Definition
An info dump is when a writer unloads a chunk of background information - history, lore, character backstory, technical details, world mechanics - into the narrative in one big block rather than weaving it in gradually. It typically halts the story's forward momentum because the reader is suddenly asked to absorb a textbook entry instead of experiencing a scene. It's the fictional equivalent of someone pausing a movie to read you the Wikipedia article about what you're watching.
Why It Matters
Every story requires information delivery. Your reader needs to understand the world, the characters' histories, and the rules of the game. The question isn't whether to convey that information but how. Info dumps are the brute-force approach, and they almost always sacrifice pacing and reader engagement for the sake of convenience. Learning to deliver exposition without dumping it is one of the core skills that separates polished fiction from rough drafts.
Types of Info Dump
Famous Examples
Tolkien's lengthy passages about Hobbit genealogy, pipe-weed, and Middle-earth history are technically info dumps, but his prose style and the depth of the world make many readers love them anyway. Your mileage may vary.
Crichton disguises info dumps as dialogue - scientists explaining genetics and chaos theory to each other and to the audience. The technique works because the information is genuinely interesting and tied to immediate stakes.
Rothfuss uses the frame narrative structure to turn the entire novel into a controlled info dump - Kvothe telling his own story - which gives the exposition a natural delivery mechanism.
Common Mistakes
Readers will tolerate uncertainty. Drop them into a scene with a character they care about and reveal the world gradually, on a need-to-know basis. Trust that curiosity will keep them reading.
Explain things when they become relevant to the current scene, not before. If the reader needs to understand the magic system to follow the climax, seed pieces of it throughout rather than lecturing upfront.
Having a character deliver a monologue of exposition is still a dump - it's just wearing a costume. Real dialogue is an exchange, not a TED talk.
The goal isn't zero exposition - it's integrated exposition. Weave information into action, dialogue, and sensory details so readers absorb it without feeling lectured at.
Try It Yourself
Find a passage in your current project where you explain something to the reader for more than two paragraphs. Rewrite it as a scene: put two characters in conflict, give them a reason to need this information right now, and reveal only what's essential to the immediate moment. Cut the rest. Compare word count and energy level between the two versions.
Spot the places where your story stops moving
Novelium's Pacing Analysis highlights sections where narrative momentum drops - including exposition-heavy passages that might be info dumps in disguise. See where your story breathes and where it stalls, so you can rewrite with purpose.