How to write Action Scenes?

• Action is an Enthralling & Compelling Genre.
• Action scenes may be the hardest ones to write as they need to balance Pace & Punch more than any other.

Summary – 4 Steps to write Action Scenes

If you want to write a great Action Scene focus on 4 main elements:

1. The Stakes of the Scene, namely the Reward.
2. The Relationships between the Protagonist & the Antagonist.
3. How to use the Environment as a Weapon or a way out.
4. The Specificities of each Character’s Fighting Style.

• Actions Scenes should not stop the Story.
• They should Enhance the Story.

Types of Action Scenes

The 4 categories presented generally overlap & you can transition between them.

• Thwart & Rescue
• What has been Stolen?
• Who has been rapt?
• Why?
  • Fame
  • Wealth
  • Knowledge
• Who Stole it?
• Who captured her?
• Why?
  • Goal
  • Interests
• How do you get rid of this Menace?
• How do you get the object/person you’re supposed to recover/rescue?
• Which way is the shortest to get out?

• Chase & Escape
• Who chases?
• Who escapes?
• Which vehicle do they use?
  • What is the size of the vehicle?
  • What’s their weight?
  • What’s their capacity?
  • What’s their state?
• Does it have defensive capabilities?
• Does is have offensive capabilities?
• Where are we?
  • Is it clogged?
  • Is it cluttered?

• Racing & Competition
• How many contestants are there?
• Which vehicle do they use?
• What are their characteristics?
• Does everyone use the same type of vehicles?
• How is the Circuit?
• What are its peculiarities?

• Fight/Shootout/Battle Royal
• Any Action scene may be construed as a Fight.
• Fight here is synonymous to Physical Combat.
• How many participants are there?
• Which weapon do they use?
• How experienced are they?
• Where do they fight?
  • Do they know the location?
  • Is it Advantageous to them?
  • How is the field?

Choose your Weapon

• Main Criteria
• What weapon are you using?
• Is it your only Choice?
• Is there an Attachment to this weapon?
• What are the quirks of this weapon?
• What are the limits of this weapon?

• No Weapon/The Body
• Do you want to focus on the abilities of Humans?
• Do you want to focus on the limitations of the human body?
• Your Character gains Full freedom of movement.
• But, she had Limited reach & limited mean to protect herself.
• Does she wear an armor?
• Does she wear Gloves?
• Is the fighting style memorable?
• Are the techniques easily Identifiable?
• Are they easy to perform?
• Action verbs: Punch, Kick, Grab, Scratch, Clench, Hold

• Fights with white weapons:
• Why are White Weapons are mostly reserved to the most Dramatic Fights?
• Is it a Duel?
• What is the importance of the Fight?
• How is the weapon?
  • What’s its Size?
  • What’s its Weight?
  • What Distance can it reach?
  • What Moves can you make with it?
• What Poise do you need to use it?
• What Endurance do you need to use it?
• What Strength do you need?
• What Dexterity do you need?
• What Agility do you need?
• Is it a Blade weapon like a Dagger or a Sword?
• Is it a Blunt weapon like a Mace of a heavy Axe?
• Is it an Hybrid weapons like a Halberd?
• Blunt
  • Action verbs: Crush, Puncture, Burst
• Blade
  • Action verbs: Slash, Slice, Hack, Thrust, Slit

• Fights with fire weapons:
• What’s the size of the grip?
• Are you comfortable using it?
• Is it easy to conceal?
• What’s the Weight of the weapon?
• What’s its Recoil?
• What’s its Fire speed?
• How’s the magazine?
• Which Distance can it reach?
• What’s the Projectile type?
• What’s its Precision level?
• What’s the Marksmanship level of the Gunner?
• Is it safe to use this Fire weapon?
  • Thumb Safeties
  • Grip Safeties
  • Trigger Safeties
• Does it malfunction?
• Who has used it?
• How is the exterior of the Gun?
• Is it high-maintenance?
• Action verbs: Aim, Shoot, Pepper, Reload, Fire, Fling, Propel, Emit, Burn, Open Fire, Blow, Zap

• Fights with Vehicles
• Is the Vehicle Damaged?
• Is the tank Leaking?
• Does it have enough Fuel?
• Does everyone use the same type of vehicles?
• What differences are there between the vehicles?
• Does it have defensive capabilities?
• Does it have offensive capabilities?
• What is the vehicle’s propulsion mean?
• What’s its gas mileage?
• How does it motor convert Energy?
• Is it fuel-efficient?
• What are its Thermodynamic characteristics?
• What are its Electromagnetic pattern?
• Action verbs: Reach, Collide, Wallop, Smite, Swat, Crash, Clash, Bang, Touch

