Actions and Responses

At the heart of every compelling story lies a series of actions and responses. These elements are not just plot points—they’re the essence of:

• character development
• conflict creation
• narrative progression

Understanding and mastering actions and responses is crucial for any writer aiming to craft engaging, believable stories.

On this page, we’ll explore how actions and responses:

• Show rather than tell
• Form the foundation of your entire story
• Help avoid unnecessary script direction while writing your screenplay.

By the end, you'll have a deeper understanding of how to use these powerful tools to elevate your storytelling.

Refresher

When I first introduced the storytelling framework WOARO (want, obstacle, action, response, outcome), I said that actions are the things a character does or says (or doesn't do or say) to get what they want.

They are active verbs that can be done to someone else (also known as transitive verbs): Tom hits Bill or Sally kisses Greg.

They can be the physical actions they take or the dialogue they say. These are both actions.

Action/Response

Actions don't stand on their own. There's always a consequence, always a response. Like want and obstacle, actions and responses are two sides of the same coin. One character's action is often the response to another character's action.

Either action or response can occur first:

• Action/Response: A character takes an action, and an internal or external force responds.
• Stimulus/Response: An internal or external force takes an action, and the character responds to it.

In real life, we often go through a sequence of actions and responses:

1. An internal or external stimulus occurs
2. It leads to an internal emotional response
3. Which prompts a thought ("How will I respond?")
4. And we choose to act (and/or vocalize) or not act at all.

In your story, you must show your characters' actions and responses at every step. The moment you stop showing action and response, you stop showing the dramatic nature of the story. This dynamic is the essence of "show, don't tell."

A note on emotions: While emotion is a response, we typically only write it when it impacts the story's direction (either the character's future actions or another character's responses).

In other mediums, like novels, you might explore internal emotions more deeply, while in screenplays, you leave this to the actor's interpretation. They'll often bring more nuance and care than we can ever write.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

❤️ The Heart of Conflict

This dynamic between action and response is the engine that makes the story work.

Characters act or respond to stimuli, leading to further actions and responses.

We never know how it will turn out, and it constantly feeds back on itself. Actions lead to unexpected responses, and responses lead to unexpected actions. Each moment interacts with every moment before and after it.

It creates uncertainty, conflict, and struggle, making stories engaging and exciting.

Action/Response as Story Beats

The interaction between an action and a response is a story beat. It is made up of a character that wants something and takes an action to get it, which leads to a response, which leads to another action.

action + response = story beat

A story beat advances when a character tries a different action to achieve something or responds differently. 

For this reason, we can apply the definition of story beats to any moment that can be plotted across a narrative. They define the shape of any sequence, act, story, or series, but for this discussion, we'll focus on their smallest form within scenes, shaped by actions and responses.

Also, don’t confuse these story beats with the ones used as an element in scripts.

Story beats within a scene

Look at these two pages from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, written by Edgar Wright & Michael Bacall and based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley.

Up to this point in the script, Scott has been trying to meet Ramona and ask her on a date. This scene is about them getting to know each other. Scott drives most of the scene, asking questions, and trying to learn about Ramona. Much of Ramona’s action is deflecting his curiosity.

Many of the beats are built around him asking a question and her countering it, before he asks another question. Each new beat is him trying a new tactic to learn about her.

On the second page, she tries to ask him a question and turn the focus to him, only for it to come back to her and him regaining control.

Each story beat is built around their intentions (discovery vs. guarded), and the actions and responses keep the story focused and moving forward.

Other ways to view story beats

Stepping Stones

Some people find it helpful to think of beats as stepping stones across a river.

For a character to get what they want in a scene, they first take Action A before it fails, so they must advance to Action B, which succeeds. But they still need to take one more action to make it across.

Game Tactics

Other people find it helpful to think of story beats as exchanges in a game, such as volleyball or chess.

You have a plan of attack, but your opponent is also responding with their own plan. So then you have to respond to that, possibly altering your plan.

But your actions also affect their plan, so they respond as well. After a few moves, your plan may change completely, and you must use a new tactic—a new step in the game.

Try/Fail Cycles

A final method that helps some people is try/fail cycles, an idea I learned from Mary Robinette Kowal.

Your character will try different actions to solve their problem but must continually fail. These fails come in two forms:

1. Yes/but - yes, the hero succeeds, but a new problem emerges.
2. No/and - no, the hero fails, and a further complication occurs.

Each of these try/fail cycles continues to progress the story forward.

The story ends when they resolve the problem with a try/success cycle. Again, it can happen in two ways:

1. Yes/and - yes, the hero succeeds, and an additional thing now happens.
2. No/but - no, the hero fails, but something positive occurs to move the story forward.

Try/fail cycles are powerful tools to adopt into your writing practice. If you apply this to what I said about WOARO, you can use it to the smallest story beat and across full narratives, whether that’s a novel, a screenplay, or a series of books or shows.

Clarity in Character Actions and Responses

In storytelling, the specific actions characters take and how they respond to situations are crucial. They serve as a window into who the characters are, how they operate, and how they grow throughout the narrative.

Actions and Responses Revealing Character

The specific actions a character takes or how they respond can reveal a lot about who they are. For example:

Two men have the same goal: to make money. 

• One works as a bank teller from 9 to 5.
• Another robs the bank.

Both aim to get money, but their very different actions reveal vastly different aspects of their characters.

Be as specific as possible

Even within a single concept, there can be a wide range of specific actions that reveal different aspects of a character.

For example, let's revisit the two men trying to earn money:

The bank teller might:

• Pick up extra shifts
• Enroll in night classes to get a high-paying position
• Start a side business

The bank robber could:

• Meticulously plan the heist for months
• Threaten staff with a weapon
• Negotiate with hostages

Each specific action reveals different things about the character's personality, skills, and approach to their goal of earning money. The teller's actions suggest ambition, long-term planning, and a willingness to work within the system, while the robber's actions indicate strategic thinking, impatience, and a willingness to use force for immediate gain.

Character Growth Through Changing Actions

How a character's actions and responses change throughout a story reflects their growth, either positively or negatively. These changes can be extreme or subtle, but they all contribute to the character's development:

1. Direction of growth: Changes in actions can be positive (e.g., reacting with empathy instead of anger) or negative (e.g., becoming more cynical in responses).
2. Pace of growth: Some characters may dramatically change their typical actions after a single event, while others might slowly modify their responses over time.
3. Consistency of growth: A character might show improved actions in some situations while regressing in others, demonstrating the complexity of personal development.
4. Catalysts for growth: Conflicts and challenges in the story can significantly influence how a character chooses to act or respond.

Let's visit our thief one final time. Perhaps he refuses to ever use a gun, but after a heist gone wrong, he picks up a weapon to escape. Maybe, even worse, he shoots our poor bank teller. Now, his story—and his character—has truly turned downward.

By focusing on how a character's actions and responses change across a scene or story, you can focus, shape, and control their growth or downfall. This allows you to create dynamic and well-crafted character arcs and provides a powerful tool for driving your narrative forward.

Putting It All Together

Actions and responses are the heart of all stories. They drive your narrative forward, reveal character depth, and create engaging conflict.

As you craft your stories, remember these key points:

• Every action needs a consequence or response
• Specificity in actions and responses defines your characters
• Evolving actions and responses show character growth
• Try/fail cycles can help structure your story beats effectively

By focusing on specific, evolving actions and responses, you can create dynamic narratives that reveal character, drive plot, and generate conflict.