658349328743289

Chapter 12
Getting Things Done: Describing
Action and Activity
In This Chapter
▶ Revealing character through individual behaviour
▶ Creating exhilarating action scenes
▶ Doling out violence – responsibly
Descriptive writing isn’t just about observing static objects such as a still
life. You can also describe characters’ movements, actions and activities.
The more you keep people on the move, the more you can reveal about
your characters and the better you can take the story forward.
As I show in this action-packed chapter, you communicate loads about your
characters when you provide descriptions of what they do and how they
do it. I demonstrate how actions can express feelings and emotions, depict
people at work and play, and result in choices and further consequences:
the very stuff of drama. In addition, to help you when you’re writing scenes
involving a large number of people, such as battles or demonstrations, I
discuss ways of helping your readers to visualise an often confusing set of
actions and keep them engaged throughout. I also show how taking care
when picking your vocabulary allows you to add strength and specificity to
your action scenes.
Watching Characters Tackling
Everyday Tasks
People often have their own individual ways of carrying out tasks and activities.
You can reveal a great deal about your characters through the things they
do and the way they do them. In this section I cover characters mooching at