71:) is a large drop of information by the author to provide background they deem necessary to continue the plot. This is ill-advised in narrative and is even worse when used in dialogue. There are cases where an information dump can work, but in many instances it slows down the plot or breaks immersion for the readers. Exposition works best when the author provides only the bare minimum of surface information and allows the readers to discover as they go.
161:, characters tell each other information that needs to be explained for the purpose of the audience, but of which the characters in-universe would already be aware. Writers are advised to avoid writing dialogues beginning with "As you well know, Professor, a prime number is..."
157:. She defined it as "the process of scattering information seamlessly through the text, as opposed to stopping the story to impart the information." "Information dump" (or info-dump) is the term given for overt exposition, which writers want to avoid. In an
127:, Kipling was faced with the problem of Western readers not knowing the culture and environment of that land, so he gradually developed the technique of explaining through example. But this was relatively subtle, compared to Kipling's
113:
Indirect exposition has always occurred in storytelling incidentally, but is first clearly identified, in the modern literary world, in the writing of
131:
stories, where he used the technique much more obviously and necessarily, to explain an entirely fantastic world unknown to any reader, in his
1248:
1577:
465:
94:
the readers in to the world the author is building without them being aware of it. This can be done in a number of ways: through
1260:
559:
282:
197:
90:
in which the reader is gradually exposed to background information about the world in which a story is set. The idea is to
589:
332:
1663:
1243:
537:
511:
449:
418:
257:
239:
370:
1889:
1884:
1572:
984:
1841:
1126:
146:, who became known for his advanced rhetorical and storytelling techniques, including indirect exposition.
24:
142:
Kipling's writing influenced other science fiction writers, most notably the "Dean of
Science Fiction",
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954:
143:
1863:
1058:
551:
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1148:
582:
132:
441:
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1759:
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51:, prior plot events, historical context, etc. In literature, exposition appears in the form of
20:
1668:
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1468:
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906:
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8:
1831:
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19:
This article is about background information in a story. For expository writing, see
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16:
Background information within a narrative; one of four rhetorical modes
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40:
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1403:
1359:
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1284:
1106:
1096:
911:
733:
297:
275:
Between the Lines: Master the Subtle
Elements of Fiction Writing
1775:
1525:
1310:
1086:
993:
752:
1782:
1349:
1300:
1278:
1031:
1016:
437:
FutureSpeak: a fan's guide to the language of science fiction
384:
John
Ashmead; Darrell Schweitzer; George H. Scithers (1982).
118:
567:
1520:
1315:
676:
548:
Writers Inc.: A Student
Handbook for Writing and Learning
277:. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer's Digest Books. p. 64.
252:. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer’s Digest Books. p. 51.
546:
Sebranek, Patrick; Kemper, Dave; Meyer, Verne (2006),
39:, is the insertion of background information within a
190:
Kaplan SAT Subject Test: Literature 2009–2010 Edition
311:"rec.arts.sf.composition Frequently Asked Questions"
153:
is attributed to fantasy and science fiction author
521:
308:
1876:
223:
221:
545:
74:
266:
583:
333:"papersky: Thud: Half a Crown & Incluing"
218:
102:, characters' thoughts, background details,
590:
576:
335:. Papersky.livejournal.com. Archived from
500:Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure
387:Constructing scientifiction & fantasy
234:. Cincinnati, OH: Writer’s Digest Books.
408:
371:"3.3. Methods of screenplay exposition"
272:
192:. Kaplan Publishing. 2009. p. 60.
1877:
1261:Types of fiction with multiple endings
247:
227:
571:
519:
433:
135:universe, starting with the novella "
497:
357:
212:
43:. This information can be about the
351:
13:
309:Michelle Bottorff (11 June 2008).
21:Rhetorical modes § Exposition
14:
1901:
1664:Third-person omniscient narrative
106:media, or the narrator telling a
458:
427:
402:
377:
55:embedded within the narrative.
1052:Conflict between good and evil
411:Write Great Fiction – Dialogue
363:
325:
302:
291:
273:Morrell, Jessica Page (2006).
206:
182:
58:
1:
597:
491:
75:Indirect exposition/incluing
7:
298:Rudyard Kipling Invented SF
164:
25:Exposition (disambiguation)
10:
1906:
528:(2nd ed.), New York:
498:Bell, James Scott (2004),
413:. F+W Media. p. 190.
18:
1727:
1699:
1691:Stream of unconsciousness
1634:
1378:
1269:
1222:Falling action/Catastasis
1167:
1072:
1007:
930:
742:
605:
524:The Random House Handbook
520:Crews, Frederick (1977),
440:. Paragon House. p.
