\"Writing.Com
*Magnify*
SPONSORED LINKS
Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/3910-All-About-the-Action.html
Action/Adventure: August 11, 2010 Issue [#3910]

Newsletter Header
Action/Adventure


 This week: All About the Action
  Edited by: NanoWriMo2018 Into the Earth Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

** Image ID #1419444 Unavailable **
Hiking. It's MY Action/Adventure!


Word from our sponsor

ASIN: B01DSJSURY
Amazon's Price: $ 5.99


Letter from the editor

Creating solid action scenes requires a balance of description, and dialogue presented in a 'show more than tell' fashion. Add lots of verbs, and boom! you've got yourself am action scene. Okay, so yeah, there's a little more to writing than that; but, boiled down to it's simplest form, action-in the form of verbs, + description + dialogue = action scene.

How?

Action is the star - Don't be afraid to let action steal the show. Deep in the middle of a fight where the characters are duking it out on the rooftop of a Manhattan 55 story apartment building, readers don't want to hear what the hero ate for breakfast. Furthermore, now's not the time to go into surrounding detail. The tighter the writing, the faster the pace will come off to the reader. Readers do want to know; who threw the first blow? Where did it land? Did the aggressor crack a knuckle? Did he draw blood?

Involve the senses - the thud the villain's body makes when he falls on the ground. The screech of the wheels the car makes as it's backing out of the driveway...the splash heard when the antagonist tosses important evidence into the river....

Dialogue to a minimum - like description, the quicker you put something down, the faster pace it seems to the reader. Wordy dialogues slow down action scenes. Keep things as short as possible. In other words...now's not the time for a Sunday-type sermon.

Up close and personal - Zoom in on your description. Instead of giving the reader the big picture, give him several enlargements of pieces of that picture.

Before you begin

Study your scene. Read your favorite authors. If your action scene shows a huge fire, and how people were rescued then grab a few books, thumb through the pages, (read and study) the ones similar to what you're after. Even if it's not a fire scene...you can look at style and format of your favorite authors. How do they move from back-story to action scene?

Watch your favorite movies and TV shows. With DVR's you can slow down scenes frame by frame, thus giving you more insight on what makes a great action sequence pop.

Write your rough draft.

Write your scene quickly. During the rough draft stage, don't concern yourself with grammar, punctuation, or repetitive words. Use as many verbs as you can...even if you repeat them.

Revise, revise, revise
Remember, the goal is short, even choppy type sentences...description with lots of verbs(pull out the thesaurus)...dialogue without long-winded sermons. Read your work out loud.


Editor's Picks

 The Dance Open in new Window. (13+)
A Ravenclaw bookworm discovers a white knight of a different sort. HP fanfic; pre-DH.
#1141189 by Fairy Author IconMail Icon

 The Fall of Revenants Open in new Window. (E)
professional space dogfighters must deal with a hotshot outsider
#226760 by John~Ashen Author IconMail Icon

 The Adventures of Cat-Dude Open in new Window. (13+)
A satire of comic book superheroes and the over-the-top style of yesteryear .
#1688595 by AJ Author IconMail Icon

 Amazing Adventures of Sir Croakington Open in new Window. (E)
Ever wonder what happens when a southern toad gets kidnapped and taken to the arctic?
#1682973 by Wordsmith Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1615314 by Not Available.

 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Word from Writing.Com

Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
         https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Don't forget to support our sponsor!

ASIN: B085272J6B
Product Type: Kindle Store
Amazon's Price: $ 9.99


Ask & Answer


*Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet* Don't Be Shy! Write Into This Newsletter! *Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet*

This form allows you to submit an item on Writing.Com and feedback, comments or questions to the Writing.Com Newsletter Editors. In some cases, due to the volume of submissions we receive, please understand that all feedback and submissions may not be responded to or listed in a newsletter. Thank you, in advance, for any feedback you can provide!
Writing.Com Item ID To Highlight (Optional):

Send a comment or question to the editor!
Limited to 2,500 characters.
Word from our sponsor
ASIN: B07N36MHWD
Amazon's Price: $ 7.99

Removal Instructions

To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.


Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/3910-All-About-the-Action.html