Other Types of Action

Much of what we've described for fight scenes holds good for other types of action sequence, but in the interests of providing an all-round action guide, here are a few brief notes on other types of action. (If there is a type that we don't currently cover, feel free to drop us an email and ask us to add it.)

Chase Sequences:
Nowhere is the maxim of short and snappy more applicable than in a chase sequence. Possibly, it's even more applicable than in fight scenes. By definition, a chase needs to be fast moving and tense. Will the characters escape? Will they be caught? Short sentences and fragments, carefully used, will create that tension and pacing.

Falls/Jumps:
These are a piece of action that we see abused more often than any other. We suspect this is because writers occasionally forget that they are dealing with a piece of action that is essentially very simple. As long as your action begins and ends, any and all description will add to the event. In the case of a fall or a jump, the speed/pacing is not crucial, but if you forget to say your character lands then you've abused the fall or jump.