by Vonda Skelton @VondaSkelton
Readers
are smart. They’re smart because they read. And if there’s one thing smart
readers hate, it’s when writers treat them like they’re dumb.
One
way writers dumb down their readers is by info-dumping.
Check out these examples:
“When are things going to get back to the way they were
before? Can you believe it’s been ten years since daddy left us?”
Marsha turned
from her sister and wiped a tear. “We had to move into public housing and go on
food stamps. Then our brother died and Daddy never 
even knew. And then you had to ago
into rehab. It’s all his fault.”
even knew. And then you had to ago
into rehab. It’s all his fault.”
Let’s
be honest here, would we ever have a conversation like that with our siblings?
I doubt it. After all, it’s simply a retelling of facts we would both already
know. It’s dumping info on to the page for the perceived benefit of the reader.
But our readers won’t appreciate the so-called benefit. They can see through
our ruse. They know that we’re taking the easy way out.
