tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311232824809632076.post4833221807276312666..comments2014-12-04T14:34:09.007-08:00Comments on Uneducated Opinions on Things: Writing IcebergsEllipsis Floodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03097098062834873232noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311232824809632076.post-60657433071995693142014-04-15T14:19:50.642-07:002014-04-15T14:19:50.642-07:00"This does assume that most of the backstory ..."This does assume that most of the backstory is relevant, because if the author somehow made a detailed life-path for their character and wallows in it for no reason then I don't think you can help them with advice like this anyway. Because wtf."<br /><br />People just fear letting their things go waste. So they think if they put all the backstory/worldbuilding somewhere in the plot, it'll be used, at least.Ellipsis Floodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03097098062834873232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2311232824809632076.post-31874929680525685512014-04-15T14:09:16.956-07:002014-04-15T14:09:16.956-07:00I think it's an issue of pacing, for the most ...I think it's an issue of pacing, for the most part. To go with your metaphor, it's not that the audience shouldn't see most of the iceberg, but that different parts should be visible at different times. The iceberg rolls, basically. :D<br /><br />This does assume that most of the backstory is relevant, because if the author somehow made a detailed life-path for their character and wallows in it for no reason then I don't think you can help them with advice like this anyway. Because wtf.<br /><br />It's not that exposition is always bad, but it's important to know when you need to reveal what. If you front-load everything, not only do you bore your audience to death, you also cull your own tools for later on. If you still have some stuff to reveal that isn't relevant until later, you can use a transition scene like you described earlier to reveal some more backstory or setting or whatever, instead of just filling it with inconsequential nonsense.<br /><br />The whole "The audience is stupid" thing is also a factor. Although it is probably more often a problem of insecure authors than arrogant ones. You write this huge story and then you get thinking. What if the audience doesn't get it? Shouldn't I better explain it in as much detail as possible?<br />It doesn't really matter. Chances are, if your reader actually has the patience to read your book their attention span is probably is long enough to remember important details. And they even might be clever enough to add 1 and 1 together.<br /><br />And even when not it's not that big of a deal. I often mix up appearances (and sometimes even gender x_X) of characters in my head, but it's not that big of a deal. Eventually, even I catch on. :PAsgarZigelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01314005977943951700noreply@blogger.com