E is, at last, for Exposition

I've heard some people say you should have as little as possible exposition in your stories. I disagree.
Exposition is important, in that it reveals important information about characters and locations, without which would make the story very hard to understand.
But of course, you can write too much exposition. It's about striking a balance.

One reason readers tend to find too much exposition disruptive is that it tells rather then shows. It tells the reader what has happened, rather than allowing them to experience it. One way this can be solved is by incorporating the exposition into speech, or indicating it through a character's actions. Another is by, after introducing something unusual into the story, giving some brief relevant details about it. However, this method must not be over used, as then it will become boring.

The most important think you can remember about exposition is that it must be relevant, and or, it must be short and to the point. No one wants to trudge through pages and pages of writing about your main characters's lifestory unless it has an actual relevance to the plot (or if your character has a particularly interesting or unusual lifestory).

Sometimes, the best thing to do is to leave the backstory. You don't necessarily need to explain what the character is doing in a graveyard in the middle of the night - humans are curious. Not telling them will encourage them to keep reading until they find out.


Long time no post :I The only word I need to say is: exams