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Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/6534-Fill-in-the-Gaps.html
Action/Adventure: September 03, 2014 Issue [#6534]

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Action/Adventure


 This week: Fill in the Gaps
  Edited by: Sara♥Jean Author IconMail Icon
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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

I'm so excited to be your Action/Adventure Newsletter Editor this week! Please let me know if you have any feedback, or if you have any topics you'd like covered in a newsletter. I will be glad to research it for you and do my best.

Sara*Heart*Jean


Word from our sponsor

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Letter from the editor

Fill in the Gaps
Make sure your Action/Adventure story answers all of the questions.


Action/Adventure is one of the most detailed genres out there. It has complex storylines, detailed scenes, complicated characters - villains and heroes, alike. It is far too easy to forget details and leave holes in the storyline, or the characters themselves, or the scenes. So, I am going to take a moment to jump back into the basics.

My suggestion to avoid this issue is asking those basic questions that we all want to know ourselves, when we are reading. I don't mean just for the book in an entirety, I mean for each scene. Every scene needs to answer every question, or you need to have a place you will answer it later (if it is one of those things that develops with the story.

I even suggest doing this ahead of time - something like an outline. Pick each scene, answer each question, THEN write. You can use the answers to the questions to make sure nothing is forgotten. If you pair it with an outline, and answer the questions beneath each scene, you can more easily see the progression of the story.

What are the questions? I'll bet you can guess: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

I'll show you something of what it looks like:

Let's say you have an action novel with a female hero (Marie) and a female villain (Raquel), and the female villain's cronie (Seth). This might be what a scene looks like for them.

Scene: confrontation in the warehouse

Who?: Marie, Raquel, and Seth

What?: Marie came to find a missing piece to a note describing the details to unlocking the passcode to the computer of the murdered bank manager. She needs to get in, and somehow get back out.

When?: After dark.

Where?: "Abandoned" warehouse in the downtown district - lit only by moonlight through several skylights. There are clouds, so the moonlight may be blocked at some point.

Why?: Raquel and Seth want to corner Marie and kill her, so she will not be able to continue solving the bank robbery. Marie simply wants to concentrate on her case and get the password to the computer.

How?: Raquel and Seth lured Marie with a false tip. There is no clue in the warehouse to find, only Raquel and Seth. Marie will fall for the trap, but will escape after a detailed fight in which she flees from. She will hide in the darkness after the clouds move over the moon, and then eventually creep to a broken window and crawl out, cutting herself in the process.


This may seem pointless, but it will make writing the scene much easier. You can check back to be sure all of the details are as planned, and you haven't forgotten anything.

Yay for outlining! And pre-planning! And.... well, just yay! Have a wonderful day!


Editor's Picks

I want to highlight some Action/Adventure stories from some of WdC's newer members. Remember to leave them some feedback! Review to let them know what you think!

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#2007354 by Not Available.


 Empty Road Edited and Extended Open in new Window. (E)
The Empty Road continuation.
#2007314 by S.D.Teller Author IconMail Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#2006911 by Not Available.


 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#2006407 by Not Available.


 As Yet Untitled Open in new Window. (E)
My attempt at creating a large project
#2006192 by darkmorning Author IconMail Icon


 LOVEJOY CITY AFTER DARK: DARK PRAYER  Open in new Window. (18+)
In a city where crime is around every corner welcome to LOVEJOY CITY.This is my own story.
#2005163 by DARKKNIGHTZ01 Author IconMail Icon

 
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Ask & Answer

Feedback and Comments from "Action/Adventure Newsletter (August 6, 2014)" Open in new Window. about Cliffhangers:

BIG BAD WOLF is Merry Author Icon said, "Cliffhangers have to be done in such a way that people want to watch/read the next one. For instance, in The Walking Dead, during the first quarter of Season 4, there was a flu virus, with people in the prison dying. However, medicine was found, and everyone was happy. But then, at the end of that episode, the camera pans out to the fences, and standing in the trees, is an Old Foe, and I'm not talking about the Walkers. Made me want to see what was going to happen next."

monty31802 said, "I agree for the most part but I do not like to wait for the next episode. I like THE END at the last page of the book. Thanks again for a good News Letter. "

billwilcox said, "Cliffhangers are supposed to be like someone unexpectedly walking off of a cliff...and then SURPRISE! *Shock*"

ohsoquiet said, "I agree with all of your views! I've never really thought about it before, but there are a lot of cliffhangers. Like you said, if they're done well and different, I don't have a problem. Unless it's a show that is cancelled or the next book in the series that is never written. You can't leave a cliffhanger like that without a conclusion! Anyway, good newsletter! *Thumbsup*"

Quick-Quill Author Icon said, "I agree each ending should be different. I like having some chapters end with the MC cautiously opening a door, a box, closing the front door, turning to gasp, "You scared me!" Then I have to decide. Do I turn the page to the next chapter? What if I get into that one? Its already 2am!"

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