Whether you’re building a new world, introducing a complex backstory, or creating high-stakes conflict, the temptation to explain everything right away is real. But dumping too much information too quickly can kill your story’s momentum, overwhelm your reader, and break immersion. Today’s Tony Tips Tuesdays™ is all about avoiding info dumps—and instead, mastering the art of showing, sprinkling, and layering information throughout your story.

Great storytelling is like great music—it’s all about rhythm, balance, and harmony. In fiction, the balance between dialogue and action is one of the most critical aspects of your pacing, character development, and reader engagement. Too much dialogue, and the story can feel like a script with talking heads. Too much action, and readers may struggle to emotionally connect or understand motivation. So how do you strike that perfect balance? Let’s break it down.