How big of a dump should I take?

[HellerFeed]

I wanted to ask how much(word count) info dump is considered okay.
There are actions and dialogues added in between to not get bored.

• But how much info dump can we have with breaks and without breaks?
• How much info dump should there be in one chapter?
• Are there any limits?

Also some tips to info dump?
(I am trying to write an info dump regarding the introduction of the Royal Academy)

 

[Lloyd]

You can actually info dump as much as you want, but people will make fun of you for it

 

[HellerFeed]

You can actually info dump as much as you want, but people will make fun of you for it

So how much info dump could I do, before they start making fun of me?

 

[J_Chemist]

I recommend not info dumping unless it's something like an introduction to a new area, or if you're explaining an important mechanic. I honestly info-dumped quite a bit in the beginning of my story when I was introducing my magic system during my MC's learning phase. But I've progressively moved away from it as the story goes with the expectation that my readers understand the core details. Kind of like when you split a bell curve in half- you start high and then slowly taper off.

Whenever he goes to a new place or encounters something fresh, I've learned to make the details more spaced out through the chapter. Think of how you view a landscape as you walk through it in a game. You get that initial smack of "this is where I am", and then you progressively learn and see more as you go. Write in the same fashion and it'll feel less cluttered/in your face.

As for actual hard limits, rules, or otherwise, there's nothing saying you can't just dump everything all at once. Writing doesn't have rules like that, this isn't programming. Do what you think is best for your story, your writing style, and develop your own "author's voice". The readers who pick up your book and continue to read it regardless of what you choose are ones who don't care and are into that shit.

You want the readers that are into that shit. They are the ones you care about. If someone doesn't like what you choose to do, that's a them problem.

 

[HellerFeed]

I recommend not info dumping unless it's something like an introduction to a new area

Well technically yes, I am trying to introduce to the new royal mage academy.
Just trying to you know tell the uniqueness of the royal academy and why its so influential + The varied description as where the academy is situated.

Just this two alone information went about 600+ words.
I wanted to tell more information about the student life, teachers, etc (But would skip for later chapters)

 

[Succubiome]

What I'd say offhand is: Never have info dumping be the only dynamic happening, and prioritize the information that characters would care about over giving full and complete knowledge of the setting.

If you give us information about a magic beast as the characters are hunted by it, it's no longer infodumping if you keep it to quick little bits of information they'd be focusing on. As long as a character if of some importance to the plot, if they rant about why they were thrown out of the academy and references the rules they broke to get thrown out that are totally unfair, then you're showing us the character at the same time as the rules.

If someone's teaching something to someone else, formally or informally, you can get a bit more explicit with the info dumping-- but it's a good place to build up the student/teacher relationship (not necessarily in a lewd or romantic way, though those can work too), and both the student and the teacher's knowledge and relationship to the subject.

 

[LilRora]

I recommend not to quantify it but go by feeling; when you read a chapter with an info dump, there comes a point when the length and changing topics of the info dump make the two parts of the chapter feel disconnected. I can't really give you detailed examples here, but the point is, make info dumps frequent and short enough that they don't disrupt the flow (too much).

You can write a short scene how they're approaching the academy, write two or three paragraphs about its location that are relevant to the scene (for example that the academy lies in a large city in a plains, hence the road is long and boring), then move on to the end of that scene - NOT the next scene, cause it'll be splitting it up randomly without reason. The scene ends, you move to the next scene, for example entrance to the academy, and then you can describe the building.

Not sure if my example makes sense, but my point is, some dialogue and actions isn't enough to make the info dump more interesting. There has to be a reason why you're telling something, or else you'll end up with "Her name is Maria, and she has never killed anyone." Why would anyone need to know that?

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Dumps go in the toilet. If you need to take a dump, do that in a separate document. If necessary, print it on toilet paper and use said toilet paper.

 

[CrimsonGenius]

Is it bad I thought about number 2?

 

[ACertainPassingUser]

Just dump as your body deem necessary. Listen to your body not the voice of people you don't care.