\"Writing.Com
*Magnify*
SPONSORED LINKS
BY ONLINE AUTHORS
Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/8162-Action-versus-Adventure.html
Action/Adventure: March 29, 2017 Issue [#8162]

Newsletter Header
Action/Adventure


 This week: Action versus Adventure
  Edited by: NaNoNette Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

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

About This Newsletter

Hello writers and readers of action and adventure, I am NaNoNette Author Icon, your guest editor for this issue.



Word from our sponsor

ASIN: 1542722411
Amazon's Price: $ 12.99


Letter from the editor

** Image ID #2114097 Unavailable **


Action versus Adventure


Is all that action hijacking your adventure?


What to do when your action gets out of hand.


You have heard and read it many times over: write in an active voice. And that is how you write, but sometimes it ends up creating a lot of senseless action while there is precious little adventure.

Your adventure has to have some story or even plot to keep it all together. Lengthy descriptions of epic battles have worked for some authors of old. Pages upon pages of detailed battle descriptions. Or several chapters of one hero overcoming constant new hurdles.

Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom series, widely known as the John Carter of Mars Chronicles is an example where action has all but overtaken the story. While the first book "A Princess of Mars" has loads of action, there are so many descriptions of the people of Mars and the relationships John Carter forges that the book is highly entertaining in the adventurous aspect and also in the story telling aspect. In the third book "The Warlord of Mars" John Carter spends 90% of his time fighting something, clawing his way out of prison cells, or finding his way into forbidden places. This book is completely choked out with action. Each time you hope that the story will now be driven forward, Edgar Rice Burroughs simply adds another foe to overcome. Reading the book becomes tedious because there is literally nothing happening. All the while John Carter is hacking and slashing his way across Mars, but that's it. The final payoff for reading through all this fighting is one or two pages of denouement in the end. (There are more books in the series. I gave up after the third because all that action writing was too boring for me.)

As you write your action adventure, don't forget the adventure. Action is good and needed, but without an adventure, without people along the way, without even the faintest hint of a plot, it's just not going to keep modern audiences interested long enough. I like a good action scene as much as the next person, but is has to do more than glorify the hero. The action scene has to have a payoff for the story.



Editor's Picks

 
Image Protector
STATIC
Last Minute Again UFO Open in new Window. (E)
The cost of a space trip.
#1958674 by Jatog the Green Author IconMail Icon

Image Protector
STATIC
A Healing Day for Rhea Open in new Window. (ASR)
Rhea's daughter, Miranda, is united with her healing horse.
#1950149 by Maryann Author IconMail Icon

Image Protector
STATIC
She Sells Pond's by Olympus Mons Open in new Window. (13+)
Some women go to Mars.
#1830112 by Teargen Author IconMail Icon

Image Protector
STATIC
A Dreamer's Web Open in new Window. (13+)
What kinds of things are you catching in your net?
#1468656 by Dave's trying to catch up Author IconMail Icon

 
Image Protector
STATIC
Fire and Ice Open in new Window. (E)
A lofty goal of warming up is achieved in verse.
#2090262 by Sourdough Author IconMail Icon

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#2080186 by Not Available.

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#2090650 by Not Available.

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#2075667 by Not Available.

 
Image Protector
FOLDER
Shadows in Time Open in new Window. (E)
Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.
#2066402 by Max Griffin 🏳️‍🌈 Author IconMail Icon

 Invalid Item Open in new Window.
This item number is not valid.
#1998040 by Not Available.

 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Word from Writing.Com

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: B000FC0SIM
Amazon's Price: $ 12.99


Ask & Answer

For my last Action/Adventure Newsletter "Plot Versus Story" Open in new Window., I got the following replies:

brom21 Author Icon wrote: Thank you for the enlightening newsletter. I'm working on a story where I am trying to balance out my premise. My protagonist goes through many side adventures that I just connect together. I feel that some of my occurrences need explaining but I'll see when I finish it and edit it. I truly thank you or this piece of knowledge. I will use it.

I am glad I was able to help. I hope today's newsletter, which builds on the same topic is useful to you also.

Monty Author Icon wrote: I am an then and plot too, what ever I am thinking or perhaps not thinking.
I thank you for the highlight of my Action poem.

Some of both seems best to me too. One of them alone quickly gets boring or ends up being way too tedious to read.

*Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet* Don't Be Shy! Write Into This Newsletter! *Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet*

This form allows you to submit an item on Writing.Com and feedback, comments or questions to the Writing.Com Newsletter Editors. In some cases, due to the volume of submissions we receive, please understand that all feedback and submissions may not be responded to or listed in a newsletter. Thank you, in advance, for any feedback you can provide!
Writing.Com Item ID To Highlight (Optional):

Send a comment or question to the editor!
Limited to 2,500 characters.
Word from our sponsor
ASIN: B085272J6B
Product Type: Kindle Store
Amazon's Price: $ 9.99

Removal Instructions

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.


Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/8162-Action-versus-Adventure.html