286 River Labyrinth

Molecules and Metaphor:

Betsy James
On Writing and Teaching Speculative Fiction

On “Action”

I agree with a directive from MacArthur Grant-winning novelist Gish Jen: “Let your characters be people who express themselves in action.”

By “action” I do not necessarily mean explosions, guns, knives, fists, broken longneck beer bottles, yelling, falling from great heights, car chases, zombie invasions, planetary collisions, or anything else the intent of which is to grab the reader’s attention, make them flinch or, um, disguise the fact that the writer isn’t sure what else to do. (Been there, done that, been called on it.)

A movie is good in reverse proportion to the number of helicopter crashes.

Action can be as subtle as a glance that Shows, rather than Tells, that the character is uneasy. It can be a change of seats, a sip from a cup, a trip outside to look at a dandelion, a change in breathing. How would you behave, physically/emotionally/sensually, in the situation you are working to bring alive in words?

“Use action” guides the writer in Showing—physically feeling and doing. “Use action” is intended to prevent Telling—up-in-the-head thinkyness, abstractions, and talking about in writing. This is accomplished by you, the writer, staying—in imagination—in your sensual-sensory body.

The injunction that characters should express themselves in action is a writerly reminder as basic as, “When you have your first draft, go back and make sure you have used all five senses.”

Betsy James is the author-illustrator of more than twenty books. Her novel, Roadsouls, was finalist for the 2017 World Fantasy Award. She lives in Albuquerque, NM, where she writes, paints, teaches, and hikes in the wilderness. Her latest fantasy, Practicing to Be Lightning, is available from SFWP Press. Find her at www.betsyjames.com