 Action/Adventure: March 15, 2006 Issue [#925] |
  Action/Adventure
This week: Edited by: Puditat  
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Life without action is static, and by necessity, it would therefore be dead. Action writing takes the normal and shares it for all to live vicriously.
Adventure is the spice: the exciting, adrenalin-pumping, thrill that makes one feel so alive. Everyone has an adventuresome spirit. Maybe dreams of excavating some long-lost treasure, visiting a new country, or trying a new flavour of potato chip.  Some of us prefer our adventures to come between the pages of a book, and many of us like to write that adventure.
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**Setting as a Character**
In this issue I would like to explore the idea that in Adventure stories, the setting is very much a character in the story. This can be true of any genre, but I think Adventure particularly lends itself to this way of adding spice, danger and depth to the story.
The easiest way to achieve this use of the setting is to personify it.
eg. The water danced in alluring ripples, calling him to her cool arms, and he shrugged off the heavy cloak of the desert eagerly.
In my example the water becomes a feminine character. Whether this new character is beneficial or dangerous, would be revealed as the story progresses.
Above all, the use of imagery must be clear, well chosen and portray the elements of the character (setting) that you wish to bring out in the story.
Here's an example:
Hanging half out of the saddle she was dragged down the length of the thicket. The hooked thorns were tipped with crimson and needle sharp. They bit into her clothing and into her flesh like myriad cats' claws. Their combined grip was irresistable and Louisa was jerked cleanly from Trueheart's back. The mare galloped on with an empty saddle, leaving Louisa dangling and struggling in the tenacious grip of the thorns.
"Blue Horizon" by Wilbur Smith
Here Louisa is trying to outrun a wounded bull elephant. The thicket suddenly becomes not only the setting in which the action takes place, but a cruel, vindictive, and more immediate enemy.
The setting in adventure is a part of the essence of the adventure. It is the place where your human - or alien, or animal - characters go through new experiences, where they face death, and conquer love or enemy.
The setting has much to lend to the adventure of your other characters. Set it up to be the hindrance, the saviour, the sanctuary, or the villain. It will enrich the action. It will also provide opportunities to enhance the tension and visual experience for the reader.
Not all of our obstacles, danger, or relief have to come through human elements. Use the setting to add a depth to adventures and not just a convenient background. But don't overuse it either; it is most effective when used to enhance a particular scene and bring it to life, or to vary the situations your character must face on their quest.
Puditat |
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 Thank you so much, everyone, for teh terrific feedback.
Yes, I to experience some deja vu, especially when it comes to reading some of the mystery books, that annoy me soo. I mean, who in the world would want to read something that boring, especially if no one here, would even dare try to do something that incredibly dumb. But that's all going to change. For I'm making a novel of my own. I've been working on this for almost two years, and I have over 1,600 pages on never-ending writing. But this summer. You'll see what kind of book this'll be. It's got all the genres that no writer would ever suspect it to have. It's got war, drama(some), action(lots of it), and anything else.
blackwriter
Best wishes for your novel. 
It's amazing how much an established author can get away with doing! I checked out a book by a well known author. I had been reading a series of theirs and this was the beginning of a different series. What I got was too many characters and a story line written in short paragraphs,or series of paragraphs, that jumped all over the place. Had I submitted such a manuscript, I would have been laughed out of the publisher's office.
Nikola~Thankful Library Lady 
Such is part of the trial with writers seeking to break into publication. It is an incredibly competitive market, and when we compare our own writing with estbalished writers, we can wonder why we haven't been 'discovered' yet. There is really no excuse for sloppy work, whether it be by an author, editor, or publisher. Pride in our work, because it is as good as we can make it, is worth something, though, don't you think?
I really hate books like that....unfortunatly in my favorite genre...Fantasy...it is all to common....I haven't found to many in Action/Adventure yet....hopefully I don't fun into to many. Thanks of for the great Article!
FantasyTeen
You're very welcome. I appreciate the feedback. 
That was great on "deja vu". Thanks for giving me some good ideas and a great outlook on writing! ~Jaoli
Jaoli~ miss you all, bye ;(
Glad it gave you something to think about.
