  Action/Adventure
This week: Edited by: Kate - Writing & Reading  
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Each day is a blank page, an adventure to be written, action and re-action ~ be pro-active
Greetings! I'm honored to be your guest host for this week's Action & Adventure Newsletter.
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Okay, our character has a quest, a goal, that he/she will seek to attain. And,the shortest distance from point A to point B is a straight lilne, but if it were that basic, where's the adventure? Well, when our character has to overcome some obstacles, either external or self-imposed, that's the Adventure. And, how he/she reacts to the obstacles and continues the quest, that's the Action.
Action enhances the conflict and tension; and action is created when our hero encounters an Antagonist.
Yes, the second main character in Action and Adventure is the Antagonist. The antagonist creates a conflict, either external (an ambush along a path; stealing a map), or internal (our hero finds that he must act contrary to his/her nature in order to attain the next step to his quest - is it worth it?).
Your Antagonist's purpose is to keep the hero (or questor, if you prefer) from attaining his/her quest. Treat your Antagonist as a sentient being, whether animal, vegetable, mineral, human or other-world. The Antagonist has as much of a quest as does the hero - it's to keep the hero from attaining the quest. As a writer, know the Antagonist's reason for thwarting the hero's progress and, based on the nature of the Antagonist, use believable means to try and do so. For example, a rockslide that buries a path, forcing a detour, could be caused by another mortal seeking the same goal, or perhaps merely an errant bear guarding her cubs, but there's this cave opening on the road that might be a shortcut, or a detour. The hero must make a choice to advance.
The Antagonist creates obstacles, physical or emotional which forces the hero to take the initiative and do something to advance his quest and continue the adventure. The consequences to his reaction to the obstacle move the story, add depth to the quest, and affect the hero's (and reader's) perception.
Interaction with the Antagonist increases peril, emotional or physical to incite choices - action and reaction.
So, Action effectively allows the Adventure to unfold, changing the hero as he continues on his quest. The choices made, or not made, are noticed by the perceptive reader, who can more fully empathize with the hero.
To do this, to draw the reader into the conflict, know your Antagonist; build for him/her/it a reason for being, a reason for the need to keep the hero from attaining the quest and, by creating points of contact (conflict), gradually allow the hero and reader to decipher the reason and incite them to make choices. As the same questions you ask your hero - Who am I? What is my purpose? Why is it important? What will change if I attain/don't attain my goal? How do I do it?
Have your Antagonist create points of conflict external (sentient being, environmental obstacle, landscape hurdles) and internal (choices the hero must make to attain the quest, perhaps refuting or changing long-standing beliefs).
Knowing your Antagonist and revealing what you know via conflict and resolution along the way will help your reader identify with the hero and embrace the adventure he's embarked upon.
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I hope you enjoy the action and conflict in the following selections; see how the Antagonist (mortal or other) interacts with the 'hero' - and spend a few minutes sharing your comments with the authors
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Like to try your hand? Check out these challenges - prompting Action and Adventure
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I thank you for inviting me into your virtual home, and hope you've enjoyed this interlude with the Antagonist ~ may yours create some intriguing, solvable conflicts on the road to attaining your quest.
Until we next meet
Keep Writing!
Kate
Kate - Writing & Reading |
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Action/Adventure: August 13, 2008 Issue [#2553]
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