As You Know Bob

wrongway · Feb 6, 2009

I'm new to Absolute Write.

In my readings, I've noticed the phrase As You Know Bob in several threads. I asked about this phrase on the newbie board, thinking there may be an existing thread that everybody but me already knew about. Birol suggested I start a new thread about it, so here I am.

I have a vague knowledge of the phrase. This is it: As You Know Bob is two characters talking about something both of them already know in order to enlighten the reader. I'd like to know more about identifying AYKB so I won't do it. I'd probably benefit most from examples showing me what the writer did wrong and what classifies the selection as AYKB. But I'd appreciate any old information, really.

Thank you in advance for the information.

TheIT · Feb 6, 2009

For your amusement and edification: The Turky City Lexicon, as referenced in the "Learn Writing With Uncle Jim" thread in the Writing Novels forum:

http://www.critters.org/turkeycity.html

Enjoy!

scarletpeaches · Feb 6, 2009

As a bad example:

"As you know Bob, when we first met you were fifteen and I was twelve."

The above is called (for short) 'Bobbery'.

It occurs when one character incorporates into their speech something the other person would already know, for the sole purpose of 'info-dumping' that information to the reader.

This in turn pulls the reader out of the story because they become ultra-aware of their own presence, rather than losing themselves in the book.

blacbird · Feb 6, 2009

scarletpeaches said:
This in turn pulls the reader out of the story because they become ultra-aware of their own presence, rather than losing themselves in the book.

Actually, what it causes is the book to be lost as it is flung across the room.

caw

scarletpeaches · Feb 6, 2009

Yes. But you'd have to pull yourself out of the story first or you'd end up wallbanging yourself, too, no?

FennelGiraffe · Feb 6, 2009

wrongway said:
I have a vague knowledge of the phrase. This is it: As You Know Bob is two characters talking about something both of them already know in order to enlighten the reader. I'd like to know more about identifying AYKB so I won't do it. I'd probably benefit most from examples showing me what the writer did wrong and what classifies the selection as AYKB. But I'd appreciate any old information, really.

Put yourself inside the character's head and ask why they're saying what they're saying. If the character has a good reason, it's probably OK.

If all the character can do is shrug and point at the author, "He made me do it," there's a good chance it's an AYKB.

blacbird · Feb 6, 2009

scarletpeaches said:
Yes. But you'd have to pull yourself out of the story first or you'd end up wallbanging yourself, too, no?

Happens, sometimes.

caw

Mr Flibble · Feb 6, 2009

Examples?

'How is your injured leg, that you hurt in a tennis game last week?' ( He would know how he hurt it, surely?)

Is your husband, Alan, still in sales?' ( She should know her hubby's name!)

AYKB is, at it's most basic, unrealistic dialogue. If you read your dialogue aloud, you may find it helps you identify the more subtle bobberys ( nice word SP), and it should help with your ear for speech too.

Judg · Feb 6, 2009

However, there are annoying people in real life who will go on and on about things you already know. And we get annoyed with them. And shut them down.

So at one point in my story, I had one fellow start up on this. He managed to get a couple of key details in before he got shut down. ;o) But I did try to make it realistic.

ccarver30 · Feb 6, 2009

blacbird said:
Actually, what it causes is the book to be lost as it is flung across the room.

caw

Then you could post in the thread for this...

Grrarrgh · Feb 6, 2009

Mr. Grr calls this the Lactose Intolerant Statement, after the scene in Best in Show when the 2 dog owners are in the shrink's office talking about how they met.
"I was getting the soy non-fat....."
"Which you were getting because you're lactose intolerant."

Rolling Thunder · Feb 6, 2009

Google the phrase 'As you know, Bob.'

You'll be surprised.

wrongway · Feb 6, 2009

Put yourself inside the character's head and ask why they're saying what they're saying. If the character has a good reason, it's probably OK.

If all the character can do is shrug and point at the author, "He made me do it," there's a good chance it's an AYKB.

Google the phrase 'As you know, Bob.'

<slaps forehead>

Thank all of you for the good answers. I appreciate your time.

Devil Ledbetter · Feb 6, 2009

Grrarrgh said:
Mr. Grr calls this the Lactose Intolerant Statement, after the scene in Best in Show when the 2 dog owners are in the shrink's office talking about how they met.
"I was getting the soy non-fat....."
"Which you were getting because you're lactose intolerant."

While technically an AYKB, I think this line works because it shows how self-absorbed the characters are. The shrink wouldn't need to know that she was lactose intolerant (and neither does the audience) but the way husband butts in to supply this boring detail says a lot about the marriage and the characters.

Judg · Feb 6, 2009

Which kind of proves my point. When it's handled in such a way that the person talking is made to seem fatuous and totally full of themselves, it can actually work. But if it's done with a straight face, as if this were a normal way of communicating, it's pathetic.

Of course the classic way of getting around the need for an AKYB statement is to have a character who truly doesn't know and actually needs the information. Children, students, outsiders, new face at the office, whatever. Then the trick is to educate them in an entertaining fashion so you don't lose your reader. And preferably to do it in tiny little dribbles on a need-to-know basis.

blacbird · Feb 6, 2009

Another important part of the AYKB equation is the question: "Do readers really need to know the information, and if so, do they really need to know it right now?" All too often writers assume they need to feed the reader information that they really don't.

caw

Exir · Feb 6, 2009

AYKB could be done well, a la Of Mice and Men

maestrowork · Feb 7, 2009

A great writer can sneak in an AYKB and it would work beautifully within context and in character.

A poor writer would just invite the following: "You know, Bob, that's stupid."

blacbird · Feb 7, 2009

Exir said:
AYKB could be done well, a la Of Mice and Men

Example, please.

caw

tehuti88 · Feb 7, 2009

"As you know, Bob" is all too frequent in medication commercials, I've found.

There's one commercial where there's a doctor walking around hospital grounds with a bunch of younger doctors and he's telling them all the side effects and such of the medication. Then they sit down and the other doctors start talking about various side effects and warnings too. You get this feeling of, "Why the heck are you guys all telling each other what you obviously already know??"

Along the same lines as the commercials with the doctors telling their patients the side effects and then saying something like, "You should not start Such-&-Such-Medication if you're going to undergo surgery, so please tell your doctor if you are," at which the patient probably thinks, "Wait, you're my doctor, shouldn't you KNOW if I'm having surgery...?"

So, just watch some medication commercials with fake doctors in them and you'll really get the point all too soon.

As You Know Bob

wrongway

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

scarletpeaches

blacbird

scarletpeaches

FennelGiraffe

It's green they say

blacbird

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon

ccarver30

Nicole Castro

Grrarrgh

Not so new, not so much a kid

Rolling Thunder

wrongway

Devil Ledbetter

Come on you stranger, you legend,

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon

blacbird

Exir

Out of the cradle endlessly rocking

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

blacbird

tehuti88

Mackinac Island Fanatic