tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post4535577961879903137..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: An Easy Tip to Avoid Infodumps in Your Dialogue Janice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-61234693331229762712020-11-11T12:55:04.145-05:002020-11-11T12:55:04.145-05:00LOL both work!LOL both work!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-70060642816568158132020-11-11T12:54:50.419-05:002020-11-11T12:54:50.419-05:00The difference is that this sounds like something ...The difference is that this sounds like something the character might actually say in a conversation, while the other example was not. It's still conveying information, just in a more natural way that doesn't stop the story to explain something. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-91680831680511174362020-11-11T12:52:52.072-05:002020-11-11T12:52:52.072-05:00Great tip, and very useful. Just be wary of making...Great tip, and very useful. Just be wary of making the argument itself be infodumps. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67647536683414950642020-11-11T12:45:11.345-05:002020-11-11T12:45:11.345-05:00Meant love!Meant love!Marta C. Weekshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08201300362483291904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-50880826137242412072020-11-11T12:44:36.975-05:002020-11-11T12:44:36.975-05:00Thanks, Janice, live your site!Thanks, Janice, live your site!Marta C. Weekshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08201300362483291904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-7605260896948741892020-11-11T10:07:06.339-05:002020-11-11T10:07:06.339-05:00She scoffed. "Right, like sticking answers to...She scoffed. "Right, like sticking answers to the bottom of my shoe is going to work twice."<br /><br />Um, this novice feels like the solution is still info-dump.Dave Parkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09159560189740733078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-43349159870250840902020-11-11T09:54:26.283-05:002020-11-11T09:54:26.283-05:00Very true, one key is to break the information dow...Very true, one key is to break the information down to trim out what the reader doesn't need, and arrange the rest the way the characters would say it.<br /><br />One golden rule for spicing up exposition is to let characters *argue* over it. So instead of one stream of information, it comes from two competing parts -- plus we get to see their views clash and maybe some character demonstration about who believes what.Ken Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02732164204232936705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-15612427162287874452019-10-15T09:03:04.336-04:002019-10-15T09:03:04.336-04:00With a series, it's even trickier, because we ...With a series, it's even trickier, because we do need to leave enough reminders for those who haven't read the previous book in a awhile, but not be too dumpy for those who are able to read the books one right after the other. <br /><br />It's helpful to have beta readers who have never read the previous books read the latest and have them point out where they felt lost.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67198786476726265772019-10-15T09:00:54.132-04:002019-10-15T09:00:54.132-04:00Work in Progress :) Work in Progress :) Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-20927239043591363872019-10-14T11:44:35.480-04:002019-10-14T11:44:35.480-04:00I just finished a series that tended to have a lot...I just finished a series that tended to have a lot of info dump to try to catch up on what had happened in previous books. It was irritating as one who was already in the know. I can see where I'm going to have to really examine my dialogs in my rewrite to be sure I haven't fallen into this.kathryn stollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815964986473335622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-58366711835799454012019-10-14T11:38:28.279-04:002019-10-14T11:38:28.279-04:00Really been out of the loop for a while here on th...Really been out of the loop for a while here on the writing scene, trying to hone my skill again. But what is a WIP?kathryn stollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815964986473335622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-53263677428500462962017-10-26T13:01:20.538-04:002017-10-26T13:01:20.538-04:00Oh good! Hope it revised nicely for you :)Oh good! Hope it revised nicely for you :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-595963029309974312017-10-26T13:01:00.753-04:002017-10-26T13:01:00.753-04:00You might try thinking how someone with that traum...You might try thinking how someone with that trauma would act, then showing the outward signs of it. After you get readers curious, you can talk about it and they'll want to know that history. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-41317603290807635792017-10-07T11:34:09.634-04:002017-10-07T11:34:09.634-04:00These are great tips. I just got through writing a...These are great tips. I just got through writing a scene where one character reveals a lot of info that the other character doesn't know but after writing it, it really felt like an info dump to me. I now have some ideas how how to revise that. So glad I read this post!LJ Leightonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11739143693095637895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-59232944265316866642017-10-05T12:10:09.347-04:002017-10-05T12:10:09.347-04:00Thanks for this tip about info dumps in dialogue. ...Thanks for this tip about info dumps in dialogue. I've been told by a friend more less I need to stop bringing up trauma/ backstory the main character faced/ his actions, etc in the dialogue. Some of it is important (the characters with direct conflict to the main) but I'll see what I can snip away or cut.MJIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10754651353282666431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-44461479388123372722012-04-15T08:17:30.876-04:002012-04-15T08:17:30.876-04:00Gemma, sounds good. Anything goes in a first draft...Gemma, sounds good. Anything goes in a first draft :)<br /><br />Glacier, good questions to ask. They're Post-It Note on the monitor worthy :)<br /><br />Emily, hope it helps you you!