Action sequences can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for the minimalist writer, who is probably much more interested in how things turn out than how each punch lands. I myself spent years skimming through fight scenes and battle scenes, seeking out highlights that would tell me how my favorite characters fared in the conflict. When I watch movies, my eyes tend to glaze over when they start hitting one another, especially if it goes on for too long.
And yet I wrote a novel that people are calling exciting and action-packed. Want to know how? 🙂
First, I started listening to audio books. This may seem counter-intuitive, but here’s the thing: You can’t skim an audio book. Oh, don’t get me wrong…I’ve tried. There are some books I have found so boring that I hit the fast forward button and aimlessly searched for a place where things got exciting. Those aren’t good books, so I don’t tend to learn from them anyway.
So as I began listening to every word in a book, unable to skim those action sequences, I realized they weren’t all boring. Some of them, in fact, were very exciting. Which ones? The ones with a great deal of conflict.
Wait, it’s an action sequence? Doesn’t it, by definition, contain a lot of conflict?
No. Action and conflict are not the same thing, as I’m sure I discussed in at least one of my topics on beginnings. Action is about movement, and is entirely visual, impersonal. It’s a camera’s eye view. Conflict, on the other hand, is personal, emotional, and an aspect of character that brings stories to life. Conflict isn’t the movement, it’s the stakes. Conflict is why I care.
Consider this short sequence:
Matt doubled over as Paul kicked him in the stomach, letting out a loud “Oomph!” of pain. Even so, he managed to dodge sideways, avoiding Paul’s fist as it aimed for his nose.
So what? Who are Matt and Paul? What are they fighting about? What will happen if Matt wins? If Paul wins? Does anything here matter at all?
Now, don’t get me wrong — there are some people out there who do enjoy fighting for the sake of fighting. Some of them may even be minimalist writers, rushing through dialog and description to get to the action sequences. But right now, I’m specifically talking to the minimalist writer who skims through action scenes in order to read the dramatic conclusion.
If that’s you, then here’s what I propose: The important elements of an action sequence are not so much the precise footwork as the impact it has on the protagonist. So, let’s try that sequence again:
The look in Paul’s eyes as he approached told Matt, quite clearly, that he knew. He knew about Matt and his sister, and what’s more, he wasn’t happy about it.
“Filthy nigger! You stay away from my sister.”
Matt baked away, wondering if any words would help his case. Somehow he doubted, “I love her” would do it. It might even enrage him more.
Paul caught up to Matt, backing him against the brick facade of a storefront. He looked mad enough to kill.
Matt doubled over as Paul kicked him in the stomach, letting out a loud “Oomph!” of pain. Even so, he managed to dodge sideways, avoiding Paul’s fist as it aimed for his nose.
This time, we have an actual conflict. We also have something more — impressions from the point of view character. Specifically, would any words help his case? Would admitting he loved her? With these lines, we’re getting a small but important glimpse into Matt and who he is. He doesn’t want to fight this man, he only wants to be free to love a woman. Later, Matt reflects that Paul looks mad enough to kill — hinting at a degree of fear. This could end up very badly for Matt.
There are any number of ways to describe a specific action sequence, but the most important thing is setup. Who is involved? What is at stake? Where are they?
After that, the trick is to find your main character’s point of view and stick to it like glue. It’s not about fists flying — it’s about the main character’s experience of fists flying. Written well, the reader can do more than visualize, he can identify. What is he thinking? What is he feeling?
As the action scene progresses, you do what you do with plotting: What can go wrong? How will the hero overcome it? What happens then? Same questions, smaller scale.
The scenes are built in the reader’s mind a piece at a time, and it takes time to unfold. As long as you’ve set the stage, as long as you’ve established the stakes, the reader will be on the edge of their seats while you put it together. Here are the sorts of questions your character can answer:
1. What do you see?
2. What are you thinking?
3. What are you feeling?
4. What do you hear?
5. What do you smell?
6. If any other senses apply (ie magic), what are they telling you?
So, here’s my second bit of general advice:
An action scene is not about the action, but about the person experiencing it.
Here’s an exercise for you: Describe a fight you’ve had, in detail. Don’t forget to talk about why you were fighting, how it made you feel at the time, and then what, precisely, happened.
Next week: Dialog
Another fine piece of advice. I’m taking notes.