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Q&A When writing down a huge amounts of detail is inevitable

The best way I have seen to infodump is through conflict, preferably between people that (at least for the moment) don't like each other, or are trying to top each other. Here is my analysis. T...

posted 6y ago by Amadeus‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-19T22:13:13Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/31535
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T07:22:27Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/31535
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T07:22:27Z (over 4 years ago)
The best way I have seen to infodump is through conflict, preferably between people that (at least for the moment) don't like each other, or are trying to top each other. Here is my analysis.

> Those Warbots are the result of some megalomaniac idiot's attempt at creating walkers.

This is unnecessary, where they came from or who built them doesn't make any difference to the plot or how to deal with them.

What follows is my take on what could work, for this snippet. The number of words doesn't matter. It could even be more than your infodump, in fact infodumps done _correctly_ usually use many more words. Part of your problem is trying to impart **too much** information in **too little space**. Spread it out!

Here is an example of what I mean. A little conflict helps drive the dialogue.

> "These Warbots were an early shot at walkers, but most people don't know that their armor is actually pretty thin. So here's my idea ..." Mike said, but Joe interrupted him.
> 
> "That makes no sense," Joe said, irritated. "Look at the armament on it, you think the armor is paper?"
> 
> "No, I know the armor is paper," Mike said. "The nuke powering these things is from two hundred years ago. All that armament is heavy, so it can't carry much armor, and it is slow as hell. Now class is over, you want to hear my idea?"
> 
> "Sure, you go ahead _professor_," Joe said.
> 
> "I will. This is the most modern DEW in the universe. It can penetrate that armor and wipe the electronics, those things will come to a standstill. All you have to do is get me within a thousand yards ..."
> 
> Joe interrupted him again. "Yeah yeah, teach, now this is my class. The directed energy from that weapon is hard X rays, which I am sure you know, but you obviously _don't_ know it isn't fully shielded. Pull that trigger and you're a dead fool, and so is anybody near you. Except me. All you Mods got some good genes in the lab, but I'm the only radiation resistant Mod in this crew. So here's the plan that doesn't kill you: _you_ get _me_ within a thousand yards, then kick back and have a drink while I do all the work."

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2017-11-19T23:31:38Z (over 6 years ago)
Original score: 22