Exposition refers to the process in which the writer introduces the reader to the key points of their story, namely contextual information for the setting. It is a highly important skill that you want to understand well in order to better accomplish it. Without strong exposition, your readers will likely struggle to connect with the story because they haven't been properly caught up with the world in which it takes place. Exposition can include things like character backstories, how the magic system works, how the villain attained power, the world's history, etc.

When to Start Introducing Details?

This should be done according to level of relevance, as the entire goal is to catch the reader up to speed on the information they need to be able to follow the storyline. If knowing how the magic system works is not relevant until much later on, you can wait to introduce the mechanics of the magic when it is more relevant. Only spend time covering the most vital background information that the reader currently needs to understand what is going on. If the opening of your book involves the destruction and suffering of a people who are under the rule of the villain, you should probably hint at how that villain gained the position they are in. If your first few chapters revolve heavily on the main character challenging themselves to do something new, it may be important to introduce some of their backstory so the reader understands why the steps they are taking are so important for them.

Additionally, you want to make sure to pace your exposition. Don't throw the entire history of your fictional world into one giant paragraph. Especially when it comes to details about the world, you want to allow your POV character to experience the setting bit by bit so that the reader can follow along through their shoes without being overwhelmed. Drop contextual details as the character comes upon it naturally, whether that be through actions, dialogue between characters, stargazing (inner thoughts), or observation/description. For example, if you want the reader to know that the races in your world follow different traditions, your POV character should either bring that up naturally in conversation or interacts with those other races and notes what they do differently through their perspective. This all helps things feel like a natural and smooth reading experience rather than the author spoon feeding their audience in a stilted way.

What are Some Specific Methods for Exposition?

SHOW, DON'T TELL: you've heard it before, and that's because it's mostly good advice. While it's okay to sometimes tell rather than show, most of the time demonstration is more impactful than simply stating something as fact. Showing a character sprinting for shelter from raining fireballs is more exciting and engaging than the character just stating "fireballs rain down on our village once a month." However, if you don't want to write a big action scene yet, you can still opt for more of the demonstration side by showing the characters discuss where they will take shelter when the next "fire storm" comes. This can build tension and intrigue while the reader pieces together what the fire storm could look like, how dangerous it is, and how soon it is coming.

BREADCRUMBS: as I just touched on, dropping hints about your world rather than revealing it all at once can add intrigue and suspense to your story. Consider which would be a more interesting reading experience: a character walks through the ruins of a castle, noting blood spatter on the walls, scorch marks on the floor, fully crumbled sections of the building, and a fallen bloodied sword, which upon closer inspection has a dragon scale stuck to the blade... OR the narrator states right off the bat that the castle was attacked by a dragon some weeks ago. Neither way is right or wrong, but they do create very different experiences, so be mindful of that as you write! Dropping hints that build to a reveal of some sort will almost always be the stronger way to build mystery and tension if that is your aim.

PROLOGUE: though it's not as common today, the prologue was a very popular tool used for exposition, especially in fantasy novels. Prologues are intended to set the mood for the story and often hint at the main conflict of the plot. They should not be funny or lighthearted if the majority of the story is dark and intense, or vice versa. If the prologue is long or focused on the main character of the series, it is probably better suited to be the first chapter. Prologues should accomplish some form of exposition, be short in length, and be attention-grabbing, in which case they can be a great way to start off your. But if it is missing these key elemental, you probably want to consider forgoing the prologue and simply getting to the first chapter instead, since prologues are not as well-liked as they once were.

CONVENIENT HAPPENINGS: this is something you should try to avoid unless you cannot deliver the information any other way. Convenient happenings refer to when something important appears for the character at a convenient time, like stumbling upon an ancient manuscript out of nowhere at just the right time to explain some important part of the world's history. This risks pulling the reader out of the story because they can sense the author's hand. Anything you can do as the author to make instances like this feel more natural will help, like building it up beforehand so it's not so sudden or random.

STRANGER TO THE WORLD: a classic method by fantasy authors to introduce their world is to make the main character someone who is unfamiliar with the fictional realm that the story takes place in. This makes the author's job easier because the reader can easily keep up with the character since they both have to learn about the world together. It is more difficult to introduce the setting through a character who already knows the setting and finds everything normal. If you are new to the fantasy genre and you feel overwhelmed, opting for a character like this might be helpful!

What are the Don'ts of Exposition?

- DON'T drop a huge info dump on your reader. If you must explain something detailed and important and it requires a lot of words, at least try to break up the information with different beats. For example, if a mentor is explaining magic to their tutor, break up the dialogue here and there with character mannerisms and actions that show how they are feeling/what they are feeling. Or better yet, add action by having the tutor demonstrate the magic he is teaching.

- DON'T have the POV character state things they would never say on their own. "Everyone calls me Daela, and I'm a shapeshifter," just feels off to read. Instead, have someone address her to introduce her name, then show her shifting into a cat.

- DON'T reveal everything at once. I stress this again because it is so important to maintaining the reader's interest in your book: pace your exposition! Let your reader enjoy learning about the characters and setting rather than shoving everything at them all at once time and expecting them to keep up. You don't have to be SLOW, but just break up the information so that it's not a huge wall of text with no action filtered between.

I hope this chapter is helpful in introducing the main goals of exposition! Please let me know if you have any questions.