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Thriller and action stories are among the most popular novels in the literary field. However, there’s more to planning plot twists, interesting characters, and infuriating villains in making a captivating, action-packed story.
A common misconception in literature is that a book’s driving force solely depends on its characters or the plot. Most believe that all authors need is an interesting-enough plot and characters with compelling arcs, and they need not worry about anything else. These factors should be able to carry the book into popularity or become an entertainment hit. That’s where most authors go wrong. Sure, nobody reads a book filled with plotholes, a cliché storyline, and unrelatable characters. But what’s a great plot and characters readers would want to root for if the execution is entirely off?
Every great novel starts from a humble idea, the “I want to write a story about this” thought, which an equally great artist then expounds. Regardless of how big or small this idea is, its progress depends on the author’s artistic ability to transform it, the narrative that portrays the story. Everyone can craft a narrative, but not everyone can create one so captivating that it leaves readers wanting more. This element is especially crucial in action stories that make readers want to jump in and join the adventure and thrill.
Writing Exciting and Effective Action Stories
Fight scenes. Car chases. Secret Missions.
These are some of the most common, highly-awaited scenes for action stories. Watching them on-screen is an exhilarating experience that everyone wants to try. Scenes like these don’t just stimulate the brain, prompting it to wonder what might happen next. But they also kickstart the body with some adrenaline, making people giddy and excited in their seats.
However, these scenes don’t only happen in movies. They also appear in excellent action writing, and reading them is a whole new adventure to experience. And as much as they’re thrilling, almost intoxicating to read, writing them is as hard for authors. They don’t simply describe the events happening during the story. It’s not as easy as stating that the car has overturned. Else, where’s the fun in that? Instead, they must narrate it in a manner that readers would feel as though they’re in the car as it happens – not a pleasant experience, but readers won’t definitely want to miss it.
Writing action stories is a challenge in itself. This might be why only some authors wish to take part in it. However, authors like Vincent Bivona Jr. have braved this trouble, seeing no problem in expressing the idea he has in mind and putting it on paper. With his skill, he has managed to publish book after book. Here’s how he did it:
Emphasis on Action and Pacing
If action stories only had two vital elements, it would be action and pacing.
By definition, action is anything the characters do to achieve a specific goal, while the pace is the speed at which this action happens or develops. For instance, authors may write a fighting scene showing characters fighting one another. For this to be an effective action scene, there must be a solid and evident reason why it’s unfolding – the author must mention the stakes for the individuals involved. And the pace should tell the readers the rate of the scene, which should also allude to whether the characters have developed within the story.
When it comes to writing compelling action stories, authors must remember two essential things:
- The characters should have more time doing than thinking. The genre is called “action” for a reason. Hence, authors should bank on it.
- Authors should focus on relevance and avoid straying away from what matters as much as possible. Readers enjoy descriptive narratives, but they don’t have to go into details that are potentially irrelevant or insignificantly drag the story.
By avoiding these factors, authors likewise avoid drying up their action scenes and keeping the pace exciting without dragging out their readers’ attention and interest. Sometimes, keeping it straight to the point, without extra details or quests, works.
Focus on Movements and Gestures
Action stories do well if the narration highlights the characters’ actions to achieve their goals. When authors get stuck into their characters’ thoughts or plans, the story can weaken and pull back its pace. Instead, they should tell more about what their characters are doing, focusing on what they’re trying to convey on a psychological or mental level.
Describing movements isn’t a new factor authors should consider. What makes action stories different? Pacing – in every element authors add to their story, the pacing makes it action-packed. The authors highlight the stakes and how time-sensitive the tale is by going beyond simply describing what they’re doing and adding urgency to their actions. This makes readers hooked into the story, wanting to discover what they could lose if they run out of time or if time catches up on them. Stories can be narrated similarly to each other, but action stories need to be time-bound.
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