The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#183) -- Action vs. Dialog

Action vs. Dialogue: which do you prefer to write? Why?
(Thanks to Rachel Hunter for today's question.)

Use 'em all. Don't play favorites.

That's a lot like asking which tool do you prefer to use, a hammer or a screwdriver. The fact is, they both do different things for a story and they both have their place.

As to which is more fun to write, I have to admit that dialog flows easier for me than writing an action scene. I hear the people in my head and they speak through me to the page. On the other hand, an action scene is a dance and must be choreographed or it won't make sense. It'll seem disjointed, out of sequence, and a slip-up like that can get readers a jarring jolt to send them right out of the tale and back into reality.

The simple truth is that one does come easier for me, but neither is my favorite. I can't effectively drive nails with a screwdriver, so I have to learn how to use a hammer too.