Quick-paced, formulated fiction has a bad reputation among many writers. This story structure is highlighted by stereotypical heroes and heroines where introspection takes a back seat as events are narrated through action. The plot is the selling point, and readers are less invested in the characters. The story is entertaining but forgettable.

But the structure for the quick-paced, formulated fiction has caught on since the emergence of pulp magazines. As readers' tastes change and their attention spans get shorter, modern writers should become familiar with this structure. Fast-paced and formulated does not necessarily mean easy.

Story: During an excavation in an ancient Aztec temple, a young archaeologist discovers an ancient ring. He reads an engraved inscription on its gold band, and he is suddenly transported into ancient Mexico. The people in a small village believe that he is the “Chosen One” destined to defeat the evil high priest, Ahuatzi.

Story outline: The archeologist is reluctant but accepts the task to defeat the high priest, as it is the only way he could go back to his own time. The archeologist is told by a council of elders that he has hidden powers waiting to be unleashed, but his cynicism stifles it. At half point in the story, the villainous high priest continues to grow more powerful, and the hero’s cynicism puts him at the brink of failure.

Along the way, the hero confronts a host of minions such as impish goblins, mindless golems, and countless undead. As if these predicaments are not enough, the poor Chosen One had to watch his back for traitors in his fellowship. At the center of all his struggles is the fair granddaughter of the head village elder. The high priest has kidnapped her, and she is fated to become a sacrifice for the snake god Kukulkan. At the three-quarter point of the story, the hero discovers the villain’s weakness. He then overcomes his cynicism and awakens the hidden power that he uses to defeat the villain. The hero archaeologist saves the girl and the villagers. After getting drunk during a feast, he wakes up with a hangover on his bed in the present time.

This novel is a formulaic adventure. The generic characters are trivial, but their actions drive readers to keep turning pages. The cookie-cutter structure is made unique by how the writer creates twists and conflicts.

This type of writing must be studied by writers regardless of what genre they want to write in. Lack of originality is far from the truth when using this structure. The writer learns to become selective with what to include. Motivation is revealed through action, and action must operate under convincing intentions no matter how impossible the odds the character is facing. This is why it is even more challenging to write in a ready blueprint when it requires the doing away of introspection and working under the element of action as the driving force. Some publishers of commercial fiction have quick-paced, formulated guidelines for author submissions.