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Info dumping



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Tue Sep 24, 2019 8:06 am
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Moalex says...



As the subject and description mentioned, what is the best way to handle info dumping? I understand that the best way to avoid it is to break it apart and let the character and readers slowly absorb bits of the info throughout the story.

For my situation however, it's a little different. I'm having trouble trying to write a scene where someone is doing a long explanation to display his talent and theory crafting. The scene is meant to impress his audience in that moment, and I am unsure how to go about it without it being info dumping.
  





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Mon Sep 30, 2019 2:50 am
Kazumi says...



By info dump, I'm assuming you mean insert a concentrated chunk of info into the story.

It just be like that sometimes. Sometimes you do have to resort to simply telling it through your characters. But if you are going to tell/info dump, at the very least do it in an artful and entertaining way.

You can info dump in a way that reinforces the character traits of whomever is speaking, or you can use colorful similes that make the readers' eyes twinkle with recognition, or you can be really funny/verbose/over-the-top with it.

Or, you can break the medium of writing apart to info dump creatively. For example, you can switch back and forth from the present time (like one moment the character is explaining his abilities in the present, and in the next paragraph he's developing this new theory as a child, then the next paragraph he's back in the present). Or you can try out one of my favorite techniques which is to separate everything into headers, in cinematic style like

I. The Beginning

(insert content)

II. When I Met Her

(insert content)

III. Spongebob was a great cartoon and we would have done anything to bring it back

(insert more content)

Or perhaps, you can simply throw out the window whatever method you've thought of and go for something radical. A teacher of mine once said that a more compelling way of writing an essay proving why the youth is the hope of the nation is by writing an essay proving why the youth is not the hope of the nation.

The point of all of this is you have to be artful about it. Info dumping is looked down upon because it's a boring way to go about things. At least be interesting when you do it. When you're interesting, your audience won't even realize that hey, you're info dumping. Or even when they do realize, they'll simply appreciate how you're doing it artfully and choose to play along with it anyway. A primera klase writer can make whatever situation that comes their way entertaining anyway.
top kek
  





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Mon Sep 30, 2019 4:27 am
Moalex says...



Thanks for the advice!
  








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