Writing When is it considered too much action?

[SilvCrimBlac]

For example, you are reading a story that takes place in a war right? Now, without going into the nitty-gritty details of anything, the author decides to describe one battle right? Okay. Now, in story-time, the next battle occurs within a few days and he writes that scene as well. Next, since you're at war and of course, being a soldier, you can't just run off to another adventure since you are a soldier fighting in a war...the war itself is the adventure. There are no side-arcs, no filler-arcs...you are just fighting a war, there is nowhere to go but where the army goes. Maybe you are part of a elite unit that does side missions like scouting, spying, raiding, etc., but still, the war is happening so soon enough you have to return to participate in the next battle.

So, when does the war-story become boring? When do the battles, that are normal in a war-story, become repetititve? I see often in RPG games and stories, that MC's will be at war, but then somehow the game or story will have some reason to send MC elsewhere than a battlefield to accomplish some random mission, which isn't really realistic in reality.

So, when does doing a realistic take on war suddenly get boring? When is the action and the battle scenes, too much action and too many battle scenes?

 

[Zirrboy]

When there's nothing meaningful gained or risked in that next battle.
Which ultimately shoves the problem to author creativity, but I think that's fairly accurate.

 

[T.K._Paradox]

For example, you are reading a story that takes place in a war right? Now, without going into the nitty-gritty details of anything, the author decides to describe one battle right? Okay. Now, in story-time, the next battle occurs within a few days and he writes that scene as well. Next, since you're at war and of course, being a soldier, you can't just run off to another adventure since you are a soldier fighting in a war...the war itself is the adventure. There are no side-arcs, no filler-arcs...you are just fighting a war, there is nowhere to go but where the army goes. Maybe you are part of a elite unit that does side missions like scouting, spying, raiding, etc., but still, the war is happening so soon enough you have to return to participate in the next battle.

So, when does the war-story become boring? When do the battles, that are normal in a war-story, become repetititve? I see often in RPG games and stories, that MC's will be at war, but then somehow the game or story will have some reason to send MC elsewhere than a battlefield to accomplish some random mission, which isn't really realistic in reality.

So, when does doing a realistic take on war suddenly get boring? When is the action and the battle scenes, too much action and too many battle scenes?

If you are writing about war, and are doing it properly it will never get boring.

The worst I have seen people take realism in war, is weapon the get way to in depth about modern firearms, and completely ruins the pacing. Or the author is gets overly preachy about war being bad.

 

[Underload]

Do it 3x3: 3 chapters of meaningful progression followed by three chapters of action.

 

[MissPaige36]

So, when does doing a realistic take on war suddenly get boring? When is the action and the battle scenes, too much action and too many battle scenes?

If the reason of conflict is never good enough. You can’t have “did you just finish the last milk?!” And then have the guy behead the other. To create the best of fights, you need characters introduced in the calmest of ways. But yeah, when it comes to war? Read Kingdom, that one is purely war based manga and really popular, I think it has a huge fan base so if you want to know how to not make too much action, study from it

 

[SailusGebel]

When your story starts looking like a black clover.

 

[Discount_Blade]

When your story starts looking like a black clover.

This response is intriguing...makes no sense to me and would love for you to clarify it

 

[SilvCrimBlac]

Read Kingdom, that one is purely war based manga and really popular, I think it has a huge fan base so if you want to know how to not make too much action, study from it

Thanks for this. I've heard of it but hadn't read it. Will definitely check it out.

When your story starts looking like a black clover.

Yeah I don't get it either. A Black clover? You mean the manga or something else?

 

[Discount_Blade]

If the reason of conflict is never good enough. You can’t have “did you just finish the last milk?!” And then have the guy behead the other. To create the best of fights, you need characters introduced in the calmest of ways. But yeah, when it comes to war? Read Kingdom, that one is purely war based manga and really popular, I think it has a huge fan base so if you want to know how to not make too much action, study from it

Oh yeah...the Qin Conquest one....that is now dragging on the same arc for too long. And wow...the plot has declined severely. It's good until the last arc with Win vs. Zhao.

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

That depends on how much interesting text you can make before the reader skims start skimming through just to see some battles' conclusion. If you're writing a war, humans generally need rest and provisions. Lack of either can make for some good scenes pre-action.

