How to Write Escape Scenes
Monday, February 1
I don't know about you, but my characters always seem to get captured. Which is fine. The only problem is that you have to eventually get them out of trouble. There're three ways your characters can escape; Action, Planning, and Outside Help
Action
This type of escape scene usually happens on the spur of the moment.
The character either has a chance for escape that he can't pass up (noticing that the guard is not only fast asleep but that they also left the keys within reach), or the character is forced into action (They'll be executed in the morning.)
Either way, the character makes things up as they go along. They have next to no plan and must rely on their strength, their cunning, and dumb luck to see them through the ordeal.
Planning
In this case, the character has been meticulously planning his escape for some time. (Think The Count of Monte Cristo.)
They might have been gathering resources, possibly befriending the guards, slowly digging an escape tunnel, or mapping out their prison.
Your character has a set date on which to make their escape.
But keep in mind that NO PLAN EVER SHOULD WORK PERFECTLY.
For example; if their plan is to knock out the guard and then run out the castle via the kitchen exit, have their way stopped by someone. Have the guard wake up at the last minute and raise the alarm. Make them change directions and plans.
At this point, we start veering toward an action escape. (It's okay to mix the two together.)
Outside Help
This technically should fall under planning, but I think it's noteworthy enough for its own blurb.
In this scenario, the character has somehow made contact with someone outside the prison. They agree to help him get out. The two plan together and set a date. This plan of course, is thwarted at the last minute.
There can also be outside help without the rescuer and prisoner ever meeting. Someone could just show up and rescue them.
But this form of escape desperately needs a motive.
Why do they help them out? Are they a friend of the family? Do they rescue them because they're the heir to the throne? What does the rescuer get out of it?
Picture by darkness-in-the-lens.deviantart.com
8 comment(s):
I have an escape scene coming up in my story; it's an "action" escape, but I'm afraid I've made it too easy for the guy who's escaping. :P
my character is just a small child escaping to ind his father and the escape I've made seems unrealistic, is that a bad thing?
Thanks that was helpful! :-)
I am writing an escape story in school.
Thank you! This was very helpful for my escape scene, a young girl worked like a slave imprisoned after angering her mistress. :)
It is very difficult to understand sometimes that what a writer really wants to tell. It is very necessary to keep actions and words in our mind for the good piece for homework essay writer so that we may get desired result. A writer is sometime appears to be a very complicated person too and some may fails to understand what he wants to ask or delivered through his piece of writing.
My main character and her boyfriend where kidnapped he is been posined and thought to have died but he is still alive and has gone out but my main character is still there and her boyfriend is going to come and free her but I am trying to figure out how they get out together without the villains knowing he is alive the villains are made to believe he is a goust and they are in a old fort or castle and it is set in medieval time
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