Are you guilty of using way too many info dumps in your stories? (It’s okay—I am, too).

Put simply, an info dump is just what it sounds like: a large dump of information (or explanation) in the middle of an unfolding story. It can be a problem in the fantasy, sci-fi, and even historical fiction genres, because those require more explanations of the world than a story set in present-day in Big City, USA.

It is generally advised to not use info dumps because they can slow down the pace of a story. If the high-stakes action has to be paused for two pages while the author explains how a piece of technology works, why the wizards are using those particular magical talismans in their battle, or lay out a family tree of this nobleman’s family—then readers may get bored, or lose track of what was actually happening in the plot at that moment. As fascinating as the world of your story is, you don’t want your novel to read like a textbook.

First Draft is for Dumping Info

When is it okay to use an info dump? In your first draft, of course! The first draft (also called a rough draft, for good reason) is the time to put everything on the page. The meandering side plots that go nowhere, the unnecessary and flat supporting characters, and the long detailed explanations of world building. Get it all out of your head and onto the page. Editing/revising/cutting is the next step—but you’ve got to build your world first before you can trim and polish it to make it shine.

Time to Edit

There are lots of way to edit, and many stages of editing, and this isn’t the post to go into all of those. But at some point between banging out the first draft and hitting publish, you should look at your work with the eyes of an editor or a reader, as well as getting feedback from someone else (paid editor, critique partner, beta readers, etc.)

When you’re trimming down your info dumps, here are some things to look at and think about when you realize that you stopped the action for four pages during the climax to explain starship engines.
-How long is each dump? Count this in numbers of paragraphs or word count rather than page numbers. (Page count is completely arbitrary and variable, depending entirely on font size, spacing, which word processing program you’re using; or is totally invalid if you’re handwriting your first draft in a notebook).
-How many times per scene/chapter is there a dump?
-How much of the info is repeated in a later or previous dump?
-What is each scene/chapter actually about? If info or explanation is the only point to the scene, then cut it and/or combine it with a different scene.

There are ways to impart important information to your readers without the long info dumps. Dialogue is a great way to do it. For example, two characters who are trying to repair their starship engine can exchange technical info as they argue about the best way to fix it before the bad guys catch up to them. Training sessions (or school lessons, or coaching with a wise mentor, etc.) are another great tool for imparting information to the reader, as the protagonist or other main character learns something new about their world.

World building information does not have to be done all at once. Give readers the explanations in bite-sized bits spaced throughout the story. When you have a rich, cohesive world, and you scatter bits of info as you go along, most readers will gather up all the tidbits and put together a lot of explanations on their own.

Use Those Info Dumps!

Now that you’ve “killed your darlings,” as they say—cut out all those encyclopedic paragraphs of detailed info that you worked so hard to create—your story flows more smoothly. All that info is part of your world building that helps you to create a convincing, nuanced story world—even if many details don’t make it into a story. But those details can still be shared with your readers.

Many readers of sci-fi and fantasy love books with a glossary or appendix. Encyclopediac entries slow a story down, but many fans still want the explanations—so put your detailed info dumps into an appendix at the back of the book. You can also create a companion book that details characters, magic, or other unique aspects of your story world. Or create a series bible, or a technical guide full of diagrams and technobabble.

There are lots of cool ways to utilize your info dumps, after you’ve written them and then edited them. So go write and dump that info!

Like what you’re reading? Buy me a lemonade!