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Infodumping

One trick I've come up with to keep characters from giving information to the reader: Start with the assumption that people don't talk about what a thing is, they jump past that to what they think it's going to do to (or for) them and how they'll cope with it. So instead of a frontier captain saying

The orcs have been our enemies for thousands of years, and it's only a matter of time before they attack again.

it might be

Step up those repairs, their next wave might be on the march right now!

In other words, don't add background just because the conversation has come close to why a thing is that way, keep the talk just ahead of explaining itself until it's the right moment for a character to back up and explain or argue or muse over the thing's nature as well as its effects.

Thoughts?
 

Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
Yes, that's basically the approach I prefer as well. I will also go so far as to suggest being suspicious of the idea that you ever have to back up and explain most things outright. Readers are pretty smart; they'll put the pieces together. Resist the urge to explain. Sometimes it is necessary, of course, but many times the story is much better off without it.
 

Chilari

Staff
Moderator
Yes, quite. Information doesn't need to be explicit. You can build it up like a zigsaw puzzle. The first example is like giving the reader the whole bottom left corner of the 500-piece puzzle; the second example is like giving one piece. Give enough single pieces and it soon becomes clear what the full picture is, even if there are gaps; give too much at once and the fun is taken away.
 

Motley

Minstrel
I also agree. A character's reaction to whatever is going on should be enough for relatively intelligent readers to figure out some of the back story. Never insert textbook.
 

Addison

Auror
Giving info to readers can be done the same way you describe characters, by thoughts, actions and dialogue. But yes it's better to do it in bits.
 

cibir

Acolyte
Definitely. Great tip. You've gotta stick it into the action, feed it to the reader slowly and subtly.
 

Subcreator

Minstrel
What I try to do is include action in with dialogue. If I've really got to explain something, like backstory, then I figure out why the characters would talk about or remember it, and then mix that in with a scene where they are reacting to something or interacting for some, even tangentially related reason. It may not be for everyone, but I did get some good feedback on that from the creative writing teacher at my university.

Essentially, I did the same thing you're suggesting, and my MFA trained professor agreed.
 
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