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-66148511719437644752012-04-10T09:07:02.975-04:002012-04-10T09:07:02.975-04:00I've been trying to fix an info dump in my man...I've been trying to fix an info dump in my manuscript for a week ... this is very helpful. Thanks, you've given me a lot to think about.Emily Wenstromhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11648966627549065372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-53786592472434673912012-04-09T21:25:19.564-04:002012-04-09T21:25:19.564-04:00In my revision, I keep asking myself if this is my...In my revision, I keep asking myself if this is my character's voice. Would she really say it this way? Does it fit for the time period?<br /><br />I have a scene where my MC is carefully searching for information from another character. She needs to know the information, so it is character need. <br /><br />I also ask myself if the other character would actually answer the questions. If the answer is no - then it needs cut.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03683787289610071946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-74876380228759834862012-04-09T20:08:11.997-04:002012-04-09T20:08:11.997-04:00Loved this! I tend to infodump a lot in my first d...Loved this! I tend to infodump a lot in my first draft, more than anything so that I don't forget those details, and then cut it down to the necessities in editing.Gemmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08628010622097782003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-3621993921173184192012-04-09T17:23:27.931-04:002012-04-09T17:23:27.931-04:00Amelia, I just finishing Uncommon Criminals this w...Amelia, I just finishing Uncommon Criminals this week. That's one of the things I love about heist stories too. You get a sense of so much more, yet they never actually explain anything.<br /><br />Trudging, thanks! <br /><br />Laura, oo I like scenes like that. It'll probably turn out nice. You get all kinds of info in there, and it feels real.<br /><br />Angelica, I hope it does! <br /><br />Angela, most welcome. :) Good luck on your dumps.<br /><br />SBibb, I hope this makes fix that scene easier. Let me know how it goes. <br /><br />Amy, thanks!<br /><br />Taurean, sometimes you just have to keep revising and being more specific until they get it. Other times it's not THAT scene that has the problem. It's in the groundwork leading up to it. If you look back you might a place where your hunts weren't clear enough. Fixing that fixes the other scene. <br /><br />If they still have issues, (and it's more than just one person who doesn't get it) you might have to do a little dumping and state things pretty clearly. There are times when you do need to dump. I'd suggest keeping it in the character's voice as best you can. It also helps to put that dump during a scene where the tension is high, so they balance out.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-53711029508195903422012-04-09T16:30:56.532-04:002012-04-09T16:30:56.532-04:00I get what Amy's saying above, I've been t...I get what Amy's saying above, I've been there, and frankly I'm still there with what I'm working on now, but what happens when nearly all the beta-readers are feeling like you're not being specific enough?<br /><br />You're not showing enough, or they just don't get why something matters, yet there's no obvious way to show it in a non-tacky way, any tips, Janice?<br /><br />Anybody?<br /><br />How can you deal with the "reader feelings gypped/unfairly lost" issue without going the opposite extreme this post talks about. <br /><br />Sometimes the path toward balance is NOT easy for the writer to see, anymore than the readers we workshop with, or is that just me?Taurean Watkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16604609379930060667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-12407986309685424772012-04-09T16:27:49.243-04:002012-04-09T16:27:49.243-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Taurean Watkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16604609379930060667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-20734499877569782002012-04-09T15:32:50.879-04:002012-04-09T15:32:50.879-04:00Love the simplicity of your how-to-tell test. Is i...Love the simplicity of your how-to-tell test. Is it for the reader's benefit or the character's? Really helpful!Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07221209272618905129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-73435486044272717912012-04-09T15:22:59.201-04:002012-04-09T15:22:59.201-04:00I'm actually dealing with this in my manuscrip...I'm actually dealing with this in my manuscript right now. I'm trying to take a chapter that was reading slow (infodumping), and make it so that the character is finding things out through what she wants to know, not what I want the readers to know.SBibbhttp://sbibb.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-550739062521518642012-04-09T14:25:13.836-04:002012-04-09T14:25:13.836-04:00I'm dealing with some infodump situations with...I'm dealing with some infodump situations with my WiP so this post is going to come in very handy to help me steer from the dialog dumps. Thank you so much!!Angela Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03324366495151363782noreply@blogger.com