390:. TSR Hobbies. p. 24
1059:Self-fulfilling prophecy
552:Houghton Mifflin Company
176:
117:. In his stories set in
1686:Stream of consciousness
1149:Suspension of disbelief
470:Fiction Writer's Mentor
248:Kernen, Robert (1999).
133:Aerial Board of Control
1227:Denouement/Catastrophe
1208:Rising action/Epitasis
228:Dibell, Ansen (1988).
23:. For other uses, see
1573:Utopian and dystopian
504:Writer's Digest Books
250:Building Better Plots
1890:Fiction-writing mode
1885:Narrative techniques
1127:Narrative techniques
907:Story within a story
719:Supporting character
86:, is a technique of
67:(more commonly now,
33:Narrative exposition
1832:Political narrative
1674:Unreliable narrator
1531:Speculative fiction
1239:Nonlinear narrative
1187:Three-act structure
1047:Deal with the Devil
339:on 19 November 2011
137:With the Night Mail
82:, sometimes called
80:Indirect exposition
35:, now often simply
1810:Narrative paradigm
1805:Narrative identity
1735:Dominant narrative
1681:Multiple narrators
965:Fictional location
808:Dramatic structure
373:. 18 October 2010.
53:expository writing
41:story or narrative
1872:
1871:
1815:Narrative therapy
1249:television series
1194:Freytag's Pyramid
1037:Moral development
940:Alternate history
650:False protagonist
561:978-0-669-52994-4
284:978-1-58297-393-7
199:978-1-4195-5261-8
1897:
1795:Literary science
1338:Narrative poetry
1234:Linear narrative
1144:Stylistic device
1139:Show, don't tell
1102:Figure of speech
892:Shaggy dog story
635:Characterization
592:
585:
578:
569:
568:
564:
542:
527:
516:
486:
485:
483:
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472:. Archived from
462:
456:
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431:
425:
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409:Kempton (2004).
406:
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171:Show, don't tell
65:information dump
1905:
1904:
1900:
1899:
1898:
1896:
1895:
1894:
1875:
1874:
1873:
1868:
1800:Literary theory
1740:Fiction writing
1723:
1695:
1630:
1382:
1374:
1265:
1163:
1068:
1003:
926:
797:Deus ex machina
738:
724:Title character
709:Stock character
655:Focal character
601:
596:
562:
540:
514:
494:
489:
479:
477:
476:on 23 June 2015
464:
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242:
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211:
207:
200:
188:
187:
183:
179:
167:
144:Robert Heinlein
129:science fiction
124:The Jungle Book
115:Rudyard Kipling
77:
61:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1903:
1893:
1892:
1887:
1870:
1869:
1867:
1866:
1864:Verisimilitude
1861:
1856:
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1845:
1844:
1834:
1829:
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1817:
1812:
1807:
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1780:
1779:
1778:
1769:
1767:Parallel novel
1764:
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1471:
1466:
1461:
1456:
1451:
1446:
1441:
1436:
1431:
1426:
1421:
1416:
1411:
1409:Action fiction
1401:
1396:
1390:
1388:
1376:
1375:
1373:
1372:
1367:
1362:
1357:
1352:
1347:
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1005:
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987:
977:
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947:
942:
936:
934:
928:
927:
925:
924:
919:
914:
909:
904:
899:
894:
889:
887:Self-insertion
884:
879:
874:
872:Poetic justice
869:
864:
859:
854:
849:
842:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
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652:
647:
642:
637:
632:
630:Character flaw
627:
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611:
609:
603:
602:
595:
594:
587:
580:
572:
566:
565:
560:
550:, Wilmington:
543:
538:
517:
512:
502:, Cincinnati:
493:
490:
488:
487:
466:"Info-Dumping"
457:
450:
434:Rogow (1991).
