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Developing a Plot into a Worthwhile Read: Part One -- Exposition

© Kelli Brooke Haywood

Exposition, Rising Action, Conflict, Falling Action, Resolution

The preceding plot triangle is one that has been pounded into my brain since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. My teachers told me that every good piece of fiction is written following this triangle. Every story begins with exposition (background info), continues with rising action (action that builds up the conflict), then comes the conflict followed by the falling action (action leading up to a resolution), and ends with a resolution. Now, we all know that fiction doesn't always prescribe itself to this order, but I am sure that every piece of fiction should contain most of these elements. That is, unless you are one of these people who like to end your fiction without a resolution. If you can make it work, go for it. Things in life aren't always resolved. The next series of articles on this page will be dealing with the elements of this plot triangle. This article will concern exposition.

In order for a reader to care about a character, they must know a little bit about them and their situation. For example, Ocie is a woman who was miraculously healed from breast cancer. If that is all you know about her, you may think that it is a wonderful thing that she was healed, but you would not be invested emotionally in her story. When a writer adds exposition, a reader begins to get emotionally involved in a characters story. What if I told you that Ocie had a five year old daughter and a twenty-two year old son? What if I told you that eventhough she was rich, no amount of medical attention would cure her of the cancer? Then, what if I told you that she travelled around the United States searching for religious healing and found out she was cured shortly after receiving it? I am sure you would be more interested in her story knowing these things.

The purpose of exposition is to simply inform the reader of someone's background. Most of the time, a writer refers only to information that is needed to understand the conflict in the piece. This is by far the safest way to make sure what you are writing really fits the story or the development of a character. However, more information can be added if the writer feels that it will trully enhance the story.

There are many different ways a writer can fit bits of exposition into a piece. You can add exposition into a conversation between two characters. This seems to be the most effective way for me. It doesn't seem didactic and it isn't boring. Also, the narrator of the piece can provide the information to the reader. Another way, is the characters can have musings or daydreams. This is the hardest way to write effective (non-boring) exposition. There is one thing that every writer should make a rule when writing exposition into a piece -- never clump it all together. This is a sure way to lose the readers attention. We all know that too much information in a few pages or paragraphs stifles a story.