Action Chains An action chain is a series of three closely related, sequential events included in one sentence.

WHY? To help the reader SEE what is happening vs being told what is happening. Good writers allow their readers to create their own images in their heads by showing vs telling what is happening in the story.

I fell down the stairs.

Let’s create an action chain… First I must ask myslef “let’s see what was the first thing that happened when I fell down the stairs? I believe it was that I caught my toe on the carpet.” So I write, ‘caught my toe’

The next thing that happened was that I fell forward. So, I write “fell forward’

Then lastly, I tumbled, so I write ‘ I tumbled down the stairs.’

Now, if I put all three actions into one sentence, I’ll have an action chain. I caught my toe in the carpet, fell forward and tumbled down the stairs. This is much more intersting than…I fell.

How else may we add more interest. Let’s look at the word ‘fell’ What other words could we have used?

Let’s try a few A) Mr. Roper sneezed. B) The baby bird flew for the first time. C) The airplane took off. D) I started to sing. E) The football player caught the ball.

Mr Roper sneezed Mr Roper trottled down the aisle full of dusty, old history books. He carefully selected a book off the shelf, wiped it clean, and let out a loud sneeze that startled the whole library. Mr. Roper was walking by a dog park, he felt a tickle in his nose remembering he was alergic to dogs. Then it happened, he sneezed the biggest snot bubble out of his small nose, as fast as a bullet.

The baby bird flew for the first time There was a little tree and on the smallest branch sat a little nest, and in the nest lay a little bird. The little bird sat there watching her mother hunt for food. The bird wanted to fly freely like her mother. It was her time, it was like a little plane on a big run way. The baby bird hopped out of the nest, feeling confident. The cold wind pushed him forward as he soared above the crisp pine trees and the clear crystal water.

The airplane took off The airplane took off, feeling excited we launchd into the air. This was my first flight and I was feeling nervous as the bumpy turbulence began. Babies were crying and the plane shook as the air masks popped down, a real trip to remember. As I breathed in the stale air, I felt the engine roar to life below me. After a few brief words from the pilot we were gone.

I started to sing As I opened my mouth I could feel my chest tighten and my palms becoming clammy as I belted out the first note. I took a deep breath then opened my mouth and finally began to sing.

The football player caught the ball The football player began to run, sprinting faster and faster, until the ball toppled into his grasp. I swung my arm back, launching the football forwards. I watched it fly through the air, as one of my teammates runs after it, jumps up, and catches it mid-air