Writing Fight Scenes

[Blind Hemingway]

When the protagonist encounters one of the antagonists we all want the scenes to be the most memorable part of the novel, RP, video game, movie, blah blah blah.

Here's a question for ya'll. Since conflict is the key to writing any sort of story, how do ya'll like to post epic struggles?

These are three examples of what helps make an awesome fight scene.

Action-Reaction: A fight scene is always Action-Reaction. He punches, she staggers back. She kicks; he blocks and swings a fist at her. Watch out for putting your reaction before your action!

Short sentences = fast reading flow. Short sentences and phrases help make reading flow run faster; long ramblings take away from the scene! You want your reader to be skimming the page, rolling with the punches, swinging with the kicks. Fast reading pace is essential! Use only a phrase or a sentence for each move, at most two short sentences.

Be creative with your sparse prose. Since you only have a sentence or so for each move, you need to be innovative with how you describe it. Use imaginative verbs to convey more than just the action. "He crunched his fist into her face" paints a vivid picture of both the blow and the pain it causes
Most people can imagine what you've written so that you don't have to describe every nuance of motion. You don't have to describe the arc of motion, the angle of the foot, the twisting of the torso. Give your readers credit and let their imaginations fill in for you.

 

[Diana]

That's some handy tips! I've always had issues with writing out fight scenes. x___x I am not a "fighter", so it's one of those things I'm not able to draw experience from to making writing them easier. ><

 

[Anglkate]

I agree with Diana! If you've ever read any of my fight posts (the few of them) I most definitely don't follow some of those rules XD Though if you take out the scenery/feel filler i put in and just read the actual fight movements i try to be to the point, but this will help. Especially for my PM rp >3

 

[Sakura]

"he crunched his fist into her face"

gave me such a creepy feeling and made a sickening sound in my head.... :x

 

[Blind Hemingway]

Sakura-san has a good imagination.

 

[Sakura]

yeah, i guess! but that's so cool, though!

when i think of crunching, it's a neutral word, like crunching candy in your mouth or crunching leaves on the street - those are happy things! :D
but crunching a fist into someone's face~ ooh.

i want to understand all fight scenes on this deeper level! :o

 

[Seiji]

These are actually incredibly amazing writing tips for writing out a fight scene.

Long, drawn out sentences are no-nos. What ends up happening is that you cram too much info into the reader's head at once for something that is happening within the blink of an eye. What happens to me, is that I get these slow-mo fights in my head that get boring and put the fighter into pretzel shapes because you (the author) are trying to make the fight much more intricate than it has to be.

When writing a fight scene, be vague or short and punctual. Either let the reader fill in the blanks of combat on their own with fancy word-choice, or be brutal in your depiction of combat.

Ex1: Marcus ran at Lewis with his blade drawn. He struck with a simple form, Moonlight In the Water. Lewis saw the form coming--was Marcus just testing him? He answered over-aggressively with Swallows Rising. Their blades met and rang out with the sound only two sheets of steel could make.

Ex2: Marcus ran at Lewis with his blade drawn. He struck with a simple form, raising the sword in a two-handed grip over his head. Lewis saw the form coming-- was Marcus just testing him? He answered over-aggressively with an upward stroke of his blade. The two swords met and rang out with the sound only two sheets of steel could make.

Not the best of examples, but it gives you an idea of what is best for combat sequences.

 

[DOMEN]

Hmm...I suggest alliteration.
Say like in Beowolf, an actual classic epic, it uses a lot of alliteration.
for example
"The blade broke, bit into the monster's skin."
He caught him, capturing his sword, swearing to Satan he'd slay his remaining relatives if he resolved to escape.
He cried and choked out an apology, it catching in his throat. he hacked it up and cried, hating every moment of his earned harassment.
She swiveled and twisted, slashing silently at the demon, too damn swift to be seen, much less injured by his clumbsy cockeyed swings.
FFF I'm not saying that my wording is perfect- but if you read the examples- if you read words in some sort of sequence that start with the same letter or sound, even if you read it in your head you read it with a bit more urgency, dramatics, and spiked volume.

Second tip, hit were it hurts! Slashing arms and legs is all fine and dandy- but pressure points, weak spots and vital organs are exceedingly more fatal-especially if you know about anatomy and can make it that much more fun. A strong fighter and a speedy fighter are always beaten by the smart fighter.
Hit organs for long term pain, joints to imoblilize and get the upper hand, the spine and neck to disorient or paralyze, the back of the head for blindness, kidneys to piss blood, solar plexus to cause pain and make even the most muscle bound men to be winded and pass out.

third tip: BEWARE OF COMMAS.

fourth tip: BEWARE OF SWORDS. Yes, yes, Swords, nunchucks, arrows, guns- they can hurt. Whoopty do.
If you really wanna excite, look of names of weapons that you've never even fucking heard of. That or use on people what isn't meant to be used on people. Like harpoons, elephant guns, tranquilizer darts.
Also- It doesn't have to be a weapon. Other things like poisons are good at killing too.
you also got brass knuckles, chains, clubs, poles, mallets, heavy machinery like a tractor or steam roller, plastic bags over heads, killing people with their own jewelery, or with water, or with humiliation- yes- destroy their lives to the point where they want to kill themselves, then they do the work for you.
Hell, a lighter and hair spray can be fatal- INSTA-FLAMETHROWER.
Just saying that sometimes...a sword makes you wanna sigh when there are so many other neat options.

lul, there is my two cents.