On Monday, I talked about some of the characteristics of what can make a good action scene.
Today I’m going to share two paragraphs from a YA novel that I think executes characteristics of an action scene really well.
These two paragraphs are from Chapter 13 of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This book is currently No.1 on the New York Times Children’s Chapter Books Bestseller list — and a mainstay on that list for a whopping 81 weeks.
For those of you who read the blog, you already know how much I think you can learn from this book craft-wise (just learning how to transition scenes is worth the price of the book).
These two paragraphs show the protagonist Katniss trying to escape a fire manufactured in the arena by the Gamemakers.
This first paragraph gives an example of how the author puts the reader right in the scene (underlined emphasis mine):
“The heat is horrible, but worse than the heat is the smoke, which threatens to suffocate me at any moment. I pull the top of my shirt up over my nose, grateful to find it soaked in sweat, and it offers a thin veil of protection. And I run, choking, my bag banging against my back, my face cut with branches that materialize from the gray haze without warning, because I know I am supposed to run.”
Right away you can feel the danger of the fire, see how Katniss reacts to protect herself. You see her in action trying to escape the fire. The author uses active verbs to show movement as well as show how Katniss has to make snap decisions to save herself.
Here’s another paragraph in the same scene that shows the protagonist Katniss in action (underlined emphasis mine):
“I hurdle over a burning log. Not high enough. The tail end of my jacket catches on fire and I have to stop to rip it from my body and stamp out the flames. But I don’t dare leave the jacket, scorched and smoldering as it is, I take the risk of shoving it in my sleeping bag, hoping the lack of air will quell what I haven’t extinguished. This is all I have, what I carry on my back, and it’s little enough to survive with.”
The author continues to use strong verbs to show movement and how frantic the situation is to escape the fire. Collins also shows how Katniss makes the decision to keep her jacket — even though it may slow her down from escaping the fire.
So those two paragraphs are just quick examples from this book. You can get the full benefit by reading the entire scene and the author has plenty more that you could study.
If you have a novel that you think has fantastic action scenes, please share.
I am working on my first MG novel and I will need exciting scenes in my story. I love the examples you have shown. Thanks for sharing this is very useful and helpful for a beginner like me.
Thanks for sharing these examples. I also like to study the writing of successful authors to see how they do what they do. In fact, just this morning I blogged about how Sarah Dessen weaves details into her scenes. Great post!
Great examples. Strong verbs that create a mental picture!
Kristi: Good luck on your MG novel. MG is my first love. Definitely look at other MGs you love and study them. They will help get your writing stronger.
Jana: Sarah Dessen does a great job of this. She also puts a lot of character motivation in her scenes as well. You really feel like you know her characters. My favorite book of hers is THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER.
Laura: Strong verbs are a MUST in an action scene. Totally agree.
Great post about one of my favourite books. Thanks for helping me think about it in a different light.
This is such a good book. To be honest I didn’t slow down long enough to observe when I read it the first time – I just enjoyed it. I’ll have to go more slowly the next time :)
Hey Andrea and Jemi: Seriously. How can you NOT love THE HUNGER GAMES. Every time I read it I get more out of it craft-wise. The first time I read it — I couldn’t put it down but now when I read it, I learn SO much from it as a writer.
It’s action and tension like your examples that makes The Hunger Games a book you can’t put down, whether you’re a writer or a reader, a tween, a teen, or an adult!
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Gail: I totally agree. Part 2 of THE HUNGER GAMES is particularly riveting when they are in the arena.
Medeia: Thanks for the recommendation. The premise of THE BLACK TATTOO sounds intriguing — demons and super-powers. Will have to add that to my leaning tower of books. And you really should pick up THE HUNGER GAMES — at least now you won’t have to wait since the last book in the trilogy comes out in August.
Great examples. One book I read that had great action scenes was The Black Tattoo by Sam Enthoven.
I’ve been meaning to read The Hunger Games. I’m sure I’ll get to it some day.
I agree with you. I have read both The Hunger Games and Catching Fire and I really like the story. I cannot wait to read how the story will unfold in the third book.
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