"Exposition is a device for introducing characters, to provide setting, for creating tone, to explain ideas, to analyze background. Exposition should be immediately related to the event that causes its presence. The subject should be relevant to the circumstances, otherwise it's a distraction that does not contribute." -Leonard Bishop, Dare to Be a Great Writer
We all know enough about writing to understand that in today's market, we need to keep exposition should to a minimum. Despite that, we often have to support our premises with facts or explain the reasoning behind that premise.
For my novel Light Bringer, I created a discussion group for people who believed in conspiracies. While each argued for his or pet conspiracy theory, sometimes quite humorously, I was able to expose an alternate view of history without having one character giving a long and boring lecture. The group also functioned as a cast to pull from whenever I needed a character to play a bit part.
For Daughter Am I, I created a character who loved to lecture. Though perhaps he told too much, it did go to character.
For A Spark of Heavenly Fire and More Deaths Than One, I had characters go in search of the information because I thought that if characters wanted the information badly enough, readers would also want the information and hence tolerate the intrusion of fact.
So how do you solve the problem of exposition? Do you dump it in all at once to get it over with? Do you parcel it out a bit at a time? Do you have one character tell another? Do you have a character seek it out? Do they read it somewhere, such as in an article or online? And how do you make it interesting for the reader?
The group No Whine, Just Champagne will exchange ideas about exposition during our Live Discussion on Thursday, October 16 at 9:00pm ET. Hope to see you there!
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Comments: 102
I try to bring it out using emotion and conversation about situations.
I'm going to meet my favorite romance author that day.
But, I will be back next week.
Y'all have a great discussion so I can come back from it next week and LEARN. That's your assignment. :-)
We'll miss ya' Tracy :)
Good evening, all.
I believe that by making the reader draw conclusions they not only are more involved, but psychologically they are tailoring the story to themselves. Thus it is more appealing.
Of course, I could be spouting complete rubbish. Any thoughts?
Historical facts are trickier, but I think they can be interwoven some more easily than others. Scientific data and techniques are some of the most difficult to blend seamlessly in my opinion.
Or is the solution to embrace that there are different levels of interpreting and "understanding" the novel?
Here is a sample via HarperCollins/Avon Books and Julia Quinn's novel, "The Duke and I"
I like the idea of a scandal rag.
Hello all!
I try to use the exposition to move the story forward rather than just include it as a freestanding essay (which some authors still get away with).
Vivian, I don't use flashbacks. I think I've only done two or three flashbacks total. My characters tend to be researchers or storytellers.
What about you two. Do you ever use or overuse exposition?
Atlantis I haven't read Updike in years, I'm afraid I didn't care much for his "Rabbit" books and was quite turned off after reading two. Is it worth the effort?
Pay no attention Beaker, but you're right, it can rip you out of the story.
I find that I dump too much in and it does detract from my stories. Then I end up cutting, cuctting, cutting.
I like your idea Paul about writing the scenes and then add in where it's neede!
I love history, but I don't want a history lesson in my novels. If I learn something along the way, that's okay, but don't teach at me. As a couple of you have said, discovery makes all that info so much more palatable.
I'm still struggling with show, don't tell - damn, my background in technical {boring} healthcare writing.
On the other hand, if you want to have the reader really pay attention, you can replace the exposition by a scene in real time. For example, Terry Shaw read one of my chapters and said that one of the sentences caught his eye and he wanted to know more. I ended up replacing a couple of sentences with another chapter that really fleshed out an important period in the lead character's life.
I remember a story in FCR where one of the writers summarized a scene which struck me as being very important. Instead, we were presented with the aftermath of the scene; as the reader, I felt like we'd rushed to a later scene without laying the foundation, thus reducing the overall emotional impact.
Telling:
Jane washed her car, and relaxed.
showing:
Car washed, Jan relaxed.
Great example to show different ways to show the same action, Paul.
"As I was designing the store, I encountered several problems: the birds were tropical, and would not have done well outside in Denver’s harsh climate. The terrariums for the reptiles would turn into charnel houses because the creatures would eat each other. But even with the problems, I was loath to implode my store; I spent a lot of time creating it and I thought it was a great idea.
