 Action/Adventure: November 14, 2007 Issue [#2061] |
  Action/Adventure
This week: Edited by: Puditat  
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Life without action is static, and by necessity, it would therefore be dead. Action writing takes the normal and shares it for all to live vicariously.
Adventure is the spice: the exciting, adrenalin-pumping, thrill that makes one feel so alive. Everyone has an adventuresome spirit. Maybe dreams of excavating some long-lost treasure, visiting a new country, or trying a new flavour of potato chip.  Some of us prefer our adventures to come between the pages of a book, and many of us like to write that adventure.
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Have you ever written a lengthy piece and ended up tangled in a web of your own making? Did your characters flee east or north...was the minor supporting character blue-eyed, raven-haired, or hazel-eyed and blonde? You are most likely going to remember the major details, but there are many other essential little bits and pieces that go into creating a sensible story. I can guarantee that more than one reader would notice if your hero was afraid of the dark in the beginning and later crawling through a tunnel with explanation as to why he no longer fears it.
When I was writing my first novel, I created a completely new world for it. After a time I did indeed forget the bearings of this new world and had to step by step recreate a map as I read through, correcting any errors in direction and description. I do not recommend this way of doing things. My inexperience has, however, taught me a valuable lesson, and I hope I can share that with you so you avoid making the same painful errors I did.
Inconsistencies in the details of a story will be confusing and are not likely to slip past an editor. These thoughts apply mostly to longer works of fiction, but you may want to keep the principles in mind for serials, campfires, interactives, etc.
Keep a note of important information, but also of the smaller details.
 Create character profiles of every character who appears more than once in the story. A complex breakdown is required for your main characters - from their physical description to their motivations, habits, and preferences. The supporting roles may be tailored to their importance -- a simple physical and attitudinal summary may be sufficient for these players.
If your setting is fictional, create a map, either as you write it the first time, or even better, before you begin. Then you can add in more details as you write the story. It wouldn't look good to have your sun setting both over the house on the right and the stable on the left!
If your story has some point of difference in setting, write notes about why this is and how it works. This is important as a single unusual aspect is likely to have an impact on other things you have not thought about. For example, if you wrote about a world without rain, you can hardly have your characters caught in a storm ten chapters later. Or more subtly, where does their drinking water come from, and how does the vegetation survive? If there is any...
If you make up words, terms, new weapons, or style of housing - any new thing should be made note of in a glossary. Make it as detailed as you can, since you may need to refer to it later on. Did that weapon need special treatment in production, or could the villain craft a replacement one as he chases the hero across the country? How many coins/beads/balls of string made up the land's currency, and how much is a loaf of bread compared to a car in this currency?
There are many instances where we write in whatever our imagination conjures up. In my experience, finding that detail later on somewhere within the voluminous pages of a manuscript can be painful. Making a few notes about facts, figures, and descriptions has saved me many frustrating searches since that first amateurish foray into novel-writing.
Have fun and write well.
Puditat
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 Pudi,
I unexpectedly read your newsletter, when suddenly, completely unexpected, my wife slipped in and turned the computer off. Luckily, your newsletter was burned into my retininas and I was able to answer by telepathic connection. Anything can happen at a moments notice. Fortunately, I am good at muti-peril. 
billwilcox
Oh my! Your feedback is always interesting. Thanks, Bill!
Hey Puditat,
Great newsletter on the unexpected; some really useful and insightful points and examples 
Acme
I'm very pleased the newsletter could help. Thank you. 
Excellent advice, Puditat! Especially about wrapping up loose ends and explaning surprises - I think it's one of the worst feelings, to get through an intense and twist-y story only to reach an unfullfilling conclusion.
Tehanu
Unfulfilling stories are a terrible let-down. Thanks for the lovely feedback. 
Excellent and informative newsletter subject this week, perfect timing for those of us who entered nanawrimo! I agree using these ideas as writing exercises could truly create some inspiring stories!
dejavu_BIG computerprobs
Thank you for such kind words. Your feedback reminds me. Good luck to you in NaNoWriMo and to all those who are participating.
Hello!
I've read it and thank you so much for giving me useful tips! I've always wanted to write something thrills.
Umm... Where could I get some good example about making a sentence to something that leave mysteries, unexpected or excited? Hope you could help me!
Cyanvia
I would have to give some thought to this matter. My best advice at this stage would be for you to read a lot. Read mysteries, thrillers, detective stories, as well as generic fiction. Keep a notebook handy and make notes of how they use situations to create a surprise. It may be the use of a word, which has more than one meaning, or a whole scenario that appears random at the time, but later is shown to carry an important key. Good luck! |
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