Please help me (Editing...)

[SwiftieDaughterOfAthena13]

I took a break from writing one of my stories and after a few months I came back and realized that there were so many problems with it. I info-dumped for the first few chapters and then tried to force a rivalry between two characters. Does anyone have any advice on how to remove info-dumping but still convey the MC's backstory?

 

[ThinkerX]

You begin with action to get the reader's attention.

Backstory? The rule of thumb here is:
'Everybody has a backstory. Nobody cares.'

For that, you sneak the 'need to know' bits into dialogue or the odd memory - 'coming here reminded her of...'

 

[MoSSurII]

Well firstly, how about you try to slow down the pacing. I don't how many chapters you have written so far, but if it isn't too much, try extending it and 'spreading it over a larger area'. This way, the reader has enough time to comprehend each individual point of information.

Secondly, Take a good, long look at all the information you're trying to convey in the MC's backstory, now identify what's unnecessary or what could be described with less detail, adjust it and voila! It's now less overwhelming, even if a little. Additionally, there's a saying which goes, "never give the reader 4, give them 2 + 2," this means that as a writer, you have to assume that the reader is smart (Even if they may be an absolute buffoon!) and is capable of extrapolating from incomplete data and, as such, take out any extra information which they can just by using their brain a little (See, in the final sentence, everything after "and, as such..." could've been removed and it would still carry the same meaning!).

Going back to the first point, you could also try breaking up the information into smaller bits and throwing it around the story (Just like how I broke the first point in half and placed the second half after the second point, bad example and probably unintentional, but, and example nonetheless) in the form of minor flashbacks or something similar. This also contributes to the idea of 'spreading them over a larger area', thus giving the reader more time to digest everything.

Now for the forced rivalry, for that all I have to say is take it slow, introduce the MC's rival a little bit, maybe why the MC considers them as such, and other relevant information you think would be important to include, here you could even add a bit of MC's backstory to show how or why this rivalry was birthed.

Here's how you could incorporate these points:

• Maybe the MC is on their way to fight their rival in an arena or something and they pass by a bakery, and as they walk by it, they get the scent of a blueberry-mixed-with-strawberry-jam pie which reminds them of their mother's baking- before she was murdered. Then the story continues like normal (Also, noticed I highlighted what kind of pie it is, well that's unnecessary information which you can make do without, so try to avoid such descriptions).
• Later the MC is in the arena, sparring with their rival, when they lock swords and stare into each others faces, then the MC remembers how this rivalry was formed as they stare at their opponents face and so on.

(Pretty lame, but hope they help)

So these are all the points I have to say, don't beat yourself too much about any mistakes, writing is all about writing and re-writing until you got something good, even the greats need to write and re-write for them to achieve the stories which made them the greats they are. So all that matters is you enjoy what you do and stay consistent with it!

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Welcome to Scribes! I'm Lowan and I'm the drafter on a three woman writing team, and together we write Urban Fantasy. No worries, everyone goes back and in horror at their Past Self and how could they just shunt the issue down stream for Future Self to deal with?

Sometimes, I kind of suck,

But you're in luck, because suckage aside I was literally build to be a writer. My mom, another author, saw to that, and looking back I've been writing for about 45 years. I'm turning Forever Forty-nine tomorrow.

The info-dump is a classic, but it's also one that gets swept up in the tastes of the time so sometimes we read an author who totally info-dumps for three chapters, and later a more modern author who uses tight, spare language and gives out details and signposts - fancy writers call this 'foreshadowing,' but I'm just not that kind of lady. First, start by deciding how slow or how fast your pacing's going to be. Once you start writing, all bets are off.

One of our central characters, who is also the first character we get to meet, is a wizard and a trauma surgeon. Now, the trick to avoiding the info-dump is actually fairly easy. Having spent months or years building this world you want to share every little detail. And you can. Tolkien did. I did for one chapter in our first book. So far, though, no one has contacted us about the discrepancy.

Instead, we have readers who swear by and adore our uses of description. And others who've said I can't describe my way out of a wrinkled grocery bag, the thick, tawny paper gone soft from handling.

Okay, now you've got a good idea of the pacing you want to shoot for. You know how to set your scene. You know the characters who'll be onstage. So you're going in with the tools you need to be successful. Time to get rolling.

The way I tend to do descriptions is by dropping only enough information as the reader needs right now. We, as the author, may know the MC's sprawling family ties and allies and political affiliations, but unless the reader needs the information pronto, there is no reason to include it, yet. In other words, I prefer to start small and grow as the plot grows. Think of it as spreading flower seeds. You want a little here, a little there, enough to keep the reader and the story going. If you just dump the seeds in a pile, you generally tend to just be making a mess.

As to how you can trim and use it, I hate to tell you this, but you're in for a full rewrite. And that's okay. Great books aren't written, they're rewritten. I'm doing a rewrite this very second. I screwed up the first third of the book, and now it's back to page one. But! Never delete your files, no matter how bad you may think they are. You never know how much someone else needs your characters and your world, but you do know how to read over the old stuff and maybe squirrel away lines and cool ideas. I've got Word files that are older than our younger writing partner. Just sayin'.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Just tossing in an example. This is me trying to stuff about thirty shape shifters into a dining room. Note how I'm trying to use the descriptions to also help move the story forward, and then reread it and see what you missed. Read it aloud, too. Best way to pick through a big document with no organization what so ever. Enjoy!

~~~

The ravens arrived, and Jessie saw that their leader, Gaubert, was another to come with offspring in tow. For him it was his twelve-year-old daughter Colette. Jessie smiled and approached. Gaubert always reminded her of a pleasantly Goth-looking David Bowie. “Can I help you find seats?”

Gaubert inclined his head towards her. “Thank you, but I’ll let Colette choose, if I may.”

Colette smiled at her father and then surveyed the table with serious black eyes. “Erik sits at the head. Vivaine and Corinne are sitting close and eyeing each other, but the Shark King has not yet arrived to tip the balance… The bucks are bickering already. Joel and Amara of the coyotes are up and coming, though, and they chose to sit in the middle.” She turned to her father. “I would sit on the opposite side of the coyotes.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s close enough to power to contribute to the conversation, but on the door side of the room in case violence breaks out.” Ravens, like rabbits, were not physically strong and shied away from direct confrontations.

Gaubert patted her hair. “Well reasoned, my cautious girl. Then we sit in the middle.” He gave Jessie another little nod and moved to sit.

Three men in crisp suits arrived and three… less-than-crisp individuals entered with them. It had started to rain and droplets glittered like diamonds on their coats under the bright chandelier lights.

John Donovan was a tall, elegant Black man, the controlling partner at the law firm of Donovan and Associates. He also happened to be a great white shark and the Shark King of Seahaven. He smiled at Jessie, a flash of white against mahogany, and said, “Please accept our apologies for being late.”

The pretty brunette woman at his side with kind, tired eyes nodded. “Our car broke down. Donovan was kind enough to stop for us.” Rachel was the Matron of the rabbits and being in charge of over three hundred bunnies took its toll.

 

[Penpilot]

'Everybody has a backstory. Nobody cares.'

Sorry. I couldn't resist. I'll leave now.

 

[Finchbearer]

You begin with action to get the reader's attention.

Backstory? The rule of thumb here is:
'Everybody has a backstory. Nobody cares.'

For that, you sneak the 'need to know' bits into dialogue or the odd memory - 'coming here reminded her of...'

I agree with this. Maybe it’s along the lines of a 15 course tasting menu rather than one big meal. Small bits of backstory placed throughout the writing is easier on the eyes than one massive info dump, and there are many ways to achieve this. I’m always trying to find this balance in my own writing.