Typically a recount or retelling of a series of exciting events leading to a high impact resolution. The most common structure is a chronological narrative. Building excitement as the hero faces and overcomes adversity is an important element, so more complex structures such as flashbacks are less common. Archetypical characters are the norm and much of the building tension comes from the reader predicting who or what represents the threat (the villain) and what is likely to go wrong for the hero.

Longer narratives build tension in waves, with one problem after another accelerating the adventure in several sections or chapters, with the high point of tension near the end.

The story can take place in any setting where there is the potential for adventure through a danger or threat.

ICT ‘adventure’ texts often employ different structures, allowing the user to select different routes through the order of events, sometimes with different resolutions that depend on the choices made by the reader.

An effective blend of action, dialogue and description develops archetypical characters who the reader will care about, at the same time as moving the plot along at an exciting pace.

Description adds to the sense of adventure by heightening the reader’s awareness, e.g. a sense of potential danger (The cliffs were high and jagged ...) or dropping clues to encourage involvement through prediction (The captain welcomed them aboard but his eyes were narrow and cruel-looking ...)

Dialogue is an element of characterisation but is used more to advance the action than to explore a character’s feelings or motivation. “What was that noise? Did you hear it too?”

Language usually has a cinematic quality, with powerful, evocative vocabulary and strong, varied verbs for action scenes. (He leaped from his horse, charged into the banquet hall and hurtled himself onto the table where the prince was devouring a chicken.)

Create characters your readers will have a strong opinion about. Make the reader like your hero so they want him/her to succeed.

Create a villain that is a good match for the hero, someone the reader definitely doesn’t want to win in the end. Don’t forget that villains we dislike most often work in subtle ways. They do sneaky, mean things that they might just get away with.

Keep the plot moving but vary the pace:

• use fast-moving action to create excitement at a high point;
• slow things down a little with description or dialogue when you want to build tension and create suspense.

Can you surprise the reader at the end? Perhaps someone who seemed insignificant saves the day and turns out to be a real hero, or perhaps a character that appeared good and helpful turns out to be two-faced.