifters/vampires/fae/etc. As a writer, you will clue the readers to the world you’re building without them really being aware that this is what you’re doing.
In essence, this incluing is the opposite of pure dumping. How can this be accomplished. Well here are a couple of more ways (probably duplicates of the above list):
Info is giving out during a conversation between various characters – gotta love the dialogue.
Back ground details are wonderful to be parsed throughout the story
Establish a scene where a character is followed through a daily routine or life
Then the offhand mention of something behind an open door can also establish familiarity to the world and doesn’t call attention to the happening by the reader.
Whether incluing or using some of the other above techniques, just be sure to scatter these wonderful tidbits of information seamlessly through the test. Make sure they don’t bring the plot/drama to a complete and utter halt.
Let everything naturally flow within the narrative and dialogue and the situation will not jar the poor reader/editor out of their immersion into your story.
When in doubt of how to do this, set aside your story, pick up a few books and check out how other authors handle this necessary lesson of writing.
No matter what… Happy writing!!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Funny Moments with Kitties
In the process of moving from my little apartment to a nice upgrade, crazy things are happening and life is getting filled up with organizing, packing, tossing out, and figuring out just how to pack up all the boxes but leave room for me and the kitties to move around.
After a series of boxes impaired the kitties' movement to the awaiting litter boxes, I heard all about it from the older one. Rather vocal and upset about how I dared place boxes in her way. Even though her little fur-ness could leap over them without a thought. So, I had to stop with what I was doing, quickly move the boxes out of her way, give her lots of aplogies and pettings and let her go and do her business.
The other craziness with packing - cats and boxes. What is it about the appeal of boxes to kitties?? I will never know. What I do know is that with every single box I bring into the apartment, my older one must sniff and approve each one before it's allowed in her territory. I know she approves once she starts rubbing a cheek against it. Since I started building a mound of boxes, I watch my cat jump up and down all of them, disappearing into some for a snooze or play. Both kitties will chase each other around the place, zigging and zagging around the boxes, leaping over ones they can, in mad order chaos.
Ahhh... Moving... And people wonder why I stayed in my only apartment for the last 7 years.
Well, after watching the 12-year-old leap in and out of all the boxes with apparent ease, I was waiting for the younger one to do the same. She's been a scaredy cat with all the goings on and taken to hiding under the bed for the most part. Until this past weekend...
Well, my kitten decided that she wanted to leap into a tall box and see what her sister was doing. So she was on the floor, judged the height, wiggled the butt and tail and leaped. Only it didn't work out quite the way she wanted. She got stuck halfway with her belly on the edge. Oh yes, perfectly balanced on the edge right on her little fat belly. Her front end deep in the box. With a tail, butt and hind legs sticking out, wiggling and wheeling like crazy.
I couldn't help myself. I busted out laughing, couldn't take a picture, or help her I was laughing that hard. My laughter got worse when the older kitty came to watch the baby, but didn't help. I think she was amused too.
After a minute of struggling (my laughing), kitten got her claws in the box, backed out of it. Got to the ground and booked it under the bed and stayed there the rest of the day. I'm sure she's probably plotting revenge on box and me for laughing.
Ahh.. Moving with kitties. Never a dull moment.
After a series of boxes impaired the kitties' movement to the awaiting litter boxes, I heard all about it from the older one. Rather vocal and upset about how I dared place boxes in her way. Even though her little fur-ness could leap over them without a thought. So, I had to stop with what I was doing, quickly move the boxes out of her way, give her lots of aplogies and pettings and let her go and do her business.
The other craziness with packing - cats and boxes. What is it about the appeal of boxes to kitties?? I will never know. What I do know is that with every single box I bring into the apartment, my older one must sniff and approve each one before it's allowed in her territory. I know she approves once she starts rubbing a cheek against it. Since I started building a mound of boxes, I watch my cat jump up and down all of them, disappearing into some for a snooze or play. Both kitties will chase each other around the place, zigging and zagging around the boxes, leaping over ones they can, in mad order chaos.
Ahhh... Moving... And people wonder why I stayed in my only apartment for the last 7 years.
Well, after watching the 12-year-old leap in and out of all the boxes with apparent ease, I was waiting for the younger one to do the same. She's been a scaredy cat with all the goings on and taken to hiding under the bed for the most part. Until this past weekend...
Well, my kitten decided that she wanted to leap into a tall box and see what her sister was doing. So she was on the floor, judged the height, wiggled the butt and tail and leaped. Only it didn't work out quite the way she wanted. She got stuck halfway with her belly on the edge. Oh yes, perfectly balanced on the edge right on her little fat belly. Her front end deep in the box. With a tail, butt and hind legs sticking out, wiggling and wheeling like crazy.