• Fights with Spells
• What is the Element?
• What is the Color of the Spell?
• What’s its Shape?
• How does it behave?
  • Does go in a straight line?
  • Does it rotate around the target?
  • Does it follow the target?
• What is the use of the Spell?
• Has it been deviated from the traditional use?
• What type of Energy is it?
• Who/What is Weak to this type of Spell?
• Who/What Resists to this type of Spell?
• Who/What is Immune to it?
• Can it be used in Combination with others?
• Action verbs: Dawn on, Comes to, Impinges on, Burn, Burst, Freeze, Cracks, Divides, Engulfs, Swallows, Kindle, Toast, Radiate
  • You can really use any kind of verbs when it comes to Spell as it is the most flexible category of weapon.

• Fights with Words
• Which words should you use?
• Which words disgust your opponent?
• Which words excite your opponent?
• Which words enrage your opponent?
• Which words sadden your opponent?
• How can you create more intimacy with your target?
• How can you create more distance with your target?
• How can you exhaust her?
• How can you threaten her?
• Action verbs: Situation specific
  • Focus on the Emotion the Character wishes to Convey to pick your verb.

If you want to know more about creating unique Weapons.

Violence level

• How does the Environment conveys Pain?
• How is the Atmosphere?
• What Natural Weapons are there?
• What Synergies & Paradoxes are created?
• Can the character see the threat?
• Where is it?
• Can she assess the level of menace?
• The Environment itself can become a Weapon if the Character is familiar with it.

• Is she Exhausted?
• Is your character Unable to use the weapon?
• Does she have to hinder herself to use it?
• Does she spin because the weapon is to cumbersome?
• Are the damages still miserable even if she 2-hands it?
• How does she manifest her frustration?
• Is her Body affected?
• Does she suffer from an Illness?

• Is she Overwhelmed?
• Are there too many enemies?
• Are the ennemies too powerful?
• What advantage do they have on her?
• Can she flee?

• What level of Gore does the scene contain?
• Is there Dismemberment?
• Is there Disembowelment?
• Is there Blood?
• Are there Body Destructions?
• Gore is not a necessity.
• It is merely a figure of Amplification.

• The difference between Action & Horror
• In Action the characters are often in control.
• In Horror the characters are rarely in control.
• All depends on the Crisis the Characters are supposed to Face.
• If you’re writing in a different Genre you’ll want to balance the moments of control & loss.
• A proper balance helps enhancing the phenomenon of Fatality.

If you want to know more about Conflicts.

Action & Development

• Who do the Characters Fight?
• Why do they fight this Individual/Organization?
• What are the Stakes?
• What are the possible Outcomes?
• Which Outcome is most relevant to the Characters’ evolution?
• Which kind of Evolution?

• How does this fight indicate the Story’s advancement?
• What is the tempo of the Fight?
• How far are we in the Story?
• In which environment are we fighting?
• How does this relate to the Stakeholders?
• How is the Conflict displayed?
• Is it Ascending?
• Is it displaying the World’s evolution?
• How detailed is the Setting presentation?
• How does the Setting serve the Fight?

• How is it integrated into the Story?
• What happens before the Fight?
• Where are the Characters before the Fight?
• What happens after the Fight?
• Where are the Characters after the Fight?

If you want to know more about Character Development.

Writing through her Eyes

• Should you write at the 1st person?
• Who’s Point Of View is it?
• Does your fight needs More Dialogues?
• Does it need Less description?
• Keep Phrases Short.
• Write only the Action Verb.

• Why write at the 1st person?
• Using the 3rd allows you to display the publics reaction to a fight.
• 3rd person also allows you to go for a global description of the scene.
• 3rd person Objectifies.
• Do you need objectivity?
• Or do you need Intensity?
• Do you need Brutality?

• What relationship do you want to create between the Character & the Public?
• Do you want to distance the Character from the Public?
  • If so, you could always write from an exterior Point of View.
  • Here, you would barely display the Characters thoughts.
• Do you want the Public to impersonate the Character?
• Do you want her to approve the Character’s perspective?
• Do you want to create a Contrast between the Public’s perspective & the Character’s?
• Do you want to create a Synergy between the Public’s perspective & the Character’s?
• Do you want to create a Paradox between the Public’s perspective & the Character’s?

If you want to know more about understanding your Character.