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Writer's Resources

A No-Nonsense Guide to Narrative Exposition for Emerging Writers

I. Introduction: The Hidden Skeleton of Storytelling

What is Exposition?

When you read a book, you want to see the action. You want to see the hero fight the monster or the detective solve the crime. But the action does not make sense without context. Context is the "who," "where," "when," and "why."

This background information is called Narrative Exposition.

Think of a story like a house. The paint and the furniture are the dialogue and action. That is what people see. But the wooden frame inside the walls is the exposition. You cannot see it, but it holds the house up. Exposition includes facts about the setting, the character's past (backstory), and the history of the world.¹

The Goal

For a new writer, exposition is hard. You have a lot of ideas in your head. You want to tell the reader everything immediately so they understand. But if you give too many facts at once, the reader will get bored. This is called an "info dump."

The goal of this guide is to teach you how to give the reader information without boring them. We will look at how the brain works, simple tricks to hide your exposition, and real examples from famous books.

II. Why We Get Bored: The Science

The Brain Has Limits

To write good stories, you must understand how the human brain works. The brain is like a cup. It can only hold a small amount of water (information) at one time. Scientists say our "working memory" can only hold about four or five new things at once.³

● The Story: When you tell a story (A happens, then B happens), the brain connects the events. It is easy to remember.

● The List: When you stop the story to give a list of facts (dates, names, history), the brain has to work very hard to hold each fact. The cup overflows. This feeling of "too much information" is what makes a reader feel bored.³

The "Need-to-Know" Rule

So, how do you give information without overflowing the cup? You must make the reader want the information first.

Do not explain how a bomb works in the first chapter. Wait until the hero is trapped in a room with a ticking bomb. Now, the reader needs to know how the bomb works to see if the hero survives. This is called the "Need-to-Know" basis. Only give exposition when it solves a problem.⁵

III. "Show, Don't Tell": A Simple Guide

You will often hear the rule: "Show, Don't Tell." But what does that mean? And is it always true?

Telling (Narrative)

"Telling" is when you simply state a fact. It is fast and efficient.

● Example: "John was angry."

● When to use it: Use "telling" to move time or change locations quickly.

○ Correct: "He drove for three hours to get to the city." (You do not need to show every minute of the drive).⁷

Showing (Exposition/Scene)

"Showing" is when you describe actions and senses so the reader feels the emotion.

● Example: "John slammed his coffee mug on the table and his face turned red."

● When to use it: Use "showing" for important emotional moments.

Comparison Table:

Method	Example	Effect on Reader
Telling	"It was cold."	The Reader knows the fact, but feels nothing.
Showing	"The wind felt like ice on his skin and he could not stop shivering."	The reader imagines the cold and feels the character's pain.

Key Lesson: Tell the facts to move the story; show the details to make the reader feel emotions.⁸

IV. The "Iceberg Theory": Hiding Information

What is the Iceberg Theory?

Ernest Hemingway was a famous American writer. He created the "Iceberg Theory." An iceberg is a huge block of ice floating in the ocean. You can only see the top 10% (the tip) above the water. The other 90% is hidden underwater.

In writing:

● The Tip (Above Water): This is what you write on the page (action and dialogue).

● The Bottom (Underwater): This is what you know about the characters (feelings and history).¹⁰

How to Use It

Hemingway believed you do not need to write every detail. If you know how a character feels, you can show it through small actions.

● Bad Exposition (Too much): "She was sad because her husband forgot her birthday, so she looked out the window."

● Iceberg Method: She looked out the window. "It's getting late," she said.

In the second example, the reader feels her sadness without being told. It makes the reader feel smart because they figured it out.

V. A Common Mistake: "Maid and Butler" Dialogue

What is it?

This is a very common mistake for new writers. It happens when two characters tell each other things they already know, just so the reader hears it.

It is called "Maid and Butler" dialogue because in old plays, a maid might say to a butler: "As you know, the master is coming home today!" The butler already knows this. Real people do not talk like this.¹²

How to Fix It

1. Use Conflict (Arguments)

People talk about facts when they are arguing.

● Bad: "As you know, we have no gas."

● Good: "Why did you not fill the tank? Now we have no gas!"

2. Use a "Watson"

In Sherlock Holmes stories, Dr. Watson is not a genius. Sherlock has to explain clues to him. This helps the reader understand. Create a character who is new or does not know the facts. Then, it is natural to explain things to them.12

VI. A Pro Trick: "The Pope in the Pool"

Distracting the Reader

Sometimes, you must explain boring facts. Blake Snyder, a screenwriting expert, called his trick for this "The Pope in the Pool."

Imagine a movie scene where characters need to talk about boring politics. If they sit at a table, the audience sleeps. But, if the scene takes place at the Vatican pool, and the Pope is swimming in his bathing suit while they talk, the audience will watch. The funny or strange visual distracts the brain so it does not notice the boring words.

How to use it in a book

You cannot use pictures, but you can use action.

● Do not: Have characters sit and talk about history.

● Do: Have characters talk about history while they are running from a bad guy, or fixing a broken car. The stress of the action makes the reader pay attention.¹⁴

VII. Real-World Examples

Here are three examples of how famous authors handle exposition.

1. The Master of Efficiency: Stephen King (The Shining)

Stephen King is very good at giving information naturally. In the book The Shining, the story starts with a job interview.

● Why it works: In a job interview, it is normal to ask questions about a person's past. The boss asks the hero, Jack, about his drinking and his family. King gives us all of Jack's backstory, but it feels like a real conversation, not an info dump.

● Lesson: Create a situation (like an interview, a trial, or a first date) where asking questions is normal.

2. The List Maker: Ernest Cline (Ready Player One)

This book is about video games and 1980s movies. The author, Ernest Cline, uses long lists of facts.

● How he does it: The main character lists old games, songs, and movies. He explains the history of his virtual world in the first chapter.

● Does it work? Some readers love it because they like the nostalgia (remembering the past). Other readers think it is boring and slows down the story.

● Lesson: Be careful with lists. If your reader loves the topic, they might enjoy it. If not, they might stop reading.

3. The Professor: Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code)

Dan Brown writes famous thrillers. However, he often stops the action to give a "lecture."

● How he does it: His main character is a professor. He often explains history or symbols to another character for pages at a time. In one scene, a character explains a painting for a long time while everyone just stands there.

● Does it work? Many critics say this is bad writing. However, millions of people read his books. They read them because the "secrets" he explains are shocking and interesting.¹⁵

● Lesson: If your secret is very exciting, readers might forgive a long explanation. But it is risky.

VIII. Checklist for New Writers

Use this simple list to check your story.

1. The "Why Now?" Test: Does the reader need this information right now to understand the scene? If not, delete it or move it to later.

2. Check Dialogue: Do your characters say "As you know..." or tell each other things they already know? If yes, rewrite it.

3. Hide the Iceberg: Can you delete the explanation and just show the character's action?

4. Add Action: If you have a long explanation, make the characters do something active while they talk (fix a tire, cook a meal, walk quickly).

IX. Conclusion

Narrative exposition is the tool you use to build the world for your reader. It is necessary, but it can be dangerous if used poorly.

Remember that your reader is smart. You do not need to explain everything immediately. Give them small pieces of the puzzle. Use action to hide the facts. If you follow these simple rules, your readers will stay immersed in your story, enjoying the house you built without ever seeing the frame inside.

Write Without Fear — Edit Without Mercy