Many writers struggle with an issue called “infodumping,” where they introduce large amounts of exposition all at once. If this problem is bad enough, infodumping can cause readers to give up on a book entirely, even before the story truly starts.

Definition of Infodumping

Cambridge Dictionary defines “infodump” as “the practice of giving too much information at the same time.” When writers do this, they leave their readers confused and often frustrated. Readers start to skim important information as they grow bored.

What Causes Infodumping?

When writing a novel, authors often develop complex backstories for their characters. They believe all this backstory is necessary to keep their characters rounded. However, they often provide their readers with more information than they need to. Even with the essential backstory, authors should carefully sprinkle it throughout a narrative instead of piling it all in the same spot. In other words, writers must learn the delicate technique of the backstory weave.

The Rule of Three

Luckily, there are techniques writers can use to avoid infodumping, the first of which is known as “the rule of three.” This technique states that backstory should only be given in threes—three sentences at a time for short stories and three paragraphs at a time for novels. At most, these sections of three should be broken up by jumping back to the present story for a brief moment. For writers who struggle with heavy infodumping, the three sentences rule works best, even for novels.

Backstory in Dialogue

Some writers believe that infodumping can’t occur in dialogue. This is false. Although dialogue can be a helpful tool for backstory, writers can also abuse this tool. For instance, writers can misuse dialogue to introduce information that characters already know. If a character is talking to their mother, it doesn’t make sense for them to say, “My brother, David,” because of course the mother knows who David is. Moments like this easily pull readers out of the story. They start seeing the author’s hand at work, instantly losing their suspension of disbelief. Be wary of this issue when using dialogue to convey backstory. If a character already knows this information, writers should not reveal it through dialogue.

The Sense of Mystery

Writers can also struggle with mistrusting their readers. They think they need to provide all the backstory information because they don’t believe their readers will come to the correct conclusions. On the contrary, stories benefit from a sense of mystery. When authors reveal everything upfront, their audience has nothing left to discover. Questions keep readers engaged. Too much information leaves them disinterested.

Weaving in Backstory

The most effective method to use when introducing backstory is to weave it in, introducing backstory as it becomes important and only revealing necessary information. Readers don’t need to know the exact time every character was born or hear about a random occurrence they had in fifth grade.

However, it is also possible to not have enough backstory. Some of this information is important. For instance, in my most recent novel, beta readers consistently asked how old my protagonist was. As the writer, I didn’t feel this information was important. Yet, to my readers, it was. When backstory like this is introduced organically, it becomes an essential tool that enhances your story.

Backstory in the Publishing Industry

Acquisitions editors know how to spot infodumping. They’re so used to amateur manuscripts that include too much backstory that some of them will discard a manuscript if it includes any backstory in the first five pages. Of course, this is an extreme measure, but it makes their point clear: Too much infodumping can destroy a story. So, as writers prepare their manuscripts for querying, it’s important that they take the time to carefully search for infodumps. If they don’t, they’re doing their book a disservice.