A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Fast-Paced Action Scenes in Your Novel

This year, all my posts for JPC Allen Writes have been concerned with how to write a novel. I realized last month I should do a deeper dive into scenes–the building blocks of a novel. The first kind of scene I’ll cover is action scenes. I find writing action scenes one of the most difficult and rewarding scenes to write. They’re difficult because all the elements of a story–character, setting, and plot–have to be in correct balance so readers can be carried away with the action, living the scene with the POV character. It ruins the scene if the reader is racing through this exciting passage and trips over something that doesn’t work. So here is a repost of a step-by-step guide to writing fast-paced action scenes in your novel.

Analysis of an Action Scene

When I write an action scene, I want to plant my readers firmly in the head of my protagonist, Rae Riley. Here’s how I wrote the beginning of an action scene from my first YA mystery A Shadow on the Snow:

At the sidewalk, I glanced up the hill. And dropped the bags.

• Rae commits an action that immediately tells readers something surprising or shocking has occurred.

A figure, backlit by the streetlamp, stood at the corner.  

• Readers learn what has shocked Rae. Explanation is short because action scenes should read fast to build excitement. 

Spinning, I fell to my knees. I snagged the bags and, stumbling across the lot, reached the guardrail at the opposite side. 

• I use specific verbs and nouns so readers can imagine what Rae is doing and where she is. 

I scrambled over it and fell five feet down the retaining wall into the little yard behind an empty building. Panting, I raised myself into hunched stance and ran, scrambling over snow-encrusted chunks of crumbling asphalt.More specific verbs and nouns to make scene vivid.

• More specific verbs and nouns to make scene vivid.

Please, Father. It can’t end like this.

• Now readers are inside Rae’s head to know exactly how she is feeling and thinking.  

Behind the deli, I slipped, and the urn rolled out of its bag. I squinted against the flakes. No silhouette. Nobody.  

• Scene description to orient readers in the setting. Also show what Rae is doing–looking for her pursuer.

I needed to get out on Main Street and head for Mal’s office. I slapped piles of snow until my palm smacked the urn. I shoved it into a bag and ran into the alley beside the deli. A streetlight illuminated the end that came out on Main Street, welcoming me like a lighthouse.

• The first sentence is a thought. Then action and description to keep the scene moving and readers grounded in it.

Bent under the weight of my backpack, I struggled toward Main Street, gripping and regripping the sagging bags. 

• “Bent”, “struggled”, and “regripping” convey Rae’s perception of scene. 

A figure ran across the entrance to the alley. 

• Report of what Rae sees, which orients readers to where MC and pursuer are in the setting.

My throat closed as my feet froze to the icy pavement.  

• Reaction that reveals Rae’s feelings.

What … what do I do? 

• Rae’s thought, so readers are living the scene with Rae. 

Wheeling, I fell against the deli’s rough brick wall and glanced back.  

• More action, keeping it short and to the point.

Here are more tips on writing scenes for novels.

What are the best actions scenes you’ve read? What advice do you have for writing action scenes?