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Here’s a GREAT Way to Fix Your Scenes! #authortube #writing #writingtips #books #author

16 Aug 2026 · 1 min

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1:25

In this instructional video, the speaker presents a quick test to evaluate whether an action scene feels authentic. The test asks whether a character reacts physically (flinch, gasp, step back) or thinks through the shock when something shocking occurs. Real-life reactions are reflexive because the brain cannot process before the body moves. If a character thinks or uses words like "tried to," "attempted," or "wondered" during a high‑stakes moment, the scene likely suffers from either insufficient disruption or unnecessary internal deliberation. The speaker advises two fixes: (1) increase the intensity of the disruptive event (e.g., a bigger explosion, a physical blow, an intense emotional revelation) so that a clear, instinctive response is justified, or (2) remove the internal thinking and let the character react reflexively first, allowing thought to follow after the immediate danger subsides. The video ends with a call to subscribe and like for more writing tips.

Chapters

Here's a fast test for whether your action scene actually works. When something shocking happens to your character, do they think or do they react? Because in real life, when the chaos is big enough, you don't just think because you can't. Something explodes behind you and your body flinches before your brain has any idea what's happening. The body registers it. It does not sit there and decide what to do next. So when I read a scene where a bomb goes off and the character tried to steady herself or fought to keep her balance or wondered what had happened, I know one of two things went wrong. Either the writer pulled back from the moment or the disruption was too small to begin with. Watch for those thoughtful little words— tried to, attempted, fought to, wondered. They are the sound of a character calmly deciding, and calm is the opposite of what you want in a moment of shock. Here's the fix. If your character is able to think clearly and respond, your inciting chaos wasn't big enough. Whether it's an explosion or somebody smacking somebody in the face or somebody declaring their love. So either make the disruption bigger or cut the thinking and give the pure reflex. The gasp, the flinch, the step back before they even know why. Reflex first, thought comes later once the dust settles. Subscribe and like for more writing tips.