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This week: The Quiet Times Edited by: NaNoKit  
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Some people are all about the action. Others like those quieter moments between action scenes. Those moments can help both reader and writer explore the characters.
This week's Action/Adventure Newsletter, then, is all about the quiet times and why they matter.
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Being a Child of the Forest – in other words, a helper – in "Game of Thrones" [13+] this year, I guess that it’s only natural for me to discuss the books and the show with people. The things we like, the things we dislike... Some are all about the action, and they find the quieter moments to be boring. My dad’s like that. He’d be happy if any action and adventure stories in whatever genre were all action, all the time. I like them, though. I’ve found that the quiet moments are the ones that can be the most revealing about the characters.
Action scenes show us who are the heroes and who aren’t. Sometimes, an unexpected hero may emerge at a crucial time, or a reluctant hero finally does what we know that he or she has to do. That can be seen as revealing their true character, but there is more to a character than how they behave in the face of danger. And not all heroic actions require one being surrounded by explosions, or standing tall against an army of zombies.
Heroism is Samwell Tarly leaving Jon Snow to go to the Citadel, despite his fears. It is Rose Daniels leaving her husband in Stephen King’s Rose Madder, and trying to rebuild her life despite knowing what he is capable of. It is all about doing what is necessary, and doing what is right, no matter how difficult it might be, and no matter how scared you are.
And the times the reader tends to learn what is truly going on in a person is when we aren’t in the middle of the action. An example is Raistlin Majere, in the DragonLance book series, who is a highly intelligent person and the most powerful mage on the planet. Never a person of great physical strength, his terrible test of High Sorcery has left him even more fragile. His twin brother, Caramon, is your typical hero, and much better liked. In-between the action, one can see that whilst he is sarcastic and unlikeable, he feels inadequate and resentful of requiring assistance. And he is also capable of true kindness, such as to Bupu, a gully dwarf who was never taken seriously, and never treated well except by him.
Another moment can be found in Aerisia: Land Beyond the Sunset, when Ilgard, leader of the frightening and mistrusted Simathe, protects the heroine Hannah through the night as she feels frightened and upset. She falls asleep with him guarding her, but has terrible nightmares. He ends up sitting with her, and eventually he holds her. In the morning, she wakes up and he is nowhere to be seen. Naturally, she believes that he abandoned her. The reader, however, knows better. It shows a caring, gentle side to Ilgard – one that none of the people of his nation has ever witnessed.
Action and adventure stories need a balance in which we can explore the characters and what they are truly made of. The more insight we gain, bit by bit, the more we find ourselves able to relate – or not, as the case may be, but at least we know who we are dealing with. The good and the bad and the in-between. If we do not get these opportunities, characters can feel one-dimensional and that isn’t a good thing.
As a writer of action/adventure stories, it may be tempting to keep the story going at a fast pace, but your characters and your readers do need to relax from time to time. It will give a more natural flow to your piece. My dad might disagree, but I think that as is usually the case, the best story is found when everyone has the time to breathe, reflect and explore.
NaNoKit
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Whilst the Game of Thrones contest is still going strong, there are quite a few other opportunities to test your skills and maybe try something new:
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Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,
The Action/Adventure Newsletter Team
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Action/Adventure: August 23, 2017 Issue [#8462]
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