 Action/Adventure: May 18, 2016 Issue [#7646] |
  Action/Adventure
This week: Step Out of Comfort Zone for Adventure Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Action/Adventure Newsletter by Elf
On occasion, I like to try different things and force myself outside of my comfort zone. It might not always be a success but often there is an adventure involved and this can translate into writing as well. Stories come out of forcing characters out of their comfort zone and this can lead to action/adventures. |
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"Adventure starts a step outside of the comfort zone." I won't claim the phrase as my own creative thought or anything. In fact, I may have seen it on either instagram or pinterest. Maybe both, but it's something that I think we should consider both for ourselves and the characters doing actions in stories.
While writing is somewhat sedentary of an activity, that doesn't mean we can't sometimes go out of our comfort zone. In fact, there are many ways. I have a few recent examples.
1. Activities away from the computer
I try to step outside of my comfort zone, or little bubble as I like to call it, at least a few times a year. This year has involved a few different fitness attempts with more to come in the future. One thing I tried a few months ago was yoga, which was something my siblings have liked but I never really saw it as something I'd want to do. I'm not flexible nor do I have a desire to quiet my mind cause the characters don't ever do that... While I couldn't do some of the positions even on the beginner level, others I could do quite well. Plus during the calming time at the end, I made it through by thinking about doughnuts because mmmm.
The most recent, awkward and way out of my comfort zone involved dancing. I don't dance but while visiting my sister in LA one of her friends invited us to a dance class. So, I tried a hip hop class in a little dance studio in LA where backup dancers and those types dance/teach. I am not even close to a dancer let along having enough groove, body agility in order to handle hip hop. But I gave it a try despite all of that. Looked ridiculous, shoes were made for terrain running and not dancing studio floors, mild pain involved, but I survived the class.
Those are just fitness ways of doing something outside of ones comfort zone, but we're here more for writing so that is next.
2. Writing outside of our comfort zones
Genres are a good way to step out of a comfort zone as a writer. While action and adventure are fun on their own, they also work well combined with many different genres, so that combination can lead to trying new venues. My favorite genres to write in include fantasy and science fiction, probably why I write for the fantasy newsletter often. However, every now and then I try to write in a genre I'm far less familiar with just to branch out some. And I am known a bit on here for erotica writing since I run the Weekly Quickie contest, which all started years ago by me taking a huge leap out of my comfort zone with my first erotic/romance story attempt.
Another method can be in point of view or style. I prefer third person. I really don't like first person much at all and struggle to write in that or in anything but past tense. But that doesn't mean I only write in third person. I step out of my comfort zone to write first person and attempt other styles on occasion in order to sharpen my writing skills.
3. Characters need to take that step
Finally, it is helpful for not just the writer but also the main characters to step outside of the comfort zone. Let's admit it: if the character stay comfortable, there tends to be less of a story. The adventure, the story often starts when the characters are forced into a situation that is uncomfortable with struggles and conflict. Whether it's a short story or even a novel, the need for stepping out of the status quo in order to develop the plot is very handy.
Take that step. Try an activity that is out of your norm. Don't forget to make the character in your story a little (or very) uncomfortable. And get writing! |
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What do you want to try that is out of your comfort zone? Does your story put the main character out of their element?
Last time I edited the action/adventure newsletter, I discussed when to take breaks during the action within stories. Here is the comment sent in back in August about the topic:
Comment by benjwriter14
Break up the action. If done right, it can add tension or help remind the reader why they are sitting through endless scenes of explosions and scenes told at a break neck pace. I remember, a few years back sitting at the theater watching one of the Transformers movies and actually fall asleep as giant robots are a destroying the city and our human heroes are fighting to live. There was action, but where was the story. Constant action literally put me to sleep. Break it up, and tell a story. That's the real art when writing action/adventure.
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