This week: Genre Expectations Edited by: StephBee More Newsletters By This Editor
1. About this Newsletter 2. A Word from our Sponsor 3. Letter from the Editor 4. Editor's Picks 5. A Word from Writing.Com 6. Ask & Answer 7. Removal instructions
“If you accept the expectation of others, especially the negative ones, then you will never change the outcome.” – Michael Jordan.
Action: The state of doing; organized activity to accomplish an objective
Adventure: An undertaking of a hazardous nature; an unusual or exciting experience.
Everyone needs a little Adventure in life to keep them on top of their game. Every genre has their expectations and Action/Adventure has several. When writing your action/adventure story, keep in mind the expectations of the genre.
I’m StephBee and I’m your Action/Adventure Guest Editor this week.
|
ASIN: B083RZ37SZ |
|
Amazon's Price: Price N/A
Not currently available. |
|
Requirements for a genre are known as genre conventions and conventions is just another way to say expectations. Every genre has expectations. For Romance, most readers want to read a story where two people fall in love. For supernatural, most readers want to read about those creatures of the night and their struggles. Without these expectations, readers can get confused, a tad unsettled, and might even quit reading. In the Action/Adventure genre, there are 9 expectations, that if met, will make your story shine.
#1 – An intense environment
The setting has to have a touch of the disturbed (Die Hard comes to mind) or an unbalanced background which gives rise to the conflict.
#2 – Dueling Hierarchies
There’s the rebel alliance and the empire. There’s an establishment hierarchy (the same old, same old) and one of growth with promise and hope.
#3 – The Hero
The hero must face a challenge created by the villain. His object is to face the villain and save the victim.
#4 – The Villain
The villain has to be stronger than the hero and will do anything to stop the hero.
#5 – The Victim
The victim isn’t as strong as the hero or villain and needs the hero to save them.
#6 – A speech in praise of the Villain
The speech usually reveals how the villain is unbeatable and establishes the villain’s reason as to why he’s not going to stop what he’s doing.
#7 – The deadline
A race to the finish “ups” the ante and establishes a limited amount of time the hero has to accomplish his goals.
#8 – Set-piece sequences
Fast action packed scenes show the hero’s strengths and weaknesses and help him/her gain new skills.
#9 – An exciting plot
Our characters shine the best when they’re put in extreme circumstances and forced to take risks.
In summary, when readers pick up a story of a certain genre, they’re looking for their expectations to be met. 9 may seem like a lot, but with action/adventure, they’re easy to meet. Hit all the points, and you’ll have a story that resonates with readers long after they put the book or movie book.
Hope you enjoyed this edition!
|
Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter! https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
Don't forget to support our sponsor!
ASIN: 197380364X |
|
Amazon's Price: $ 15.99
|
|
Feedback from my Action/Adventure NL dated 20 MAR 2024:
Monty
Points are well made for stories and poetry.
H❀pe
A great newsletter! I love that you broke it down to make it feel attainable to someone like me, who doesn't think of themselves as an action writer. After reading this it feels possible! Thank you StephBee !
You’re welcome!
Angelica Weatherby- NaNo 14000
Good points that can be used for any action or adventure stories.
s
Sorry to be such a stick-in-the-mud, but it is "Up the ante", not "anty" - it's a gambling term, meaning raise the stakes.
Sorry.
Missed a typo in proofing. Thanks for writing into the newsletter.
StephBee is a 911 Dispatcher for LAPD. Her story “Arrow Through the Heart” is now available on Amazon as an Ebook. Can Logan keep Ella safe as she participates in a tennis tournament?
|
ASIN: B07B63CTKX |
Product Type: Kindle Store
|
Amazon's Price: $ 6.99
|
|
To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.
|