Progress Report: Mid-day update

[jeriendhal]

I'm writing an "As you know, Bob" scene, and I can't figure out how not to make it an AYKB scene. Those who know what I'm talking about, please feel my pain. The rest of you may count yourselves lucky.

Comments

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

I think I know what you're talking about. But sometimes those are necessary too...

[lennan.livejournal.com]

Yup, feeling your pain here. Oh the awkwardness. =/

[badasher.livejournal.com]

Running into that same sort of bug right now myself -- worse yet its a time transition scene bumping things ahead so I can actually get to the damned plot in "Green Eyed". LoL!

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

As you know Bob, I know what you are feeling as I'm a writer too.

[jvowles.livejournal.com]

In a novel, you don't NEED to use dialog to show that information.

Variations I've found less cumbersome:
1. Show from Bob's perspective. "Bob dug into his mental filebox and reviewed what he knew about the conflict on Delta Five. The old colonial outpost was habitable, but barely, and unless the hydroponics had really been more productive than forecast, they'd be largely dependent on supply ships. A particularly desperate winter had forced them to trade with the locals, and a deal had gone south -- primarily due to the colonials sending an idiot to the negotiating table -- after which the outpost decided to simply take what they needed...and then what they wanted. It went predictably after that point..."

2. Make sure it's triggered by something that really causes introspection and mental review.

3. Omit it unless you REALLY need it -- otherwise you can trim at least 50% of the exposition you think you need. Pull it out entirely, then add in only what's needed. "Hey Bob -- just a note on those plans I sent over -- there's a misprint in that version of the manual. The range of the X22 Cargo Loader, fully loaded, should be 105 orms, not 150 orms." "So that means a delivery what, every 10 days?" "Yeah, at worst -- you might get away with an 8-day schedule."

4. Military briefings, however, are EXACTLY like that in real life. "Here's what you need to know about your mission. The old colonial outpost is primarily supplied by cargo ships every 9 days, give or take. They have limited hydroponics, and they're in conflict with the local tribes because the idiots decided to simply TAKE resources when they missed a cargo ship last year. Details are in your briefing packets."

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Actually it's kinda of a #4 situation. It is briefing, if informal, mostly revolving around Paul going "You're not seriously going after that?" The problem is I have to get some critical information about ship AI's in first, before I have him learn how this particular ship's AI is speschul.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Do you think if I threw in 100+ pages of sex scenes it'll make up for the two pages of exposistion? No, wait, no one's hair is long enough to make that work...

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

You could always do what Newcomb did and just go ahead with the thirty pages of As You Know Bobbing.

Though, I've found discussion is sometimes good for AYKBing.

[angryricecooker.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this will help your particular situation, but I gleaned one piece of wisdom about this issue from the commentary track on the film Wargames. The screenwriter talks about how it's much easier to write a convincing scene of exposition if you get everyone mad at each other. The time people honestly do say things that everyone in the conversation already knows is when they are arguing. So it becomes Bob! You know as well as I do that...!

[hopeevey.livejournal.com]

**feels your pain**

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

Sympathy. No real solutions (at least not one-size-fits-all solutions), but lots of sympathy anyway.

[chaypeta.livejournal.com]

AYKB?

Ah......infodump.

I groan in sympathy.