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So, I stuck around in this corner of the world. You know, where all the action is…
I’ll see myself out. 
Last week we discussed if action could hold its own as a genre, and like most things in writing, ended up with a resounding, “Well, yes. But also, possibly no.”
Regardless of whether it stands alone, it is an integral part of other genres. The more action that underpins the foundation of the work, the more likely action fits as an accurate label. Ratcheted up far enough, you could certainly make a case for action as the primary genre, which means understanding some of the conventions readers expect.
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Action-dominant stories have a similar flavor. They can be positive stories or cautionary tales. This doesn’t have to be explicitly spelled out for your reader. In good work, the flavor comes through on its own. Of course, an adept hand can flip conventions on their heads, or go with a more ambiguous route. But for the most part, the protagonist wins (positive) or loses (negative).
Be careful with your losses, though. Audiences expect action stories to require rather little personal investment on their part. You want excitement—intense action stories can have near-breakneck speed with only small segments for readers to catch their breath. Once your reader traverses from excitement to fear, you’re pushing the boundaries of other genres. Personal investment in outcomes changes the mood and alters the genre's expectations.
Don’t mistake personal investment for not caring. Readers still need a reason to follow your characters around your world.
In order to keep on the right side of the action, you need to know the character expectations of the action genre.
Define your protagonist.
Not only do they believe they are less powerful than the villain, but they also have to solve the problem the villain created.
 The bad guy(s) drives the story. Do not pull that thing where your protagonist chases the bad guy until the very end…only for your reader to discover they weren’t the bad guy at all. If you are ‘layering’ your villains, make sure they are closely connected, or face the wrath of your disappointed readers.
They have a single focus: defeat the villain (and save the victim). Sometimes the protagonist is the victim.
They must have flaws. Round out your character to be a real person. Yes, they can have some heightened skills because the genre allows for it, but your readers will not appreciate an unrealistic character, no matter how much 'action' you throw in there.
Skilled writers can flip this around and create the anti-hero, or twist it in a knot and make the hero and the villain one and the same.
Make sure your victim doesn’t suck.
While the victim has become ensnared, and is considerably less powerful than the baddies, don’t leave them with no agency of their own. It results in flat, unrelatable characters.
If your audience doesn’t have any empathy for the victim, they don’t care what happens either way. You don’t want your villain dangling your victim over a cliff and your reader thinking, “I really hope they let go.”
Ditto for your supporting characters.
No Mary/Marty Stu characters, please.
The villain has a defined purpose for being the way they are.
Unlike a horror story where a villain might simply be evil for no reason, the bad guys in action stories usually have a defining purpose that motivates them. Reasons will vary along with the sub-genres that weave into the action narrative.
Again, give the character some depth.
One character gives the “appraisal speech”.
This is one of the most-used, least-understood and cliched facets of action. Someone, at some point takes a moment to point out the craftiness of the villain, how the villain and the protagonist are mismatched (in the villain’s favor) or some similar statement.
Here’s the thing: The protagonist doesn’t have to be the one to say it, and it doesn't have to be an actual speech. The bad guy doesn’t have to gloat about it. In fact, some of the best villains are the ones who praise their opponent while simultaneously taunting them. A comment here, a jab there, a snarky remark from a supporting character. Anything but the speech.
Action stories, by their nature, usually require a high suspension of disbelief. Your reader is already going in expecting a wild ride and is willing to accept a lot, but they have a breaking point. Take the time to get your character conventions right, and make your characters relatable and realistic. A subpar plot can often be saved by great characters, but poor characters will drag even the best plots into the depths of the dreaded “DNF” pile.
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Action/Adventure: March 23, 2022 Issue [#11277]
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