Write Action and Adventure

How to Write Action and Adventure

To write action and adventure is beneficial because Action and adventure are some of the most popular genres that can be written. Almost every story will contain some action and adventure, but what about action/adventure stories that focus mainly on action and adventure?

How can you write those? What are they supposed to be written about? And how can you learn to write them?

Luckily there are only a few simple steps to writing an action/adventure story, and they are written below.

Also, at the end you will find three wonderful action/adventure movies listed, and what you can learn from them.

Understand Action, Adventure, and Pace (and What Weakens Them)

You probably already know what action, adventure, and pace are, but it is always helpful to look up the official definitions.

The official definition of action, for example is ‘The fact or process of doing something, usually to achieve an aim.’

The second part of that definition is key: Action is a goal oriented story. We show someone loading up a revolver in scene one just so readers expect a shooting in one of the next scenes.

Action is important. Action and thriller stories are all about big action building, to a foreseeable or surprising conclusion.

Adventure is very similar to action in that it is very goal oriented. Pace is the speed at which the story develops, and the pace can change in different scenes throughout the story.

Action weakens when characters spend more time thinking things through in their head than doing

Adventure weakens when the characters are not working towards their goals.

Authors spend too much time describing surroundings.

Favor Active Voice

Writing in an active voice is very important to keep the story moving along and action packed.

Active Voice: Wendy flung her opponent across the room. They slammed into a wall and fell down with a groan of pain.

Passive Voice: Wendy had thrown the opponent across the room. The opponent hit the wall and groaned once they were on the floor.

It is quite obvious which should be used to keep action up.

Describe Deeds, Movements, and Gestures

Describing your character’s thoughts is very often necessary for a story, but in action and adventure stories it slows the pace down.

Instead of writing the character’s thoughts, try to focus on their deeds. It ups the action, and keeps the story from becoming boring.

Especially focus on brave deeds, or ones that advance the plot along.

Focus on Characters’ Goals

The action and adventure in your story rises out of your character’s aims. Compare, for example, two scenarios. In the first, a character decides to rob a bank and shares their thoughts about this decision. In the second scenario, the same character cuts cuts out slits in stockings to make eye holes, or someone who gives them weapons. What is the more intriguing option to start a story.

If you develop plot using a characters actions, it follows the path an action/adventure novel should take.

Keep Setting and Other Description Relevant to Action and Adventure

In a story, the setting it takes place in can have a lot to do with the action. Use this to your advantage.

Perhaps a battle is happening, and it is in the woods. Your character knows the woods like the back of their hand, as to the other warriors fighting alongside you.

The army that has come to take over don’t fight in the woods normally, and this causes them to be at a disadvantage. They lose the battle and retreat.

Use Shorter Sentences to Increase Pace

In a action packed scene, the best way to relay that is to use short sentences. This causes more tension in a scene, as well as an increased pace.

An increased pace is always very good to do, especially in a scene that is very intense, such as facing the main villain.

Set Off a Chain of Cause and Effect

If you start with one small thing happening, it’s a good idea to have a domino like effect. If someone dies, for example, that causes another issue, which leads to another issue and so on and so forth.

It adds quite a bit of adventure that can be faced if you do that as well. Plus people will be intrigued to find out where it goes.

Cut Filter Words

In a story, filter words tend to slow down action, adventure, and pace. An example of filter word is ‘She saw that it was morning.’ Saw and that are the filter words here. If you remove them it will say this: ‘It was morning.’ Doesn’t that sound better.

Make sure to always go through your story and get rid of filter words.

Movie Examples

Wonder Woman: This is an action packed story that tells us Wonder Woman’s origin story while also giving a few laughs.

First, you can learn a lot about naive characters and how to write them. She is not dumb, but not living in the modern world has limited her knowledge of our world.

Second you can learn to write heros. At the end of the movie, we see that someone has sacrificed themselves to save the world.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens: This is the sequel to the wildly popular Star Wars Franchise. It is filled with mystery and action.

First, we learn about loyalty. Rey has been waiting for her parents to come back since she was a child.

Second, we learn about sacrifice. Han Solo lets himself die, all because he wants his son back. It is a tragic end to Han’s life.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: This is the first movie in the Harry Potter series. It starts our journey of learning about Harry.

First, we learn about friendship. Harry forms true and lasting friendships with Hermione and Ron.

Second, we learn about love, and how Lily saved Harry because she loved him so much. That was what kept Quirrel and Voldemort from being able to touch him.