 

[SailusGebel]

This response is confusing....and I would love for you to clarify what you mean. I've never heard this before.

I meant that when a story starts resembling manga Black Clover, it has too much action. There were so many action scenes in Black Clover that I stopped reading it.

 

[SilvCrimBlac]

I meant that when a story starts resembling manga Black Clover, it has too much action. There were so many action scenes in Black Clover that I stopped reading it.

Too many action scenes? Doesn't sound like the norm for today's online readers. Usually its the opposite. Too much talking or details. Or too much plot. But never too much shiny lights, explosions, and fistfights. Hell, even a terrible plot without ANY details, the most jilted, lackluster dialogue and meaningless slice-of-life scenes are forgiven if the actions scenes are believed to be kick-ass with the average WN or Manga reader.

I personally blame these kinds of readers for why literature is declining, and for similar reasons, I blame these kinds of people for why gaming is declining (at least anything that isn't Souls-esque, MMO, PVP, or a mindless shooter)

 

[SailusGebel]

Too many action scenes? Doesn't sound like the norm for today's online readers. Usually its the opposite. Too much talking or details. Or too much plot. But never too much shiny lights, explosions, and fistfights. Hell, even a terrible plot without ANY details, the most jilted, lackluster dialogue and meaningless slice-of-life scenes are forgiven if the actions scenes are believed to be kick-ass with the average WN or Manga reader.

I personally blame these kinds of readers for why literature is declining, and for similar reasons, I blame these kinds of people for why gaming is declining (at least anything that isn't Souls-esque, MMO, PVP, or a mindless shooter)

It's only my opinion based on my taste. I never said anything about other readers.

 

[Ilikewaterkusa]

For example, you are reading a story that takes place in a war right? Now, without going into the nitty-gritty details of anything, the author decides to describe one battle right? Okay. Now, in story-time, the next battle occurs within a few days and he writes that scene as well. Next, since you're at war and of course, being a soldier, you can't just run off to another adventure since you are a soldier fighting in a war...the war itself is the adventure. There are no side-arcs, no filler-arcs...you are just fighting a war, there is nowhere to go but where the army goes. Maybe you are part of a elite unit that does side missions like scouting, spying, raiding, etc., but still, the war is happening so soon enough you have to return to participate in the next battle.

So, when does the war-story become boring? When do the battles, that are normal in a war-story, become repetititve? I see often in RPG games and stories, that MC's will be at war, but then somehow the game or story will have some reason to send MC elsewhere than a battlefield to accomplish some random mission, which isn't really realistic in reality.

So, when does doing a realistic take on war suddenly get boring? When is the action and the battle scenes, too much action and too many battle scenes?

There isn't

 

[SilvCrimBlac]

It's only my opinion based on my taste. I never said anything about other readers.

Didn't say you did tho?

 

[K5Rakitan]

It really depends on the reader. If you want to write a story with endless action scenes, someone will love it.

 

[EchoingRuby]

I usually skip most action scenes these days. Most authors can't bring themselves to kill off important characters, so they end up just being filler between actually impactful and interesting parts.

Of course non-impactful action scenes can be great for building character or character relationships ("I was bored so I made a secret organization" is great at that, at least for the MC), but most of the time it just feels like "I need to get a chapter out on time but I don't know where I want the plot to go yet, so take a 10-chapter fight scene and stop bothering me."

 

[MissPaige36]

@Klbch ARE YOU A TWI READER??? I RECOGNZIE THAT NAME FROM ANYWHERE

 

[Maromar]

Any time where the action gets in the way of the other elements of the story, it's all a balancing act.

Whether or not an action scene is gratuitous or not depends on how well the writer pulls it off, how many action scenes came before it, and how many plot points are being stalled for the scene. Some people will suffer a ten minute monologue on sugar caramelization delivered by Morgan Freeman because he has an entertaining voice, the same person might throw up their arms in the first 30 seconds if Ben Shapiro attempted the same.

 

[Ellen_Dunkel]

@Klbch ARE YOU A TWI READER??? I RECOGNZIE THAT NAME FROM ANYWHERE

Yes I am!