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Define exposition7/6/2023 ![]() ![]() Others, particularly genre fiction, will need a lot more. Some stories, especially shorter ones, will need very little expository writing for the reader to understand what’s happening in front of them. Unfortunately, this won’t be the same every time-that would make our job too easy! The key is to include only as much background information as the reader needs to follow the plot. Too little, and your readers won’t know what’s going on. Using narrative exposition is a double-edged sword: too much, and your novel gets bogged down with extraneous information. How much exposition does your story need? It’s up to you to decide how much background information your reader needs to get oriented in your world and how much to withhold. In the above example, you might tell the reader that the woman has just been divorced at the start of your story, but you might choose not to reveal the reason for the divorce until closer to the end. However, exposition can happen at any time. This is because most of the time, you need to try and get this necessary background information to your reader early on in the first chapter so that they can follow along with the rest of the plot. In the classic story structure Freytag’s pyramid, exposition is listed as the very first stage of the plot. These background details helps the reader understand the character’s thoughts and choices later on. It’s something that isn’t actually happening in the plot, but that’s important for the reader to know. This can be about your characters, the setting, important plot points, or historically significant events that contribute to your story.įor example, if your protagonist is a recently divorced woman, telling or showing the reader what led to the divorce before your book began is exposition. ![]() What is exposition in writing?Įxposition is a literary device that communicates key background information to your reader. It’s no exaggeration to say that managing exposition is one of the most difficult skills in writing-even experienced novelists often need a pumped-up playlist and an extra-strong cup of tea when tackling this precarious, necessary evil of storytelling.īut what is exposition, exactly, and how can you find the perfect balance? Let’s explore how to convey exposition in the best possible way to take your writing to the next level. Exposition that’s used poorly, however, can drag down a brilliant idea and turn it into something unreadable. Exposition that’s artfully placed throughout the narrative with just the right balance of discovery and suspense can elevate an average novel or short story into a bestseller. Send us feedback about these examples.Exposition in writing can make or break a story. These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exposition.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Diana Budds, Curbed, As Tetris begins, Rogers' attempt to extract a loan from a skeptical banker is used as an extremely awkward framing device for a massive background exposition dump. 2023 At the exposition, the chair’s appearance captured attention from the press and store buyers. 2023 Flashback: From the seas to the stars, Shedd and Adler brought wonder to Chicago May 27, 1933: ‘Century of Progress’ World’s Fair began Connected by a land bridge to the city (later made a roadway), Northerly Island hosted the futuristic exposition. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 31 Mar. 2022 That requires a certain amount of potentially awkward opening exposition. ![]() 2022 His quivering fearfulness brings weight and tension to the film's proceedings, introducing tense information, delivering key exposition about the movie's futuristic antagonist, and exemplifying the worst-case scenario for assassins who break the rules. 2023 The crimes themselves are sketched in exposition for years, women in the colony had awakened dazed and bloodied in their beds. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 25 Jan. Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, The confrontation and confession scenes are clear and direct, but some of the underlying exposition doesn’t get the same attention. Recent Examples on the Web The writing can only be described as complete mumbo-jumbo - there’s so much explaining, truly reams of exposition, and yet not nearly enough. ![]()
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