This week: Action Personas Edited by: Jeff  
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"Adventure is worthwhile in itself."
— Amelia Earhart
About The Editor: Greetings! My name is Jeff and I'm one of the regular editors of the official Action/Adventure Newsletter! I've been a member of Writing.com since 2003, and have edited more than 400 newsletters across the site in that time. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me directly or submit feedback in the comment box at the bottom of this newsletter. |
Action Personas
It's often been said that actions speak louder than words. In action/adventure stories, there's often no shortage of action to go around, so what does all that action say to your reader?
In the world filmmaking, action/adventure movies are often defined by their big, dynamic set pieces: space battles between fleets of starships, car chases through the streets of a city, or barehanded brawls in the middle of a roadside bar. The mistake I often see screenwriters make when writing the scripts for these kinds of movies is assuming that the action sequences are just about the cool visuals and the adrenaline-pumping kinetics. For me, those screenwriters miss out on one of the key benefits of the action/adventure genre, which is the opportunity to develop character through action.
The choices we make in the heat of the moment can say a lot about who we are, and it can convey a lot of information about the characters we're trying to develop. Below are some examples of action personas/archetypes and what their actions can communicate about them:
The Protector. This character's actions are almost always defensive. They don't act for their own benefit; they act to shield someone else from danger.
The Reluctant. This character is the classic "I'm too old for this" trope. They have the skills needed to survive whatever ordeal they're involved with, but hate to have to use them. They usually take the most direct, efficient route.
The Thrill-Seeker. The danger is the point, for this character. They are often the ones that get into trouble because they just have to try to touch that glowing artifact, see what that mysterious button does, or are unreasonably certain they can jump that gap between rooftops.
The Improviser. This character uses everything nearby that's at their disposal to get the job done. Grabbing an ashtray off the bar table to use as a bludgeon in a bar fight, deciding to get around the locked door by crawling through the ventilation shaft; anything's game.
The Martyr. This character is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of what they believe is right. Sometimes overlapping with The Protector trope, the Martyr takes it even further by not just keeping other characters out of harm's way, but by putting themselves in harm's way to do it.
These are by no means the only archetypes for characters in action/adventure stories (and I encourage you to develop your own), but consider how each one would respond to the events in your narrative. How they act, and the choices they make, can reveal just as much - if not more - about who they are as a character than any amount of dialogue or narrative description you can fit on the page.
Until next time,
Jeff
If you're interested in checking out my work:
"New & Noteworthy Things" | "Blogocentric Formulations" |
This month's official Writing.com writing contest is:
You are also invited to check out these items from members of the community:
| |  | New Year’s Wish (13+)
A boy sets out to get lucky but finds himself in a ticklish situation
#2352482 by Joe  |
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Feedback from "Action/Adventure Newsletter (December 10, 2025)" about reality being stranger than fiction:
Reminds me of the Tom Clancy (attrib.) quote: "The difference between reality and fiction? Fiction has to make sense."
— S🤦♂️ 
Stan Nicholls used the lucky coincidence liberally in Orcs. As a fantasy story, there was less need for realism, but at one point, Stryker is about to be overwhelmed by his enemies and a detachment of his most capable orcs comes out of the bushes to his rescue. There was no setup, no reason for them to be there. They just showed up and saved the day. I still love the story and the breathless wall to wall action is super fun to read.
— Annette 
It baffles me, too. Here's the thing: if I hit the jackpot once, I'll probably mention it to a few friends. If I hit it twice in a row, I'll tell everyone I know, and they'll tell everyone they know. The amazing coincidences that happen in everyday life are the inspiration for the stories we tell one another - both fiction and nonfiction. I certainly wouldn't publish a story about hitting the jackpot once, unless, of course, there were more to the story.
— Brandiwyn🎶 v.2026 
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Action/Adventure: January 07, 2026 Issue [#13535]
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