Absolute Chaos Discussion Boards

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Spammers will be banned. Repeat spammers will be fed to angry penguins.

Author Topic: Action//Adventure  (Read 2325 times)

mare

  • Banner hater
  • Queen of Fanfiction
  • Supreme Time Waster
  • *****
  • Posts: 23659
Action//Adventure
« on: August 21, 2011, 10:07:12 AM »

What makes a good action adventure story?

So many action/adventure stories can also be labeled suspense, in your mind what is the difference between the two?

Have you ever written an action adventure story and if yes do you find them harder or easier to write than any of the other genres?

If anyone tends to stay away from this particular genre, why?

Logged
Writing is something you do alone. Its a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don't want to make eye contact while doing it. ~ John Green

Carter-Orange

  • Chief of Disorder
  • ******
  • Posts: 4588
Re: Action//Adventure
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2011, 10:42:29 AM »

What makes a good action adventure story?
When I read an action/adventure story I like it to have an interesting plot with plenty of tricky situations for the characters to get out of.

So many action/adventure stories can also be labeled suspense, in your mind what is the difference between the two?
I suppose there are similarities but I think suspense is more that it's unknown and keeps you on the edge of your seat guessing, whereas action/adventure focuses on what you can actually see.  Not sure I'm giving a very good explanation, but I know what I mean, lol.

Have you ever written an action adventure story and if yes do you find them harder or easier to write than any of the other genres?
I'm currently writing an action/adventure story.  I don't find it any harder than I would romance, I just have to do a bit more research.  In fact, I'm enjoying it :)

If anyone tends to stay away from this particular genre, why?
Not applicable to me!
Logged

RokofAges75

  • Supreme Time Waster
  • *******
  • Posts: 18533
    • Dreamer's Sanctuary
Re: Action//Adventure
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2011, 11:30:52 AM »

What makes a good action/adventure story?
A good action/adventure story requires lots of... well, action!  And adventure! LOL.  No matter how long it is, it should move at a quick pace and be filled with exciting sequences and dangerous situations.

So many action/adventure stories can also be labeled suspense, in your mind what is the difference between the two?
There's often an overlap between these genres, but action/adventure is usually fast-paced, whereas suspense can be slower-paced, in order to build the suspense more.  I like how Steph answered this question, also:  suspense tends to be more mysterious; the villain may be unknown for most of the story, whereas in action/adventure, the villain is usually known, whether it's a person or the elements.

Have you ever written an action adventure story and if yes do you find them harder or easier to write than any of the other genres?
Yes, I have, and no, I wouldn't say it's harder than any other genre, but like all genres, it has its set of challenges.  One challenge with action/adventure is thinking up dangerous situations to put the characters in and then finding a way for them to get out again.  Another is writing with just enough detail so that the readers can picture what's happening like a movie in their mind, but not so much that the details slow down a scene that's meant to be fast-paced and exciting.  I tend to write with a lot of description and dialogue, but in this genre, I have to use less of that and write more action.

If anyone tends to stay away from this particular genre, why?
Not me; I love action/adventure!
Logged
~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

balance

  • Innocent Bystander
  • **
  • Posts: 77
Re: Action//Adventure
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2011, 01:42:44 PM »

What makes a good action adventure story?
I pretty much agree with what's been posted.  A good action/adventure story must be fast-paced and have a lot of action.  Also, I think the character(s) must be out of their normal element in some way.... hence the adventure part.

So many action/adventure stories can also be labeled suspense, in your mind what is the difference between the two?
When I think of a story of suspense, I think of a mystery.  There's a puzzle there that makes the reader want to solve it.  Usually, when I think of action/adventure, I see the characters trying to get from Point A to Point B but there's someone or somthing trying to prevent this. Again, there's not much more I can add since I think it's already been said.
Logged
Pammy Whammy

mare

  • Banner hater
  • Queen of Fanfiction
  • Supreme Time Waster
  • *****
  • Posts: 23659
Re: Action//Adventure
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2011, 08:33:47 PM »

What makes a good action adventure story?

Pretty much what everyone else has said so far. When I read an action/adventure story it needs to be fast paced from start to finish. The descriptions need to be very clear and concise but not too much otherwise it ruins the element of surprise that I feel really needs to be there. The dialogue really needs to serve it's purpose well. I personally enjoy a lot of dialogue in this genre, more so than others because I feel like dialogue adds that fast paced quality.  

So many action/adventure stories can also be labeled suspense, in your mind what is the difference between the two?

I really think there's a fine line between the two. I like what you said too Steph when you explained the difference between the two. For me, personally, I feel like with suspense you need all the same elements as action/adventure but you also need to include some kind of ominous prescense, whether it be a person, place or setting. With action/adventure I don't really feel like you need that. You just need some kind of situation that causes the story to move faster than your normal drama. I know what I mean in my head, I might not be explaining it correctly. LOL

I'll just say, to me most of the Suspense stories I read can also be considered action/adventure but not all action/adventures can be considered suspense.

Have you ever written an action adventure story and if yes do you find them harder or easier to write than any of the other genres?

Personally, I think this is the easiest genre for me to write. I'm not sure why, it just kind of comes naturally to me and I find when I write fast paced scenes I also find myself typing a lot faster. Does that happen to anyone else? LOL!



Logged
Writing is something you do alone. Its a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don't want to make eye contact while doing it. ~ John Green

RokofAges75

  • Supreme Time Waster
  • *******
  • Posts: 18533
    • Dreamer's Sanctuary
Re: Action//Adventure
« Reply #5 on: August 22, 2011, 08:42:24 PM »

Personally, I think this is the easiest genre for me to write. I'm not sure why, it just kind of comes naturally to me and I find when I write fast paced scenes I also find myself typing a lot faster. Does that happen to anyone else? LOL!

That happens to me, too!  That, and my heart almost starts to race, and I'm like sitting on the edge of my seat, totally focused.  I love when I can really get into scenes like that, and it tends to happen with fast, dramatic scenes.
Logged
~Julie

"Sometimes writers and sociopaths are hard to tell apart." -J.K. Rowling

Carter-Orange

  • Chief of Disorder
  • ******
  • Posts: 4588
Re: Action//Adventure
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2011, 10:00:09 AM »

I think I type faster when writing action scenes too!
Logged