When you see the word “adventure,” one of the first images that comes to mind is probably Indiana Jones. Never mind that he was a film character. The sentiment rings true, and is one of the hallmarks of the adventure fiction genre. Adventure novel manuscripts are between 65-90K words, and can appeal to both genders, though it could be argued that the genre tends to target men more than women.
Adventure novels often are quick-paced and involve a series of actions outside the usual happenings for the protagonist.
Adventure novels often are quick-paced and involve a series of actions outside the usual happenings for the protagonist. With this in mind, Dan Brown’s book, The DaVinci Code, might be an example of a great adventure novel. This book is often categorized in the mystery genre, however, which leads to the point that adventure novels often blur the lines with other genres. It might be more accurate to say that they are set in other genres, because it is the action that drives the novels and sets them into their own niche.
J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series is a notable adventure through another world, thus finding itself categorized as “fantasy adventure.” Two of the most famous adventure writers, however, are not contemporary – Daniel Defoe (Robinson Crusoe) and Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island). They wrote of the kind of adventures that began to define the genre as something that would be out of the ordinary for what readers expect from their protagonists.
When you write an adventure novel, keep the action central and quicken the pacing of the story.
When you write an adventure novel, keep the action central and quicken the pacing of the story. The adventurous sentiment should not be lost at any point, and don’t take too long a break from the action because you’ll risk losing the sense of adventure.
King is also one of my favorites; not so much for what he writes, but how he writes. He has mastered the written language. You probably won't get a chance to meet him, though. He is very reclusive. You would have better luck tracking down the band he is in and catch him at one of their gigs.
I think the genres are too limited and I'm always frustrated when I have to 'choose' a genre for my novel. It's about an abused child who is rescued by a family. Is there drama? Yes, lots of drama, especially in the beginning when the nice man is trying to help the child and she is afraid of everyone. Is there adventure? Yes, considering the child was practically held captive and is now free to experience what a child should experience. Is there love? Yes; she learns to love friends and family, and romance comes much later when she is older and meets a nice young man and falls in love. In face, my novel is a biofiction; it follows the young girls life from the time she is rescued to the time she becomes a big star on stage, and it spans all the genres I mentioned, and then some.
This article has opened up my horizon, it's very helpful, thank you ALC.
Great article. What a mind opener! Many thanks.
Thanks