Yet how many times have you seen this happen in books you've read? Or movies you've seen?
Why do writers do this? Is it because they're lazy? They just don't care? I think it's actually a problem that has to do with the mindset a writer is in when they write such a scene. I think for most situations, a writer either feels like the crucial information cannot be described in any way except between a couple experts. When this is not the case, the second most likely circumstance is that the writer simply does not realize this is a problem in any way.
Let me explain why I think this happens.
I think that when writers are at work, then can have very different perspectives on what their writing actually is. It all boils down to one thing - "I tell people stories." Depending on which word you put the emphasis on, it completely changes the meaning for you.
"I tell people stories"
If the emphasis is on 'I', then you might have a writer who is only in it for the fame and glory of being a well-known author. I don't imagine these authors ever make it too far because they are the kind that will just settle for mediocre craft and vanity publishers who won't help them get anywhere further ahead in their careers.
"I TELL people stories"
If the emphasis in on 'tell', then it's all about the process of describing what's happening. These people really focus on the craft, and the experience of telling. I imagine these people would probably really like to write literary fiction, and would focus a lot on the prose.
"I tell PEOPLE stories"
Then there are those who put the emphasis on people, these guys are thinking about their reader at all times when writing a book. This is often a really good thing, they're writing what they know their target audience will like to read, and for the most part that's exactly what you have to do, but I think that these people can easily fall into the trap of "my reader needs to know this". This can be devastating for your novel if you let it go too far.
When this thinking is let out of hand, you end up with problems like info-dumping in your first chapter and the "As we all know" schtick. When writers feel the need to explain everything right away to their readers, it shows that they have a lack of confidence in their reader's ability to think through a situation, or even have the patience to wait for an answer. They think they're simply trying to be nice to their readers, and keep them coming back for more, but in reality, it's insulting. I know when I read stuff written like that I always feel like I'm being babied, like they don't think I could handle not knowing something, or they have to spoon-feed me the information or else I'll never get it. Either that, or I'm just bored out of my skull.
"I tell people STORIES"
These guys are much like the 'tell' people, except they aren't quite as interested in the craft. They're more interested in the actual goings-on of the story itself. They don't really care how the story is told as long as it's being told. They also don't care much about the readers, or at least, what the readers want. The readers are going to get what they write, and they're just going to have to accept it and move on. These people do not pander to what the masses want. They are going to say what they think regardless of what anyone else says.
This is the group that can fall into the opposite problem of the 'people' emphasized group. They can often err on the side of too little information. They want to keep that suspense going for as long as they can because they want the story's great reveal to be as epic as possible, or they hold off a ton in the beginning because they want to make their novel a really great, steady increase in tension and pace.
This too can work well if used properly, but if it's used to the extreme, you'll lose a lot of people at the beginning when they get too confused and/or too bored with the slowness of the pace.
So what's a writer to do?
Well, if you want to know what I think (and I assume you do if you're still reading this post up to this point), I think you need to be able to balance all four aspects of that core sentence. "I tell people stories" To a certain extent, you have to see yourself as a respectable writer, with something important to say. Something that's good enough, or interesting enough, or important enough that as many people as possible should hear it.
You need to have a good grasp on what it means to tell stories effectively. If your craft is terrible, then your excellent story and drive may be lost to your readers. They may become confused, irritated, and impatient with you if you can't handle a pen properly.
You need to be able to tell a story that people can enjoy. In the end, if you want to get published, you have to think about how other people are going to read your book, and what they're going to take away from it. However, in keeping with the last word, you can't let your fear of what people will think take away from what your story is really all about.
It's okay if what you write doesn't appeal to everyone! In fact, it most certainly will not appeal to everyone! And you know what? That's okay. If your story needs to be told, then by all means tell it. But don't get caught up in the "that's what everybody wants" cycle. You may earn lots of money doing that, but I'll tell you one thing, you will not earn my loyalty or respect.
And that to me, is what makes a good writer... wait, what was this post about again?
How far down does the rabbit hole go?
As we all know, Alice in Wonderland references are very cliche, and you should really avoid using them.
WHICH BRINGS ME BACK TO MY ORIGINAL POINT.
There are better ways to get valuable information to your readers. Don't resort to just flat out telling them in boring or nonsensical ways. You may think they need it, but chances are, they're smarter than that. Don't underestimate the power of your reader's mind. They know much more than you may think.
What writing cliches bother you? What kinds of things just make you cringe when reading a book or watching a movie?
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