So, I'm trying rather hard to write a fantasy, but for the plot to make any kind of sense the reader will likely need to know quite a bit about the world, history of the land, bloodlines, et cetera. I would like to avoid just having a giant exposition dump in the prologue or something (it kills interest and pacing), but I'm not really sure what else I can do. Any ideas?
Reveal what the reader needs to know within the context and action of the story. Allow them to 'learn' as the story proceeds. They can learn the 'players' in the conflict, the history and motivations as it unfolds. It will make better sense to the reader if it is anchored to characters and situations they know through the story, as opposed to a ''history lesson/info dump" Really, how much is absolutely necessary? And trust the reader to be smart and able to put things together, to connect the dots. Plus, piecing together why things are happening is part of the interest in reading a story.
Carefully consider exactly what is necessary to your reader understanding the plot. How far back in the family history does a person really need to know in order to understand a character's motivation? Love him or hate him, George R.R. Martin has created a pretty diverse and complex setting in his popular series A Song of Ice and Fire while managing to not give us a detailed genealogy report of every noble family of Westeros. Take the Lannisters, for example. To my knowledge, the most detailed concerning their family history he has divulged is a passing mention as to the father of the current patriarch of the family and from what he explained he appears to have been a less-than-ambitious man when compared to his son who is obsessed with the idea of his family's legacy. When reading about a character, as much as I am interested in their past and how they got to where they're at, I am even more interested in where they are going and how they are going to get there. As for the history of the world affecting your plot as well as cultural references and the like, I find that mere introducing these things into a story within the proper context gives me a lot of the information that I need. I just recently started Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series where they appear to use some sort of communion with elemental creatures in order to replicate certain technologies that we have here in the real world such as running water from a faucet. Now when he introduced the running faucet early in the first book (it may have actually been the first chapter), it naturally left me wondering, "What other real-world technologies can their relationship with these strange creatures replicate?" The most exciting way for me to answer that question was to continue reading and that is exactly what you want your reader to do. Butcher didn't take the time to detail every single technological potential that communion with these elemental creatures offers. Could communion with some sort of lightning elemental allow them to power a vehicle that you and I might recognize as an automobile? Well, no, and I learned this when characters started having travel issues and they didn't just hop into their lightning-powered wagon. I guess my point is that I think you only need to present this information as it becomes necessary and rather than just telling the reader through narrative, I think it would be best to show them through context. Hope I was of some help.
What a lot of writers do is exposition through an inexperienced character. It's not the perfect method, but it is a step above straight info dumping. "Alright, get the new guy out here. What's his name, Chad?" General Slaughter's voice had that natural cadence that came with spending a lifetime in the military. "Yes sir, Chad reporting for duty!" General Slaughter liked the look in this new recruits eye, he was motivated and ready to go, "Alright Chad, so what we're going to have you do is jump off this cliff here and into-" "On it sir!" The recruit lunged off the cliff face without a seconds hesitation. "Did... did he just jump without activating his anti-grav boots?" Maybe the recruit had been too ready to go... "I believe so sir." General Slaughter's A.I. responded in his ear, which was convienent for the general, but walking around shouting to an invisible voice wasn't helping with the 'crazy' and 'bloodthirsty' rumors. "His night vision goggles?" "Don't even think he'd been issued a pair yet." "What about a GPS tracking device?" "I've got a location. It's pretty deep. Not detecting any movement." "Alright, well go fish that body out, strap the boots on a new recruit, and lets try this one more time." So what I gave away in this story so far some of the equipment these guys use, which tells the reader about the characters and the world they're in. And yeah, I got lazy on the dialogue tags, but that's not what this is about
That makes sense (what all of you have said). I will take these suggestions into deep and contemplative consideration. Thanks!
Another good way to do it is to make up 'stories' that exist in your fantasy world, like the fairy tales, myths and legends we have in our reality that do this. Instead of telling the lore through exposition, you tell it through the tales your characters naturally tell each other. If you look at role playing games, specifically early Dragonlance modules, they used the campfire as a place for new players to tell each other the lore of the settings in the form of songs, poems, campfire tales, bed time stories etc. So you get the history of the world and the structure of the society told to you in a lot of different and interesting formats. They do things like this in fantasy novels too, but for some reason I can't think of any and can only think of Dragonlance as an example right now. Which I guess is technically a fantasy book series too.
One of the best things you might do is to pick up a novel that you've enjoyed reading, and that is similar to what you hope to accomplish, and see how that author did it. The only caveat I might have is that if it's a very famous author, you look at novels earlier in his or her career, because sometimes the author is 'allowed' some 'lazy' writing because the fans/established readership (and editors) know what to expect and what is on the way, and will put up with what they might not from a first time or beginning author. Take notes on the novel, identifying when and how the author inserted important or vital information into the plot. Actions, dialogue, commentary or observation. A brief example: An artist could be carving a new statue in the town square, commemorating an event caused by a previous ruler. The protagonist could see this and think to himself, what a load of rubbish, and how half the citizenry is brainwashed. It's what got my father and uncle killed...and and the protagonist stomps away. You don't have to say more at that instant, but it plants the seed that can be expanded upon within the plot, and it is also an instant of character development. You don't need to give the full history lesson right then and there.
If you're a flashback kind of guy, those can take place of infodumps much of the time, so the action doesn't stop.
Don't discount the value of this. I'm convinced that readers don't need very much backstory/worldbuilding/what-have-you at all, especially at the beginning. Really consider that first question--it's good for you to know as much as you can about the world, but really truly consider what is important for the reader and what would be better served through implication and mystery.
I second the notion of reading books you like in the same general genre, and see how these authors accomplish their worldbuilding for the benefit of the reader. And be honest. If some of them do introduce their tale with a huge wad of backhistory, do you actually read it first? And does it intrigue you? If the answer is yes, then figure how how they've accomplished this. What level of language do they use? How complicated and remote is the history they're telling you? Or ...if you don't read the history first—or at all—there's your answer as well! Always try to keep in mind what YOU like to read. If you're writing something you'd love to read yourself (as opposed to watching it on TV or in a movie) then you're probably on the right track.
George RR Martin does a very good job of introducing history sans info dumps. Read it and learn. Also, know that the reader doesn't need as much background to read the story as you did to write it.
========== You should tell what is needed as it is needed not do a dump. If you must, then add an appendix with the information as a reminder for people who read the book in several sittings. Rarely have I seen that, but I have seen some with maps for reference of some made up locale, but again not often.