426:
419:
401:
376:
362:
350:
324:
301:
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265:
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163:
76:
73:
60:
57:
47:, characters'
15:
9:
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4:
3:
2:
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1886:
1883:
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1850:
1849:Screenwriting
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1660:
1657:
1655:
1654:Second-person
1652:
1650:
1647:
1645:
1642:
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1586:
1583:
1579:
1576:
1574:
1571:
1569:
1566:
1565:
1564:
1561:
1559:
1558:Magic realism
1556:
1554:
1551:
1547:
1544:
1543:
1542:
1539:
1537:
1534:
1533:
1532:
1529:
1527:
1524:
1522:
1519:
1515:
1512:
1510:
1507:
1506:
1505:
1502:
1500:
1497:
1495:
1492:
1490:
1489:Psychological
1487:
1485:
1482:
1480:
1477:
1475:
1472:
1470:
1469:Philosophical
1467:
1465:
1462:
1460:
1457:
1455:
1452:
1450:
1447:
1445:
1442:
1440:
1437:
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1427:
1425:
1422:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1406:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1394:Autobiography
1392:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1381:
1377:
1371:
1368:
1366:
1363:
1361:
1358:
1356:
1353:
1351:
1348:
1344:
1341:
1340:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1333:Narrative art
1331:
1329:
1326:
1322:
1319:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1309:
1307:
1304:
1302:
1299:
1298:
1297:
1294:
1292:
1291:Flash fiction
1289:
1287:
1286:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1276:
1274:
1272:
1268:
1262:
1259:
1257:
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1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1241:
1240:
1237:
1235:
1232:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1200:
1197:
1196:
1195:
1192:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1182:Act structure
1180:
1179:
1178:
1175:
1174:
1172:
1170:
1166:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
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1142:
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1137:
1133:
1130:
1129:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1079:
1077:
1075:
1071:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1044:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1020:
1018:
1015:
1014:
1012:
1010:
1006:
1000:
999:Worldbuilding
997:
995:
992:
986:
983:
982:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
967:
966:
963:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
937:
935:
933:
929:
923:
920:
918:
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913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
847:
846:KishĹŤtenketsu
843:
841:
840:
839:In medias res
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
818:Foreshadowing
816:
814:
813:Eucatastrophe
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
798:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
776:Chekhov's gun
774:
770:
767:
766:
765:
762:
760:
757:
755:
754:
750:
749:
747:
745:
741:
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727:
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720:
717:
715:
712:
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707:
705:
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700:
697:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
679:
678:
675:
673:
672:
668:
666:
665:Gothic double
663:
661:
658:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
645:Deuteragonist
643:
641:
638:
636:
633:
631:
628:
626:
625:Character arc
623:
621:
618:
616:
613:
612:
610:
608:
604:
600:
593:
588:
586:
581:
579:
574:
573:
570:
563:
557:
553:
549:
544:
541:
539:0-394-31211-2
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1820:Narratology
1592:Theological
1484:Pop culture
1365:Short story
1343:Epic poetry
1064:Time travel
877:Red herring
862:Plot device
833:Frame story
786:Cliffhanger
729:Tritagonist
704:Protagonist
104:in-universe
59:Infodumping
49:backstories
1879:Categories
1745:Continuity
1614:Nonfiction
1578:Underwater
1474:Picaresque
1449:Historical
1434:Epistolary
1306:Fairy tale
1217:Peripeteia
1199:Exposition
955:Dreamworld
897:Stereotype
867:Plot twist
615:Antagonist
492:References
358:Bell (2004
343:6 November
317:6 November
213:Bell (2004
139:" (1905).
100:flashbacks
37:exposition
1636:Narration
1585:Superhero
1509:Chivalric
1494:Religious
1479:Political
1414:Adventure
1399:Biography
1321:Tall tale
1169:Structure
1154:Symbolism
1122:Narration
1022:Leitmotif
950:Crossover
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620:Archenemy
607:Character
599:Narrative
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149:The word
108:backstory
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1842:Glossary
1837:Rhetoric
1644:Diegesis
1624:Creative
1597:Thriller
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1464:Paranoid
1459:Nautical
1370:Vignette
1328:Gamebook
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917:Suspense
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671:Hamartia
480:10 March
394:10 March
165:See also
151:incluing
84:incluing
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1772:Prequel
1728:Related
1714:Present
1607:Western
1563:Science
1536:Fantasy
1504:Romance
1454:Mystery
1439:Ergodic
1404:Fiction
1360:Parable
1355:Novella
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1256:Premise
1107:Imagery
1097:Diction
975:country
932:Setting
912:Subplot
734:Villain
687:Byronic
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1776:Sequel
1760:Retcon
1755:Reboot
1719:Future
1553:Horror
1541:Gothic
1526:Satire
1444:Erotic
1311:Legend
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1514:Prose
1499:Rogue
1424:Crime
1419:Comic
1380:Genre
1350:Novel
1301:Fable
1279:Drama
1244:films
1074:Style
1042:Motif
1032:Moral
1017:Irony
1009:Theme
922:Trope
177:Notes
121:like
119:India
1788:List
1709:Past
1568:Hard
1521:Saga
1429:Docu
1385:List
1316:Myth
1271:Form
1159:Tone
1132:Hook
1117:Mood
1112:Mode
970:city
857:Pace
744:Plot
682:Anti
677:Hero
660:Foil
556:ISBN
534:ISBN
508:ISBN
482:2016
446:ISBN
415:ISBN
396:2016
345:2011
319:2011
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231:Plot
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92:clue
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