Info dump

[Sleds]

My story is a cultivation type story and I'm currently writing some chapters that happen in a class where the professor talk about a realm of the cultivation and it's specificities when breakthrough into it. I write it with some exchange between the professor and the students but I don't know if that not going to be too much and enter the "info dump chapter". What do you think about it? What do you consider as too much and be info dump?

It's kind of needed storywise to explain how it work and since it's in a class, it may be a good idea to drop it there (or at least I thought).

 

[melchi]

Dialogue info dump is easier to stomach than exposition but it shouldn't be too big of a chunk of the chapter.

 

[HelloHound]

make them really passionate about a specific part of the info dump and don't be afraid of breaking it up, brevity is the soul of wit

 

[Cipiteca396]

Create a mini-plot arc based on the info being dumped.

Have some kind of test, contest, or practical exam that adds some stakes to the class. It doesn't need to be life threatening. Embarrass the MC because he doesn't know something, or have him embarrass someone else and create a rival. Make the exam surprisingly life threatening, because the MC didn't pay enough attention and messed up badly.

Make the teacher an asshole who only tells them things after they've been humiliated.

Alternatively, just have a paragraph saying, 'We talked about all this stuff, and it was boring.' Then, have a flashback/memory whenever the info becomes relevant. You don't always need to know everything the MC knows.

There's lots of ways to go with this.

 

[Generic.Archdemon]

What else is happening in the scene?
Is it just talking heads?
How are the character listening to the info interacting with the info? Are yhe bored? Confused? Fascinated? Are there showing off, belittling, are the stuggles? Distractions?

Adding human "character" to the process of dumping, can be good? Or not.

Maybe...

 

[Kalliel]

If the infodumping lasts for a few chapters straight, then don't.
No matter how good the character interactions or whatnots you add in, I wouldn't like it. Unless the info is really, really interesting.
Do it by flashbacks instead.

 

[Sleds]

If the infodumping lasts for a few chapters straight, then don't.
No matter how good the character interactions or whatnots you add in, I wouldn't like it. Unless the info is really, really interesting.
Do it by flashbacks instead.

It's two chapters who made like 3k words together, there other discussion than just the info dumb but they took at least half that number.

 

[Kalliel]

It's two chapters who made like 3k words together, there other discussion than just the info dumb but they took at least half that number.

3k word is fine, I think. I thought it was like 5 6k.

 

[Sleds]

I thought it was like 5 6k.

No, I don't hate my readers that much

 

[K5Rakitan]

If you even have to ask yourself that question, it's too much.

 

[Theirl]

lol im reading a novel im friend with the hero. man that novel has so much info dump that the translator started to put a link to the end of the info dump, in hindsight now i know how roman aqueducts works and how to filtrate the sand so the aqueduct wont clog. in my opnion the info dumb must be delivered with the right context. dont take a info dump to scratch out your hole world building in one go

 

[Sleds]

If you even have to ask yourself that question, it's too much.

It may be right actually.