"Then I started writing it. To make it more than a lifeless description such as the one here, I had to give it several paragraphs and for what? Within a few short chapters the store would disappear (along with the entire neighborhood). It didn’t make sense to give so much space to something that was obviously unimportant when a plain old store would work just as well and with fewer descriptive words to delay the action. Besides, anything the fabulous store said about Chip was more entertainingly portrayed by his relationship with the animals.
"While my setting — Denver in the not too distant future — is important, the store wasn’t. Whatever words I would have wasted on the store, I will spend creating a living, changing, vital setting for Chip to interact with. Because of that interaction, I won’t need long descriptive passages for readers to skim over."
They thought the description should be in the book because it told a lot about Chip, but I stand by my objection. Whenever you overbalance explanation in relation to the thing's worth, it's better to get rid of it.
Thanks Paul :o), I'm learning.
Today, I was just editing my opening chapter and cutting over use of summary.
I find I just want to tell so much so fast, that I get carried away. I want the reader to know that story like I know it in my head. My opening chapter could be ten chapters long.
Jan, business related writing is totally different than telling a story, though they both benefit from saying what you really mean rather than gilding the lily. When I had a boss who complained about my long drawn out work essays, I decided to leave that kind of writing for my novels. Of course, now I'm cutting down on much of that detail when I give the text a fresh look.
I came across a book the other day where a paragraph was two or three pages long. Yikes! Didn't he (or his editor) ever hear of paragraph breaks?
In a Dick Francis mystery, you'll find exposition on the occupation of the hero, be it wine, photography, or the newspaper business. The horse stuff is common; the other stuff needs explanation. But Francis makes it interesting. I look forward to learning the ins and outs of occupations, the way he presents the info.
You listen to what someone has read, tell them what feelings you had when you heard it, any words/phrases that stuck with you, and then where you wanted to know more.
I'm trying this with my writers group at the senior citizen center. Most of them want to write their stories for their grandchildren. So they write and then we get together and each participant reads aloud and we each share where we wanted to know more, etc.
Okay, I know this isn't your genre, but it fits the discussion so well I feel compelled to mention it. Julia Quinn in her Bridgerton novels does an enormous amount of exposition about characters and society through the writings of a scandal rag. The newspaper method of delivery. She parcels them out at the start of the chapter like a tasty tidbit and a draw to lead you into with a foreshadowing of it.
Here is a sample via HarperCollins/Avon Books and Julia Quinn's novel, "The Duke and I"
That is very ironic, because Julia is the author I went to meet tonight. She's my favorite author of all time. And her Bridgerton series is very famous for the Whistledown column that pokes fun of society and tells of its foibles. It outs all the characters as either being arrogant, prudish or down right shy, or just looking terrible in orange.
Her exposition should be emulated, and I'm not just saying that because she's my favorite. She's truly an excellent author. And, I hope everyone goes and checks out her work.
They have templates for inline editing that is really nice. I've been happy with the feedback I received from others and feel like I really get a lot out of the edit I do as well.
Beth, I'd agree that when there specialized knowledges that are essential to the story, weaving in some exposition can make it come together. But a little bit goes a long way.
I'm going to have to sign off too. I have to clean up after dinner and give puppy her medicine. She ate a $1200.00 marble ... pictures/story to be posted in the next few days on my page :)
Good night all
She and Laura Lee Gurhke, another great romance author were sharing their stories about how they became published, and about how when you have the writing bug, you just never quit writing!
I wish I had a transcript of the evening but, I don't.
But, the gist of it was, that a writer has to do research. That's the only way they can truly get their facts straight and fill in the background of the characters. Because if you don't the story won't be authentic and your readers will point that you to you.
Night Pat . . love your discussions
Like, for example, I write regency romances. So, I can't have my characters wear blue jeans and T-shirts. And, they can't say slang things such as, "Hot mamma!" or "Get me a coke, would ya?"
That's where your research helps.
So good night, and bless everyone!
Reminds me of the police officer in the opening of "Urine Town." He cautions Little Sally that too much exposition can ruin a play as she rattles on.
She replies that possibly a bad title could ruin a play.