Thanks for the newsletter on deja vu, Puditat
I've had the same thing happen to me when reading a novel. I always wonder where the editor was when they were looking over the story. It's pretty easy to do, I've caught it in my own work. 
Thanks for the newsletter on deja vu, Puditat
Leger~ 
You're not the only one to catch it in their own work, but that is why editing is so vital. Thanks for the feedback
Thank you so so much for featuring my story. I am totally honoured.
Amara Linio
You're very welcome. 
Although not guilty of repeat phrasing, I do tend to overuse certain words, as my reviews of late have attested to  .
This is a common issue, but easily resolved. It's great that your reviewers are helping you pick up on that. Believe me, you will be far more conscious of it in newer works. As your eye becomes trained to see it in your writing, the tendency to overuse words will reduce.
Thanks for the reminder to not annoy my readers by forcing them to follow the words instead of the story.
vivacious 
You're welcome!
An excellent newsletter! And I think it's good for novice writers to be reminded that even published authors sometimes write clunkers (or books that someone thinks are clunkers). People's tastes vary; what one person raves about, another detests. And that's okay. If we stay true to ourselves, use good writing skills (and don't dismiss their importance), and do the best we can, someone out there is bound to enjoy the story - and that someone, with any luck, isn't just mom.
Holly Jahangiri
So true Jessie! I think it is very encouraging to beginning or hope-to-be-published writers. And your comments about individual's tastes are also very accurate. Dozens of people probably love the book I bought. I think as writers and reviewersm, we can tend to be overly critical of our recreational reading material. I know it can take me several pages of a novel to switch off my editing brain and just enjoy the story.
Thanks for the article this week. It has me going through the story I'm currently working on, cutting away anything that I explained earlier.
Noble has the writing bug
Thank you for your feedback. I would add a caution to your actions. Some things need to be repeated, and only you, knowing the way the story will develop, can choose which things are essential. Instead of culling all repeated information, try using different phrasing to reinforce the ideas, or show the information from another character's point of view - which will then be coloured by that character's perceptions of what is happening. Hope that gives you some further ideas.
Hi, Puditat. This was yet another great NL, and I agree with you completely! I love reading novels, but as a natural editor, I often find typos and parts where things are repeated, or important scenes skimmed over, and some that need clarification. It's really surprising what some published authors get away with. It's a learning experience, though. Seeing what doesn't work in novels helps to improve your own writing.
concrete_angel
Oh! Most definitely an educational tool, and one we should most certainly use to improve our writing. It reminds me of a lady I know who self-published two books. She sold every copy of her first book (except the one she gave to me ). Her typist helped her edit it, and work out the problem areas. Her second book was typed up by someone with no attention to grammar, layout, flow, or writing conventions. The writer has sold very few of them, as she is very disappointed with it, and is not promoting the several hundred copies she has in print.
How disappointed would we be to see our writing in print, knowing it's not our best work?
Pudi,
I appreciate the fact that someone other than me finds 'shortcomings' in some of the published works by 'so-called' famous authors. I have also been led down the golden path of a story I had such hopes for, only to find myself completely dissatisfied. Good newsletter, as always,
W.D.
billwilcox
As the feedback shows, we are not alone in this annoyance. Thank you for your support, as always.
Puditat, I understand your frustration when trying to read a book by an established author and discovering that it is poor writing. I have found that to be true more and more often, even from some of my favorite authors. ~~ Viv
Vivian 
I, too, have discovered my long-time favourite authors are guilty of some poor writing. It is always disappointing, and a reminder that none of us is infallible.
I enjoyed reading about your disappointment with that book you bought. Wait a minute, that's not what I meant. I didn't enjoy your disappointment, but the way you shared it with us and what you said.
I am a big fan of repetition in writing whether it be a story, a poem, or a song, but it is definitely a skill that can be overused or misused. When done proficiently it's a sight to behold but when done carelessly, yucch!
Thomas
I agree, repetition can be done very effectively. In most cases I object to straight repetition where a thesaurus can lend additional subtle nuances to intensify a scene or give deeper insight/clues to the meaning of that information. Repetition is as valid a tool as any other writing convention. |
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