Author: Novel_Worm
Requester: avadel
because sometimes we need help too, lol
Category: Writing Tips
This time, we're going to discuss action sequences. Blood-pounding, heart-wrenching, on-the-edge-of-your-seat action. Whether it be a movie or a book, action scenes are almost always sure to get your heart pumping. But it's only those behind-the-scenes that know how hard action scenes can be to write.
In this article, we're going to discuss some ways to get action right and some things to avoid.
Before we begin, let's dissect what action, in essence, is.
Action can be a fight between two characters, two armies or something else, but whatever it is, it all boils down to one thing: conflict.
Action is conflict. And like any conflict, it has to be an obstacle standing between the character and their goal. It has to be a significant threat for the character to eliminate. Practice fights? Then the obstacle is that the character is/ believes that they're not good enough to achieve whatever it is they want to achieve. Fights between enemies? Then they both have a wish, however strong, to defeat the other. Fights with a guard? I'm pretty sure that the obstacle is clear.
So with all action scenes (all scenes in general), you need three basic things: a character goal, an obstacle and finally, a character reaction. Another thing that is necessary for action scenes is vision. You need to be able to visualize your character's moves and that of their opponents. If not, then it will be very difficult for you to write them down and describe them to your reader. If you cannot, I suggest watching some videos or movies until you're confident enough to visualize them.
Now that we have the basic ingredients, let's see how we can spice it up!
1. Research
Action sequences need research. You need to know what kind of sword/gun they're using and what the range of the weapon and the moves commonly made with it are. I'm not saying you need to be an expert, but please, be careful. For instance, it's possible in swordplay that a beginner would be much better than someone who has trained for a while because the beginner isn't conformed by rules and methods.
Do you think something like this would be obvious? It's not the only fun fact, so do your research on the method of action you're using. Even watching three or four fights anywhere counts as long as they're using the weapons you will be writing about.
It also helps to build your vocabulary specific to this topic. Read descriptions of fights or listen to commentary if this counts as a sport.
2. Imagery
One of the key things to believable action sequences is the imagery used. The readers have to be able to imagine the scene clearly, see the setting and the moves. A good way to do this is to add imagery to your writing. Are they fighting in an open ground? Have the character feel the grass tickling their feet. Are they fighting in a forest? Have them hear the sounds of the animals intermittently. Or maybe it has just rained or is going to rain and the characters can smell the wet mud.
Remember that visuals are not the only way to add images or settings; using all five senses of your character plays to your advantage. Wet mud and sounds of running water can transport a reader to waterfalls, while owls hooting can bring forth an image of a forest cloaked in darkness. Use the setting to your advantage, and play with all of your character's senses. Not just for the setting but the fight itself too. If there's a significant wound, have them smell blood. If they've just made a strong move, have them feel their bones resonating with it. If they've just swung their sword in an arc, have them hear the swish of the wind.
3. Dialogue / Internal Conflict
Another way to spice up your action is by adding emotional conflict over your physical one. Have the characters talk, if they know each other, but if not, give glimpses into your characters' minds with short bursts of thought. What is their goal? Why is it so important? Remember to be careful with this, because you don't want to say the same thing over and over and risk boring your reader. Make sure that the dialogue or thoughts are short, one-clause sentences because otherwise, you will be bogging down your action with too much prose.
That's all I have in the way of specific methods to improve action sequences. As usual, don't rely too much on only one of them, and don't use any one of them too much. Use each of them, but sparingly. Here are some general dos and don'ts for action that I couldn't fit in above:
DON'T: Make sure not to bog down your action with too much imagery/dialogue/thoughts. You do not want to slow down something that should be fast-paced, or else you risk boring your readers.
DO: In general, try to follow the rule of threes; have three action sentences and one description/dialogue/thought sentences. If your book is a descriptive one, where you describe too much, two sentences for three action sentences is okay, but that's the maximum. Try not to exceed this limit.
DON'T: Overexplain each move your character makes. You have to trust the reader to fill in the blanks.
DO: Try to keep your sentences short and snappy, unless the whole book has longer sentences. This helps bring about a sense of fast-paced action. Omit some really obvious stuff.
DON'T: Use the same words over and over. If it's first person, it's really easy to overuse 'I' in action sequences. It's also really easy to keep using the same 5 or 6 verbs throughout the scenes. It makes the scene seem redundant.
DO: I cannot stress this enough, DO. YOUR. RESEARCH. It will help you build topic-specific vocabulary as well.
DON'T: Please don't skip the research step.
As an exercise, try rewriting this swordfight with all of the tips shown above. This a basic and actual version of an action scene that I edited out from the first chapter of my wip.
--Example--
They looked at each other, waiting for the other to attack. Avery's eyes narrowed to her opponent and she jumped towards him, hurling her sword towards him. He moved to the side, stretching his sword to her stomach. She bent backwards, aiming her sword towards him as she came back up. He blocked her with his own sword. She removed her sword from the cross that had formed and used it to cut his arm. He yelped as it drew blood and they stopped fighting.
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[yes, I know it's horrible. It's meant to be for you guys to rewrite.]
Here's my version (for context, this is just after my character has found out that she's been betrothed since she was three):
--Rewrite--
This was routine for both of them. Any trainee could approach another for practice and spar without having introductions.
Eyes trained on each other, both of them observed their opponent, waiting for the other to strike first. The grass in the courtyard tickled them and swayed with the sight morning breeze, tiny blades pricking into Avery's bare feet. She paid it no heed, used to the sensation. Her eyes narrowed; her view focused only on the trainee. With every breath she expelled her anger, imagining the man standing before her as her parents.
They couldn't do this.
Inhaling a lungful of air, Avery lunged at her opponent. He sidestepped, jabbing his broadsword at her stomach. She bent backwards, thrusting her sword as she sprung back up.
It was her life, not theirs.
He avoided the hit with his own sword, the clang resonating through Avery's arm. Disengaging, Avery hacked at her opponent and he side-stepped her again. She heard the whistle of the wind as his sword cut through the air towards her. She parried and slashed at his arm. Her blow hit, but she was too distracted to notice the blood welling up from the wound.
She was as good as engaged.
She would've slashed once more if not for the cry emitted by the other trainee, bringing the wound she'd inflicted to notice.
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That's all for now. If you have any questions or would like me to go over some of your fight scenes just comment and tag me (Novel_Worm).
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