CREATIVE NONFICTION
Anatomy of an Adventure Tale
Outline for an essay that takes your reader on a high-risk escapade with you
When I took up writing as a creative outlet back in the day, I studied the writers I loved. In particular, I typed out long passages of their chapters and essays, so that my fingers would absorb the rhythm of their words.
One such writer was Tim Cahill, founding editor of Outside magazine and seeker of misadventure. Often, nothing terrible actually happened to him, but it only seemed like it did by the time you reached the end of the essay. Whew, what a ride!
One day I decided to analyze one of his typical narratives to see how he was able to wrench the most drama from it.
Here’s what I found:
• Start with the anecdote/observation involving the dangerous activity, say, cave-diving (the classic in media res, of course).
• Back up to give some background, hinting at what could go wrong.
• Describe a minor incident: wilder fantasies about what may go wrong.
• Provide a scattering of technical information but keep the descriptive passages geared toward the feeling evoked by the experience. The language is highly emotive as his imagination unhinges.
• Where technical exposition is appropriate, keep the sentences short and simple. Use humorous anecdotes to demonstrate technical facts.
• Digress from the personal narrative for a while to detail the tragic circumstances of others who attempted to do the same thing — their stupid mistakes, how they were lost, the hair-raising rescue, etc.
• Return to own adventure and push more deeply into the story.
• Uh-oh. There is an obstacle and a decision to be made. Describe the decision to show all that could go wrong with the choices.
• Build tension: a small mistake has already been made… what more could go wrong? What would be the consequences?
• As the adventure ends safely, another small incident again keeps up the cautionary tension, with lessons learned beyond the mere confines of the sport.
• A final insight caps off the opening observation.
Yes, that’s all there is to it. Get yourself out there. Do your research. Then let your imagination run wild.
