Do you know what doesn’t make for good action sequences? Granted, the sum total of my credentials on this are that I enjoy writing action sequences and making them as original as possible. To begin, start by ruling out a few options. It’s worked for me.
Quick note of terms. I like working in ‘near real’ action. Since it’s fantasy adventure it’s not going to be exactly like a real fight. ‘Near real’ means that the fights will be affected by psychology, the environmental considerations, position, tactics, and exhaustion. All sides are limited by their methods and don’t suddenly develop new skills they would not reasonably be expected to possess because they need them to not be dead. The participants will be fighting to win and not to pose or banter. In short, as close to a real fight as it gets with trolls and dragons wandering the countryside.
First thing to note is that in any action adventure, initially the bad guy can win. They are not flaming incompetents and should not be written that way. Nor will there be Swords of Deus Ex Machina floating about on a world waiting to be found so that an enemy can be struck down by one glorious but obvious plot device. It may read well in a Hero’s Journey plot line but if you’re trying for ‘near real’ action that is not going to fly.
Antagonists are not a threat because they mull about being antagonistic and wearing bad fashions. The villains, whoever or whatever they may be, will be perfectly capable of causing whatever calamity they set out to cause or there will be no real menace to them. If an antagonist and whatever minions accompany them were incapable, incompetent, or inept, could they threaten invasions, destruction, or mayhem on any real scale? You have to show that, or again, no real sense of stakes. Give it some thought when you create them, and that means their methods and motivations too.
The hero should not be almighty. Fights take effort or the action sequences will suffer. Granted, if they are exceptional people and meet a gaggle of low level minions, it’s going to be a short fight, but that bit of fun is not something for a finale. If they outclass their enemies it will show. On the flip side, if the antagonist runs into the hero and outclasses them, the opposite will be true. The protagonist will escape, get caught, or be forced into something nasty by the winner to get out of it alive if they don’t simply die outright. Antagonists do not suddenly become losers on contact with the protagonist.
Embracing the concept above has the happy effect of creating more options for fight sequences. Heroes will do more than win or lose because fights are chaos. The best laid plans go awry. They’ll have to improvise ways to defeat opponents. Stalemates occur and can be used as specific purpose tension builders when something else peripheral to the fight cannot be stopped. Escapes may be necessary which result in chase opportunities. Psychology will come into play and cause drama. And most of all, if they win in spite of all the trouble, they look like real heroes.
Are you thinking of a prophesy plot line? Put it down and back away slowly. They’re awful for ‘near real’ action because they make the outcome predictable. Granted, they’re fun to read in some genres but not for the purposes of action sequences.
This should get you started. I’ll opine more about action sequences in the future and talk to you again soon.