The Newsletter Stand

A/A NL - Slowing Down

Welcome. I accepted the editor's position for writing.com's Action Adventure Newsletter which means I'll get to see you guys once a month on a regular basis! Let me introduce myself; I'm Robin, and I've been a member for writing.com since October of '02. I'm a facility manager for a Parks and Recreations tennis center in Georgia. I run tennis tournaments, and coordinate tennis programs. I'm also a contributing editor for a nationally distributed magazine called Racquet Sports Industry where I represent the magazine's Parks and Recs voice and write for those working in the tennis industry. I love hiking and playing tennis when I'm not writing!

If you want strong, powerful writing in your action/adventure stories, why not slow it down. In fact, slow it down, to speed it up.

Huh? Confused?

Don't slow down the action, but rather, the writing of the action. How? Take one small scene and slice it into frame-by-frame pictures. Image detail is key here; however, it's not just about image detail. Don't forget to add sensory details, too. Like sounds and feelings --kinetic details. Doing so increases your odds of grabbing the reader. When you take the frame-by-frame approach, you plop the reader smack dab in the middle of the action.

Sensory Detail - Dressed in dark clothing, the three of them moved quickly, weaving through the labyrinth of the unlit third floor office building.

"You DO have the flash drive...don't you?" the words hissed over Stephanie's shoulder. She could feel her heart thump hard and fast against her chest. As readers, we identify with the ‘thumping'. Our hearts have ‘thumped' before. The author could have said, her heart beat fast. But ‘thumping' makes us feel.

Frame-by-frame snapshots - Scooter was aware of Peter stepping around him with the most beautiful bass he had seen in some time. Behind him was Michael, dragging a large stick.

"Hey, Cooter, you ugly sucker, leave my baby brother alone." At the same time Peter said this, he deftly stepped behind the turtle and kicked it hard on its bloated tail.

Moving with surprising speed the head swung around on Peter who stepped aside holding the bass at arm's length. The beady eyes focused on the fish, the beak snapped shut and opened again. Here the author heightens our sense of tension by describing every sliver of movement. We are there. Also, the use of the word "snapped" shut adds that sensory detail I mentioned earlier.

More Frame-by-frame - "Hide!" Kerry whispered. The women dove underneath nearby desks and pulled office chairs in front of them. Kerry remained seated, the pads of his fingers tapping on Brad's keyboard.

Scrunched beneath her hiding spot, Stephanie had a perfect view of Kerry's leg. She saw his hand fling an object in her direction.

The flash drive! She cupped her mouth to stifle a gasp and watched the drive skid across the floor. It ricocheted against the leg of the desk in front of her with a "clunk". Then, it changed directions. Now it headed toward her, spinning like a merry-go-round, before stopping its forward movement...inches out of her reach. Helpless, her eyes transfixed on the spinning drive, she heard a voice...

See? with a little bit of effort, you can create action the reader can clearly see, feel, hear....Go ahead, drop the reader in the thick of your action; he/she will come back to your port for more.

Invalid Item  This item number is not valid. #1405669 by Not Available.

The Unwept Sea  (ASR) A tale of 1004 nights.... #1141697 by fyn

Here's an item which isn't listed as action/adventur, but provides some solid examples of the frame by frame approach:

Invalid Item  This item number is not valid. #1397975 by Not Available.

Realm Drifter  (18+) Travel to the worlds of fantasy novels, recruit their heroes, and fight alongside them! #947623 by Bmao

The Boy At The Lake  (13+) A family takes in a boy they find during a weekend getaway. #1407917 by Jaeff | KBtW of the Free Folk