I couldn't help myself. I busted out laughing, couldn't take a picture, or help her I was laughing that hard. My laughter got worse when the older kitty came to watch the baby, but didn't help. I think she was amused too.
After a minute of struggling (my laughing), kitten got her claws in the box, backed out of it. Got to the ground and booked it under the bed and stayed there the rest of the day. I'm sure she's probably plotting revenge on box and me for laughing.
Ahh.. Moving with kitties. Never a dull moment.
Funny Moments with Kitties
In the process of moving from my little apartment to a nice upgrade, crazy things are happening and life is getting filled up with organizing, packing, tossing out, and figuring out just how to pack up all the boxes but leave room for me and the kitties to move around.
After a series of boxes impaired the kitties' movement to the awaiting litter boxes, I heard all about it from the older one. Rather vocal and upset about how I dared place boxes in her way. Even though her little fur-ness could leap over them without a thought. So, I had to stop with what I was doing, quickly move the boxes out of her way, give her lots of aplogies and pettings and let her go and do her business.
The other craziness with packing - cats and boxes. What is it about the appeal of boxes to kitties?? I will never know. What I do know is that with every single box I bring into the apartment, my older one must sniff and approve each one before it's allowed in her territory. I know she approves once she starts rubbing a cheek against it. Since I started building a mound of boxes, I watch my cat jump up and down all of them, disappearing into some for a snooze or play. Both kitties will chase each other around the place, zigging and zagging around the boxes, leaping over ones they can, in mad order chaos.
Ahhh... Moving... And people wonder why I stayed in my only apartment for the last 7 years.
Well, after watching the 12-year-old leap in and out of all the boxes with apparent ease, I was waiting for the younger one to do the same. She's been a scaredy cat with all the goings on and taken to hiding under the bed for the most part. Until this past weekend...
Well, my kitten decided that she wanted to leap into a tall box and see what her sister was doing. So she was on the floor, judged the height, wiggled the butt and tail and leaped. Only it didn't work out quite the way she wanted. She got stuck halfway with her belly on the edge. Oh yes, perfectly balanced on the edge right on her little fat belly. Her front end deep in the box. With a tail, butt and hind legs sticking out, wiggling and wheeling like crazy.
I couldn't help myself. I busted out laughing, couldn't take a picture, or help her I was laughing that hard. My laughter got worse when the older kitty came to watch the baby, but didn't help. I think she was amused too.
After a minute of struggling (my laughing), kitten got her claws in the box, backed out of it. Got to the ground and booked it under the bed and stayed there the rest of the day. I'm sure she's probably plotting revenge on box and me for laughing.
Ahh.. Moving with kitties. Never a dull moment.
After a series of boxes impaired the kitties' movement to the awaiting litter boxes, I heard all about it from the older one. Rather vocal and upset about how I dared place boxes in her way. Even though her little fur-ness could leap over them without a thought. So, I had to stop with what I was doing, quickly move the boxes out of her way, give her lots of aplogies and pettings and let her go and do her business.
The other craziness with packing - cats and boxes. What is it about the appeal of boxes to kitties?? I will never know. What I do know is that with every single box I bring into the apartment, my older one must sniff and approve each one before it's allowed in her territory. I know she approves once she starts rubbing a cheek against it. Since I started building a mound of boxes, I watch my cat jump up and down all of them, disappearing into some for a snooze or play. Both kitties will chase each other around the place, zigging and zagging around the boxes, leaping over ones they can, in mad order chaos.
Ahhh... Moving... And people wonder why I stayed in my only apartment for the last 7 years.
Well, after watching the 12-year-old leap in and out of all the boxes with apparent ease, I was waiting for the younger one to do the same. She's been a scaredy cat with all the goings on and taken to hiding under the bed for the most part. Until this past weekend...
Well, my kitten decided that she wanted to leap into a tall box and see what her sister was doing. So she was on the floor, judged the height, wiggled the butt and tail and leaped. Only it didn't work out quite the way she wanted. She got stuck halfway with her belly on the edge. Oh yes, perfectly balanced on the edge right on her little fat belly. Her front end deep in the box. With a tail, butt and hind legs sticking out, wiggling and wheeling like crazy.
I couldn't help myself. I busted out laughing, couldn't take a picture, or help her I was laughing that hard. My laughter got worse when the older kitty came to watch the baby, but didn't help. I think she was amused too.
After a minute of struggling (my laughing), kitten got her claws in the box, backed out of it. Got to the ground and booked it under the bed and stayed there the rest of the day. I'm sure she's probably plotting revenge on box and me for laughing.
Ahh.. Moving with kitties. Never a dull moment.
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