Actions are the primary determiners that move a plot forward, and yet, as a fully physical experience, it can be difficult to articulate actions in words. Each of us has our own means of describing actions in our heads, and while authors have slowly built a language around these motions over centuries, we too do not want to rely upon cliché to fill in our stories. In hopes of remedying this, we’ve put together 10 pieces of advice for action writing so that your prose is easily understood by readers:

When in Doubt, Overwrite

If you’re planning on utilizing independent editorial services, it’s a lot easier for a copyeditor and proofreader to help you pare down existing, over-described action than it is for them to fill in your world. The reality is they just don’t know it like you do!

Places Actions in Space and Time

Jason walked over to his computer and booted it up to start the day.

Seems simple enough. We all know what walking, computers and booting one up looks like. Clear picture for your readers, right? Well, mostly. One question: where is that computer? It could be in an office, living room, dark bedroom, or just about anywhere. It gives context to not only the location but the frame of mind of our character as well.

Mix Action with Dialogue

A long line of action can be thrilling and fast-paced, but that is only true when the vast majority of action in your novel takes place with more nuanced pacing. If everything is fast-paced, then nothing is. One great way of building in pacing is by mixing your action with dialogue or character thoughts when writing in third person limited. Quick actions can still feel tense and exciting when interspersed with high-intensity dialogue while still giving you room to increase your speed in your climax.

Write a Full Visual, Not Individual Actions

Which would you rather read?

Ezra walked South on Madison. She turned East at Washington. Then she went south again on Jerome, realizing she hadn’t quite made it far enough. Finally, she arrived at the coffee shop.

or

Ezra zig-zagged through the city streets, taking many turns to find the coffee shop. She wasn’t quite as familiar with the area as she had initially estimated.

Unless you’re intentionally trying to bog your reader down to make them feel the exhaustion of Ezra’s walk through the city for pacing purposes, it’s much more clear and less taxing to give readers a condensed sentence with the same sentiment. Non-essential details can slow readers down.

Give Actions Consequences

Go beyond describing something violent happening to a character. Show how it changes them. Many authors write about characters seeing stars after getting knocked upside the head, but what’s more effective is showing the distortions in their vision, difficulty balancing, and throbbing pain that radiates through their arms and shoulders. You can choose how much of this to show to give particular blows more narrative weight.

This also goes for non-violent actions. An act of love, excitement, eagerness, sloth, or self-care has its own consequences as well. Consequences will always connect with readers more deeply than the action itself because the same is true in our own lives.

Connect Actions with Emotions

Thoughts are tied to feelings are tied to behavior. This is never more clearly and commonly laid out in fiction than when a character is hungry. We hear their stomach growl, read them wonder when they last ate, and stumble over to the fridge. But more complex feelings also drive everyday action. Let’s say your hero is berated by someone like a mother to her, and it breaks her spirit. Don’t assume your readers know how devastating that feels. Show them in your character’s reaction to give readers an emotional experience.

Get Moving

For intricate actions you’re hoping to describe in detail, get out of your chair and take a moment to take the action yourself. Mime climbing up a ladder. Do you place your foot first or your hands? At what point does your stomach turn a little from the movement? These are the kinds of details that will ground character actions in reality and relatability for your readers.

Use Action to Reveal Character Traits

As the first of the four pillars of character building, action is a more powerful and subtle way of teaching your readers about the inner workings of your characters. For example, a list of minute actions of them double checking all their windows are closed, dryer is off, shoelaces are double-knotted, and stove is off before leaving home says more about your character’s anxiety levels than the sweat on their palms or their distracted speech.

Fewer Adverbs, More Specific Verbs

Characters don’t walk slowly. They amble. They don’t touch gently. They caress. They don’t grasp something tensely. They yank it. Specific verbs have the capability to stand on their own and immediately provide clarity for readers as they only need one word in mind while picturing the action.

Include Sensory Information

Every moment that your reader takes an action, there is a new opportunity to describe the sights, sounds, tastes, feelings, and smells that come along with it. By writing actions to engage your readers’ senses, you’re naturally highlighting that particular moment in a way they will more easily recall it due to their own sense-based memory. This is especially useful in gently foreshadowing how something mundane will come back around to be significant later in your story.

Writing action sequences can be difficult, but having great beta readers can help you identify moments that need more clarity. Then hopefully these tips can help you remedy it. If you’re still struggling with clarity, a copyeditor or book coach should be able to both identify and correct unclear actions.