3. Is That The Best Way To Handle Exposition?
There's one moment in
Man Of Steel where Lois Lane, talking to her editor, Perry White, tells him: "I'm a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist." Obviously Goyer included that unsubtle slice of exposition because it's the easiest way to let us know that Lois is a renowned journalist, but c'mon - why would she need to clarify that information to the one person who - aside from her - knows that better than anyone else? He's her
editor! Already, I can glimpse several ways in which such a blatant piece of exposition could have been better-handled. How about White, angry with Lois as he is in this scene, says something akin to: "I'm not prepared to publish an article about an alien lifeform from a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist!" If you'll excuse the crudity of that line, the delivery is far more justifying from an exposition perspective. The editor is, after all, the one who is refusing to publish Lois's article about Superman - and why? Because he doesn't want to ruin the integrity of his newspaper or - more likely - his best journalist. It makes sense that he would therefore explain his reasoning. My point here is simple: if you're writing exposition, try it from as many different angles as possible until it feels the most natural. Give it other characters and see how it sounds when they say it. When you do this, you're forced to adapt a line into the voice and manner of the character you've giving it to - you never know, you might find a far more interesting way to deploy your exposition because of who's saying it. At the very least, it will give you a fresh perspective on the scene, and will help you to hone your exposition-writing skills.