The Writing Between The Action

~ Meg

I’ve adapted this from an earlier post I wrote on the subject because my next novel excerpt is a perfect example of how important it is to have ‘downtime’ in the story you’re writing…

Working out the issues in novel writing.

What do you think is the hardest thing for a writer to write? For many, it’s finding a way to connect the dots, or points of action in the plot. After all, your writing cannot be non-stop action. (That’s a very clumsy sentence and I apologize.) When you start writing, maybe you begin with a short story or a piece of flash fiction. Both are excellent ways to dip your toes into the pool of storytelling. However, with pieces of short fiction, you have only a small space to present your plot from inception to conclusion and that leaves no room for “downtime.” The action of the story will take place all at once. Maybe you excel at, and enjoy short story writing and you want to continue. If so, you can stop reading now!

If, however, you want to move into the world of long-form fiction, or novel writing, then you need to find a way to add and fill spaces between the action bits. You can imagine your storyline as a radio wave, with peaks and valleys rising and falling as each conflict presents itself and is resolved. Or as a set of stairs where the action climbs then levels off, then builds again and finally reaches the top floor or conclusion.

A story has two basic engines that drive it along: the characters and the plot. A character-driven story is one in which something about the character’s essential self, leads to a particular action or event in the story. For example, your female lead may be fiercely independent which causes her to reject help from friends or family to overcome the obstacle she is facing. Her individuality is going to greatly effect the way the action proceeds.

A plot-driven story is one in which the actions taken by the characters in a story result in a particular plot point. But in this case, the action is driving the plot, not the qualities of the character’s personality.

Independent from that, external circumstances outside the characters’ control will influence both plot and character driven stories. For example, imagine that a super storm is about to hit the East Coast of the USA, your characters are trapped in harm’s way, how will they survive? The actions they take as well as the motivations that impel them are the two aspects of spinning a tale. Tension builds as the storm approaches, but for a time, at least, there is not much going on. If you excel at writing action scenes, these downtimes between crises might prove to be daunting. What to do?

The lulls between these sequences of action are the perfect times to explore your characters’ personalities. How are they managing in the situation in which they find themselves? Are their strengths or weaknesses being revealed? What are their motivations for acting/reacting the way they do?

We’ve just seen the first of the many crises my main character Maya will face in the course of the novel, Breaking Bread. Her cafe has been vandalized and we have yet to discover why. To be realistic, there needs to be that lull in the action before the next disaster strikes.

Now is the time for meaningful dialogue among the characters. For our purposes, let’s suppose that Maya is going to shine during the crisis and not fall apart. She is one tough cookie. A little setback is not going to bring her down. Meanwhile she is facing this changing relationship with her old friend Brad. Is a romance in her future?  It’s time for their date, for lengthier conversation, for us to see them interact together for an extended period of time when everything is quiet. The way she speaks, the words she chooses, and her movements will show the reader what kind of person she is. I, the author, may include Maya’s thoughts and internal conflict by describing her facial expressions and body language. She may frown, bite her fingernails, twirl a lock of hair, rub her face, wring her hands… things like that. You will also learn some important things about Brad through their dialogue. And even though the action is at a low point, the story moves forward. You the reader, are engaged while we wait for the next disaster to hit!

With a look inside the mind of the characters, they become real, fully immersed in the story and the conflict. And without it, they remain generic and unrelatable. It’s hard to sympathize with them, to root for them to overcome their obstacles and triumph in the face of danger. By using the space between the dots, we fully develop the depth and breadth of an excellent story.

 

Published by Meg

Easily amused, never bored and constantly distracted. My creative pursuits include writing, drawing, painting and photography.

53 thoughts on “The Writing Between The Action”

  1. That what makes writers like you meg so fascinating..
    you guys have so much imagination..

    I love authors .. and how their mind works. Especially when I get lost in a novel and evolving with the characters feeling and living the story..
    and then I came back to reality in realization that it just a story/ fictional..
    the writing between the actions

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  2. Great post, Meg. I think you’re describing an interesting balance that is tricky to achieve. A sense of pacing is tough to get when we are so engrossed in the act of writing. To me, it’s one of the best things about beta readers. I like your distinction between character-driven and plot-driven stories.

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  3. Interesting. I am soon going to move on to the ‘Fiction’ part of my Masters and it’s daunting because my strength as a writer lies in non-fiction. As much as I love writing, I’ve never really wanted to “write stories” and I’m just not very good at it either. I can create characters, bring them to life and make them realistic, I can make people believe in them…that I can do…but an actual well-plotted story? Different thing altogether…

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    1. Maybe your class will help unlock that potential. With well written characters, what you need is a thread to stitch their personal stories into one broader theme… I hope you’ll enjoy this part of your course!

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      1. Thanks, Meg 🙂
        The thing is, there are so many people out there doing it so well-you included, I’ve been reading your excerpts on here-that I just don’t think I can measure up to it. And I’m fine with that 🙂
        But, we shall see what happens during my course, thanks again Meg ❤

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      1. Yeah, I think that’s true. I’m only good at certain parts of writing so it’s hard for me to think of writing a whole novel, lol.

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      3. Thank you, but I’m just being realistic, lol. I can write relationships but drama and action are really hard for me. For me it’s all downtime, lol.

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  9. Great info, as always. You’re way better than I could imagine at some of these things… action maybe? I could just sit here and write dialogue… and nothing else. I’d enjoy it… but it probably wouldn’t work. Hm… yeah, remember a long time ago we talked about collaborating? I’m guessing that’s never going to happen… I’m too much of a mess…!

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    1. Now see, I think you did a great job with Secret Admirer – the bit with the mother-in-law was a great little subplot. That’s the kind of drama you could expand upon in a longer piece. And I’d love to collaborate with you! You could write the love scenes and I’ll kill people off! 😃

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  10. Hey Meg, just read this after reading excerpt 5 and this is really useful info for me for my MA – my next TMA ( piece of work) is a stand-alone piece of fiction. It has to be 2000 words. Thanks for the tip about short pieces.
    Great advice about my understanding about what you are currently writing your novel -breaking Bread . I especially like the ‘lull’ bit you speak oof. It ignites a readers imagination and helps to involve them, right?

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  11. Pingback: Novel Excerpt (12) – Meg Sorick Writes

  12. Meg, great tips. I like the idea of “describing her facial expressions and body language”. I think the little things (which aren’t so little) help to bring the characters to life. Please enjoy your Sunday afternoon. ~ Mia

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    1. Not true. I’ve always thought you painted a magnificent scene. The characters you write are very much in their own heads. The action is often of a cerebral nature – thinking, thinking, remembering and speculating. Don’t worry you have a good grip on it.

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  14. Thank you for the advise. In my own novels, I can write action scenes that flow as smooth as jazz, but when it comes to those moments between, that’s where a lot of my writer’s block starts to come into play.

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  15. Pingback: The Writing Between The Action — Meg Sorick Writes – Writers View Of The World

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