#action tips

[maneaterwithtail]

[ren-c-leyn]

Action! How do I write it?

So, as requested by @tmifangirl21​, I have decided to make this post on how I usually go about writing action scenes. It is by no means the only way to go about it, just one. =)

Let’s start with what action scenes are. In general, they are high-stake scenes in which things happen very quickly, such as fight scenes, chase sequences, daring rescues, infiltrations, and so on.

Your genre and specific story will greatly affect the kind of action scenes you will find yourself commonly writing. High fantasy stories will likely have sword fighting sequences, sci-fi might have high stakes airship battles, mystery may have a blood-pumping final conflict with the criminal or a thrilling chase scene across rooftops and through the street, ect.

Here’s some general tips that can be applied to most versions of an action scene.

1. Shorter sentences, stronger words.

Keeping your sentences shorter and using stronger verbs/descriptors can help imply the urgency, power, and speed action scenes tend to have. There is a bit of a balancing act to be had to keep it from sounding choppy, but once you find the right variety of sentence structure and speed for your writing style, it is like magic.

2. There isn’t much time to think when things are going wrong.

Think about times when you tripped, or had a ball kicked/thrown to you during a game. Did you have time to take in anything but the event? Did you get more than a single sentence through your mind before the ground or the ball was right there? The same goes for action scenes, these are all happening very quickly and your character will not get much time to think about things before they happen.

3. Keep track of where the characters are.

And I mean this both in relation to each other and their environment. This can help you keep from getting things messy in your mind and help inspire more twists and turns.

For example, say you are writing a sword fight in a forest. The characters are likely to use the trees to help dodge blows and trip up their enemies, or they could be tripped up by a root and find themselves in a dangerous position. A third character could jump out from behind a tree and turn the tides of the battle drastically. If you are doing a car chase, for example, there are probably other drivers in a city street that could complicate things for your protagonist or your antagonist. On a deserted road in the middle of no where there may be less traffic but the roads are not as likely to be maintained, which could make driving at high speeds even more hazardous than it already is.

4. Look for other examples of the kind of action you’re trying to do.

Have a master thief leaping from building to building? Perhaps watching some parkour videos will help you. Sword fighting? HEMA videos and fantasy movies might be able to help you out. Car chases? Plenty of shows that feature the fantasy versions of them. Ect.

While watching videos of the kind of action you want to write, maybe try narrating it in your head, putting the visual into words. And it never hurts to see how other writers do these types of scenes as well. While reading, make note of techniques you like and ones you don’t care for. This will help you develop your own style.

5. Risk and reward.

Stakes can help get people more involved in your action. Is it life or death? Could the killer get away? Will the space pirates steal a priceless treasure if they board your characters’ ship? Could the guy who framed your protagonist succeed in his evil plots if they’re captured by the police before they can expose him?

The risks don’t always pay off, though, and that could be a fun thing to explore as well. What if the pirates do board? What if the protagonist is taken downtown before they can get the evidence they need? What if the knight loses the duel?

6. The greater implications.

This is not necessarily something you will be showing in your story, but it may be something you may want to think about. The greater implications are likely going to be a starting place for an action scene or the end of one, rather than the middle one. For example, your detective caught the bad guy in the end of your epic chase, but he’s not the one they were looking for. Implication: The real one is still out there doing their crimes. Your chase has been concluded, but your stakes have been risen, all the while you have set things up for even more twists.

And that’s about all I have on general action tips. I hope this helps you out, and if it doesn’t, I hope you find a method that works well for you =)

~ Ren

[johnhighmanstuff]

Action Planner for Commercial Real Estate Brokerage

Action Planner for Commercial Real Estate Brokerage

The actions that you take today in commercial real estate brokerage will impact your listings and commissions over time. That is why you should base your business activities around specific actions strategically and directly.

  You can track and shift your action focus when you see the results that you are achieving, and the changes that exist in the local property market. The same rules apply…

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[billyojai]

Loving Your Body: Accept Your Body Image Now

Loving Your Body: Accept Your Body Image Now

Throughout life, you’ll discover personal attributes that frustrate, challenge, or maybe even disgust you. Perhaps you don’t have those beautiful blue eyes you want. Maybe you always wanted to be tall but, alas, you’re short. You might pine for a thin, lithe body but you’ve got a thicker, more muscular frame. What can you do to accept your body just the way it is?

These action tips can help you…

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[johnhighmanstuff]

Commercial Real Estate Brokers - Spend More Time Growing Your Business Today

Commercial Real Estate Brokers – Spend More Time Growing Your Business Today

Sometimes in commercial real estate brokerage it is easy to get ‘swamped’ by the events of the day and the requirements of clients.  Quite soon an agent or broker is just being responsive and less proactive to the market.  That is usually the start of less market share and slower deal conversions.  The message here is for brokers and agents to spend more time on growing their business and less…

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[sinbysilenceevents-blog]

Imagine Suitcases

For our Sin by Silence event, we took on the initiative to make a difference in our local community, specifically to help women who have suffered from domestic violence.  So, what do women who are just leaving an abusive relationship or prison, need right away?  They need a suitcase.  But, not just any suitcase.  A suitcase filled with basic essentials to help make things just a little bit easier - toothpaste, shampoo, undergarments, gift cards, etc. 

So, we went to Macy's to ask for help which resulted in 100 suitcases being donated to our initiative.  Then we asked for people who were to be attending our Sin by Silence event to bring a toiletry item as their "admission."  From shampoo bottles, to towels and makeup - there was an overwhelming response of people wanting to help! I hope this action helps inspire you for what you can get your audience to become involved in to help do something for their community.