Bro, the Info-Dump Dialogue
“What about it?” Fiction continues washing the dishes.
“It sucks,” I say. “Sucks to high heaven.” I flip a few pages of the book. “See this?” I point at the page. “That’s all dialogue.”
Fiction glances at the book and makes a small affirmative noise. Then he continues washing dishes.
I gesture helplessly. “All this is just this one character going on and on and on about how the world works. If I wanted to hear someone drone about mechanics I’d actually listen to my biology lectures.”
“Mhm.” Fiction is unimpressed.
“I mean, it’s just pure, unsubtle info dumping! It’s like five pages of just explaining the world--are you listening.”
Fiction turns off the water. “What was that?” he asks.
“Info dumping! And the super-awkward dialogue tags too I just--” I shudder. “It’s as if the author thinks I’m too dumb to figure this stuff out. Bro, I can figure out that these worlds are connected thank-you-very-effing-much.” I flick the pages in disbelief. Then I stop. “I love Norse mythology, so I should enjoy this,” I say, no longer talking to Fiction, who is of course a fictional character. “But it just goes on, and on, and on. I’m here for the protagonist’s problem, not for the explanation of that problem.”
I’m here for the problem, not the explanation of the problem.
I drop the book and run to my writing desk. I find the printed copy of WIP 3 and flick through it until I find the scene that has been giving me trouble.
“I’m here for the problem, not the explanation of the problem,” I repeat to myself as I draw a giant X over the scene. “I’m here for the problem, not the explanation of the problem.”
