Everything You Need to Know About Exposition in Writing
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
Exposition in writing often gets a bad reputation. And there are valid reasons for this. Not all exposition in writing is good—but not all exposition in writing is bad, either. In this article, I’ll explore all facets of exposition in writing and best practices you should be aware of if you want to harness it effectively.
What is Exposition In Writing?
Exposition in writing is the act of presenting information to the reader to help them understand the story or situation context. This may include character background, backstory, setting the scene, and backstory for plot points, etc. When done right, exposition in writing gives readers just enough information without overwhelming them with too many facts at once. After all, writing is a balance of action and information through pacing. The reason that most readers and publishers frown on exposition in writing is that it tends to overshadow the actual storytelling and negatively affect story pacing.
Showing vs Telling
Ah, the old “show, don’t tell” dilemma. One of the most common mistakes new writers make is relying too heavily on telling information, rather than showing. Telling means providing facts and context in explanation or narrative. Showing, on the other hand, involves scene, action, and dialogue, which demonstrate what the narrator or character would otherwise be talking about in narrative summary.
For example, instead of simply telling readers that a character is sad after a break-up, you could show their sadness by describing how they spend their days alone or how they struggle to focus on anything but their heartache. They could be listening to sad music, or drinking away their feelings. Maybe their friends can come over to take them out for a night on the town. All of these actions involve showing that the character is sad, rather than simply naming their emotion.
Successfully Using Exposition in Writing Fiction
Although exposition has traditionally been associated with nonfiction writing, such as essays and research papers, it can also be used effectively in fiction writing—but only if done right! Too much exposition can quickly derail a story by bogging down its momentum with unnecessary details or backstory elements.
It is crucial to remember that not everything you create over the course of developing your novel will make it into the final story. Some of the details you imagine when doing a character worksheet, for example, will not make it into the manuscript itself. They are for your eyes only, so you can better know your protagonist. The same goes for plot points and worldbuilding details. For the vast majority of your story, let scenes and chapters full of action move things forward, rather than dwelling on backstory. The present moment and the future should drive your story, not the past.
Exposition in writing can be an effective tool for providing background information about characters, settings, story worlds, and the plot itself, but it’s very easy to fall in love with your backstory and neglect your novel’s forward momentum. Instead of doing a big block of info-dumping, consider parsing out information and seeding details for later. Then wrap everything together at the end. And if something doesn’t fit or seems extraneous, don’t hesitate to cut it out of the project. If you take the time to really examine whether you need every single expository detail you’ve invented, this kind of clear-eyed approach will help you in the self-editing and revision phases of your fiction project.
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