Writing the fight scene

Writing fight scenes is a really hard thing to do, especially if, like me, you have no idea how to actually fight. I'm an author - I have a way with words, but not fists. It'll be written way too many fight scenes, though, as when I was a teen filled with violent raging hormones, I quite liked action shows. I wouldn't ever hurt someone in real life - id rather do it in fictional worlds - then I can have power over their character arc... I'm going off track.

First, we need to understand the basic three parts of a fight scene. The three parts of the fight scene are:

1. Pre-fight

2. Fighting

3. Post fight

Pre-fight

The pre-fight scene is before the fight scene - this is the "build-up" or the hill before the drop on a roller coaster. For the build-up, there is an expectation of why there is a fight scene.

A few questions I can recommend asking yourself comes in the form of the "What and Why" rule.

• What are they fighting for, and what is the point?

• What takes are set up? For example, is this the final battle?

• What part of the plot is leading to this point?

• What subplot is causing these to fight and why?

These questions make sure that you are able to make your fight scenes have a point. The biggest fight scene pitfall I see authors, (and I have done it), is to create fight scenes that are written amazingly but feel hollow - in the sense that they don't have a point. A point helps set up the emotional element of the fight scene. You can't have a drop on a roller coaster without a build-up - there is no height to drop from.

You need a height to drop from if you want an effective fight scene. Give stakes to your battles. For example, is the character needing to kill the royal for power? WIll it help their motivations previously established? Will it help the character destroy their worst enemy?

The best way to think of this is that either there needs to be a reveal, a dialogue thing that engages the fight, that makes it clear to the reader that there is a fight coming. think of it as a signpost that something needs to be resolved and the best way is through conflict. Conflict in the pre-fight stage is best resolved very simply: by either arguments or aggressive starters or a shocking event. Think how your character would react to a situation and then proceed accordingly. For example, if your character is sarcastic like Erica in my WIP - then it stands to reason they would use sarcastic remarks.

to either respond to or integrate conflict. This is really important. Realising how the fight scene is instigated and why it is happening are two instrumental parts.

Fighting

For this part, it's important to draw a line between the different types of conflict. I have created a graphic below for you, thank me later. I care about your writing and making it as good as it can be.

As you can see from the graphic, here are two types of fight scenes. These fight scenes have different purposes depending on how “high” your “drop” on your “rollercoaster” actually is. depending on the tension - and both can create a tense effect - but it's important to know when to use each.

Fight scenes of the verbal variety need to be used sparingly, generally coupled with short, sharp, quips or aggressive statements. think as an argument. depending on the fight scene, this may be interspersed between kicks and punches or not. For these types of scenes to work they need to be short, sharp and to the point. This isn't the place for wonderful prose and metaphors. Whilst that is great, this is intense and generally is worse set up. Normally, what I end up seeing is that verbal conflicts are set up without stakes. You, as the author, if going down this route, need to make sure t doesn't turn into a “he said, they said, she said” ordeal. This is where knowing how to convey your information and tell your reader that conflict is coming is important. This shouldn't be done with a massive signpost the size of Piccadilly circus’ billboards, something along the lines of “and the conflict started '' won't suffice.

There needs to be a specific type of understanding that there will be a fight. For example:

“You’re really going to try and kill me?” character A, laughs.

“Yep. you’re going down.”

Character A withdraws their weapon, sweat drowning their brow.

whether this is a good example is beside the point. This might be a more anime style opening to a fight, but it works. Whether it works well is another question. But the main takeaway is to create a fight scene.

Once you've created the fight scene

Now, onto fighting.

The best way I see doing fight scenes is asking a few building questions - something I'll write another blog about. Some questions you should ask yourself during the fighting scene writing process is simple:

• how do they fight?

• how damaging is the fight?

• What is the fight scene going to lead to?

Fighting styles are as unique as personalities. every single person will have a different way of fighting. it will have a way to destroy their enemies. For example, Erica in my work has a sarcastic streak and uses weaponry with her scythes. I find writing fantasy with the fighting is easier - magic allows each character to have a different way of fighting with the different abilities the magic provides. This comes with its own problems, of course. For right now, those problems don't matter.

make sure that if you're going to fatally wound your character, you realise they are fatally wounded and don't make them walk perfectly defined - unless they have a healing quirk or ability. Basically, understanding chronological events.

After the fight scene

After the fight scene and the amazingly cool movie-like movies, you've written down. make sure that the fight scenes' purpose leads onto the next scene. Think of it as a train - make sure it doesn't skip stations. Make sure that the world isn't the same after the fight, especially for your character.

There need to be tangible effects; even in the environment. make the fight leave scars on the environment. Show the scars and then reference it in later scenes - if it's an occurring location. Showcase the change and the effects of the fighting on both character relationships and the world. Everything people do affects the world in some way (just look at climate change for instance - although big corporations have a large role to play there). Show this in your work.