Over the next few weeks, I am going to post about some of the common mistakes that new writers make and how you can avoid them in your writing. Please send me any writing questions that you have and maybe I can direct a post toward your area of interest. These are not in any paticular order of importance, I’m just writing them as I struggle with various issues. The first common mistake is a big one for me: the “information dump.” That’s when a writer backs up the truck and dumps in facts, research or backstory (a post for another day). I think historical writers are very prone to this, but it can show up in any genre. I’ve done all this amazing research — my readers WANT to know all this stuff. Right? So, I find ways to sneak it in, like a mom disguising vegetables in sweet tasting muffins. Unfortunately, most readers are too smart for this tactic. It kills your tension and slows down your story.
In my WIP (work in progress), Shaken, I wanted the readers to know some facts about the earthquake and the destruction it was causing in other portions of the city, away from where my character is located. So, I was very sneaky and had her overhearing conversations of people walking by on the street. Convenient for me, the writer, but a bit obvious to any discriminating reader.
Have a great day, and watch out for those information dumps!
Hi Karen, good post, but for ME, I relish those bits of history thrown in during a good read. But unfortunately they gotta go! So you throw away your earthquake facts and I’ll trash my 1900 hurricane facts…sigh!
I guess the key is finding ways to work the details into the story. But it has to actually affect your character and make a difference to the story, not just details for the sake of details. I had an embarassing number of overheard conversations. I’ve pulled almost every single one out. Phew. And the story reads better without them.