 Short Stories: August 25, 2021 Issue [#10948] |
This week: Info-dumps Edited by: Warped Sanity  
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| Ah, the dreaded info-dump! Most newer and many veteran writers have done it. Some of us are more guilty of it than others. In this newsletter I discuss some common types of info dumps in short story writing. |
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Typically I'm a seat of the pants writer. I jot down my characters with a list of their traits and basically know what the plot is, but with everything in-between I wing it. The result is the occasional info-dump. Ok, maybe occasional is an understatement. It happens often. Sometimes I recognize it right away on the first edit and other times it takes a reviewer to point it out to me.
Below are some common types of info-dumps, either I'm guilty of or I've observed in fellow writers.
 The story begins with a long paragraph explaining the setting and/or backstory which the writer feels is imperative for the reader to know in order begin the journey in the story. The first paragraph or two should show the writer what type of writing to expect in the story. If the first paragraph or two is nothing but telling, rather than showing, the reader could possibly assume the rest of the story is going to be in the same style. Many times a reader, choosing to read for leisure, will choose not to read a story if the first paragraph doesn't entice them into reading more.
Long flashbacks with a lot of telling. In general, long flashbacks don't work out well in short stories. They tend to confuse readers, unless they are skillfully entwined into the plot in small doses. Still, the flashback should show us what happened, rather than give a list of what happened.
The writer is obviously trying to stay within a particular word limit, but they have a lot of story they want to share. Showing the story often takes more words than telling what happens, so they dump information periodically to move the story forward to the next scene. In such situations, the writer has bitten off more than they can chew and should rethink the story and stick to a plot which would fit within the word limits.
Paragraphs giving physical descriptions of the characters separate from the actions for the story. The writer obviously has thought out their characters. They want the reader to see them the way they do. In reality, this is not important unless those physical details are imperative to the plot. It is not only acceptable to let your readers imagination fill in some physical characteristics, but in many genre, such as erotica, it is preferred.
If the character's physical characteristics are imperative to the plot, show them through the actions of the story. One way would be to show them through the main character's eyes. The character could swoon over those lovely large brown eyes or show distain for the blonde, doe eyed girl getting all the attention. If the main characters appearance is important, you could show it in their perceptions of their mirror image.
Summary
Info-dumps tend to bore readers and more times than not, they skim past them. The best way to fix an info-dump is to first contemplate if the information is really important to the story. If it is, then entwine it into the action of the story and/or the dialogue.
Of course, this is easier said than done. Most people who are literate can write, but to be a good writer takes practice. Whether, I'm a good writer or not is debatable, but I'll keep practicing. 
Until next time, happy writing!
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