Have you ever read a book that explains the history of coal in excruciating detail? It explains everything from how heat and pressure turn plants into coal to how, when coal is burned, it releases a large amount of CO2, and before you are halfway through, you forget what the point even was.
If I ever picked up a book and was greeted with that introduction, I would’ve burned it. I’m guessing you’ve also read a book that made you feel the same. Info-dumping is a real issue in literature. Many writers find themselves over-explaining in their story and have no idea how to avoid info-dumping.
If I haven’t lost you in the introduction, I’ll explain what info-dumping is, how it is hurting your writing, and how you can avoid info-dumping.
Understanding Info-Dumping
Info-dumping is when the author overshares information on the page. It often shows up as backstory or worldbuilding. Info-dumping pauses the story to explain something in much greater detail than it needs to be.
Abigail Perry defined info-dumping as this: “Info dumping is what happens when the author gives the reader a massive amount of background information in a matter of pages instead of letting the story unfold.” in an article from The Write Practice.
(Perry, 2023, para. 3)
A common example of info-dumping:
- Telling a character’s whole life story in a single piece of dialogue.
- Beginning the story with paragraphs of worldbuilding.
- Describing how magic works before the characters have even used magic.
- Explaining the history of a building in detail for no other purpose than to share.
Why Info-Dumping Harms Your Writing
Info-dumping interrupts the story; it puts the story on hold. Info-dumping disturbs the narrative’s natural flow and breaks immersion. In addition, it’s anticlimactic. When the characters are explaining, they’re not doing anything. To be frank, that’s boring.
Here is how info-dumping is harmful:
- Stops the action.
- Overloads the reader with information they will most likely forget.
- Creates distance between the readers and the character.
- Removes mystery.
The readers would learn more about your story as it unfolds. If you show all your cards in the first few pages, the story will lose all mystery.
4 Techniques to Avoid Info-Dumping
As you gathered, info-dumping is hurting your story, and we don’t want that. Therefore, I’ll suggest 3 ways to avoid info-dumping.
1. Share Only When Needed
Revealing information only when the readers need it means giving them the details required to understand what’s happening in the story right now. You don’t need to give the readers a backstory to how something is if it’s not relevant to how the plot will develop. Over-explaining creates noise; it takes the attention away from what’s happening in the story. It also slows down the pacing.
Information is gradually revealed as the story unfolds. If the details you’re about to present don’t help the readers follow the narrative, it can wait. Only revealing information when the readers need it keeps the storyline clean, engaging, and focused.
For example, in Star Wars, the audience had no idea that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker’s father until Darth Vader revealed it in the second film, The Empire Strikes Back. It came as a shock to both Luke and the audience. What Star Wars did well here was share information when necessary. This revelation didn’t appear in the opening scene of the first film, but instead when Vader was desperate to lure Luke into the dark side.
A great way to check if it’s necessary to reveal the information right away is to ask yourself:
- Will the reader be confused if I don’t explain this right now?
- Does this detail change the direction of the plot?
- Is this information connected to the conflict happening at this moment?
- Am I explaining this because the readers need it or because I want to?
2. Show Through Action
Info-dumping is often a result of telling rather than showing. Don’t write a long block of text explaining that your protagonist is abused by their parents. Show it by how they always wear long-sleeved shirts and flinch whenever someone raises their voice. Furthermore, instead of saying “the city was dangerous,” Show how strangers avoid eye contact and shops have bars.
Showing rather than telling prevents info-dumping by keeping the story moving rather than pausing to explain. When readers get to see for themselves, it becomes a natural part of the story rather than a lecture.
Try asking yourself:
- Can I reveal this detail by having the character interact with something in the world?
- Is there a way to show this through what the character notices, avoids, or focuses on in the scene?
3. Speak Through Dialogue
Similarly, to “show, don’t tell,” you can avoid info-dumping by using dialogue. You can use dialogue to reveal fragments of information without having to write a long block of text. However, you can fall into the pitfall of making dialogue sound unnatural by attempting to reveal information.
Ask yourself:
- Would these characters actually say this, or is it only here to explain something to the reader?
4. Let the Readers Fill the Gap
I get it, you want to tell the whole story. You want to tell the readers why this is important or why this world is multidimensional. As a writer, that’s my instinct, but that doesn’t always serve my story.
In our daily life, we know details like who the current world leaders are, the weather, and the current hit song. However, in a story, everything becomes more significant. The readers are seeing the world the way you describe it. If you begin explaining worldbuilding or the protagonist’s backstory, it’s going to take the focus off the central plot. And trust me, you’d rather they missed a detail of history than a plot point.
My point is, it’s okay if the readers don’t know. Let them fill the gaps and interpret it on their terms. Info-dumping occurs when you overexplain, which is a nicer way of saying you’re spoon-feeding information. The readers are smarter than you think; they’ll figure it out. Nevertheless, if they don’t, that’s okay too, as long as it doesn’t take away from the story.
The next time you feel like oversharing, ask yourself this: Am I explaining this because it matters to the story, or because I’m afraid the reader won’t get it?
Mastering Info-Dumping
It’s easy to info-dump. One second you’re writing a scene of your protagonist taking a stroll, and the next you’re explaining how that brick ended up in that building. At least for me, it’s easier to info-dump than read a book where the author info-dumped.
Info-dumping is painfully noticeable to the readers. They have to use much more energy to process the information than they normally do. For your poor readers’ sake, think twice before you over-explain.
Nonetheless, info-dumping isn’t a permanent injury. With the right approaches, you can stop oversharing on the page and write clearer stories. In addition, it’s okay if you info-dump in the first draft. You are telling the story for the first time to yourself. The important thing is that you write more clearly in the later drafts.
