How to do a fight scene between two characters?

[junkodudeturkey835]

While my novel plan (third time doing it and last i hope) is half way done, i am thinking about the climatic fight scene between the main character and the villain. Most will tell me this isn't important yet, i agree. But i am thinking about how i should write it?

I tried writing action before in the past, but it came across as repetitive and hard to put into words for me. And this is the climax of the story. I want to make sure its memorable for the reader (i do intend to try and get it published...no matter how many times i have to redo parts to get it published).

Could someone recommend to me a novel that features a semi-aerial fight scene (with jetpacks perhaps) or one with simple sword fighting. Either one is good. I just need to learn how to write a fight scene effectively.

And this is semi-related, but if i am to write a draft of the story, is it possible i could get someone from the site (at the moment i have no one apart from my parents) to beta read it in order to give me pointers to improve? It will include this said fight scene (even if it changes, the endings of my visions for this story have always had a fight at the end).

 

[The Holy Drunk]

I'm no authority on sword play (and certainly not on jet packs though that sounds awesome!) but my suggestion is to dig up Robert E. Howard's work, namely Conan. I say this because:

1) He puts the SWORD(!!!!!) into Sword and Sorcery
2) His work was mainly short-ish fiction and very action-orientated so you get a lot of bang for your buck/reading time/whatever.
3) He does a good (good? Great!) job at ramping up tension before the blades begin to clash, which is just as important as the literal actions themselves.
4) It's Conan for god's sakes!
5) His stories are widely available on Project Gutenberg

 

[Jo Zebedee]

While my novel plan (third time doing it and last i hope) is half way done, i am thinking about the climatic fight scene between the main character and the villain. Most will tell me this isn't important yet, i agree. But i am thinking about how i should write it?

I tried writing action before in the past, but it came across as repetitive and hard to put into words for me. And this is the climax of the story. I want to make sure its memorable for the reader (i do intend to try and get it published...no matter how many times i have to redo parts to get it published).

Could someone recommend to me a novel that features a semi-aerial fight scene (with jetpacks perhaps) or one with simple sword fighting. Either one is good. I just need to learn how to write a fight scene effectively.

And this is semi-related, but if i am to write a draft of the story, is it possible i could get someone from the site (at the moment i have no one apart from my parents) to beta read it in order to give me pointers to improve? It will include this said fight scene (even if it changes, the endings of my visions for this story have always had a fight at the end).

Can't especially help with fight scenes - except to think of the character and what it means to them, but once you get to thirty posts, pop a crit up on critiques and you'll get some pointers.

Until you've written it - and edited it at least once - betas will be of limited use.

 

[junkodudeturkey835]

Can't especially help with fight scenes - except to think of the character and what it means to them, but once you get to thirty posts, pop a crit up on critiques and you'll get some pointers.

Until you've written it - and edited it at least once - betas will be of limited use.

It will be the draft after the vomit draft. The vomit one i intend to do in order to actually give the story a proper existence. Then i will build on from that and create the first draft, which then i will allow people to beta read for a while.

And hey this post helps towards the thirty post goal.

 

[alchemist]

What springs said.

Practice makes perfect. Your first draft of the fight scene will probably need to be changed many times. A couple of things to note --

You need to put some emotion into it, so it isn't just a list of actions.

Make sure their positions relative to each other make sense, and follow naturally. Some people (possibly someone here, IIRC) use toy soldiers or Lego characters to act the scene out

Avoid repetiton e.g. A punches B, B punches A, A punches B, blah blah ad nauseum. Mix it up

It's a climactic scene so you'll probably want it to wax and wane a bit. The protagonist needs to be in believable peril

Make sure the characters' capabilities are consistent with what you showed before. Don't bring in a new skill the reader hasn't seen before.

Finally, here's a book on writing fight scenes Amazon.com: Writing Fight Scenes (Writing Craft) eBook: Rayne Hall: Kindle Store It's got good reviews, but I can't vouch for it myself. The writer is very active on twitter and seems like a good egg

 

[Kissmequick]

I use (as a basis, not as an exact science!) the rule of three.

For every one sentence of actual A hit B, there should be two others to balance it out -- reaction/emotion/whatever

so -- Bob smacked Frank a good one right across the nose. Blood sprayed everywhere. Hah, got the git good and proper, Bob thought.

It's not a perfect solution, but it does help you filter out the endless "and then A kicked B right in the koalas, so B spanged him over the head with the crowbar, so A.." (which can work, but not all the time -- there's a judgement call here)

Don't make it all action. Show us why this action is important to the characters, and also the results of said action

 

[RoninJedi84]

Granted, it's much more about magic than swordplay (probably a 95/5 ratio), but The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks features a climatic battle between the Druid Allanon and the Dadga Moor (leader of the demons) atop a Roc and a giant bat (respectively).

I may be a little biased, but as far as aerial fantasy battles go, I'd definitely encourage you to check this one out.

 

[jastius]

we have done a few roleplay fight scenes in the lounge adventures... but it doesn't count towards your post total.. but if you bring your guy into the cracked pot i'll be happy to beat him up for you... (how much of him did you need back, anyways?)

 

[Mouse]

I've written aerial fight scenes between dragons, I've written sword fights, fist fights. I've never once stopped and thought about it and, apparently, I'm quite good at writing fight scenes.

So my advice would be don't think about it. Maybe that's your problem. You're over-thinking it. I'm not good at writing description, so I over-think it and worry about it and it doesn't turn out good. If I just go with the flow, it's much better. Just get yourself into your POV's head and write.

Don't read any how-to books cos then you (may) think to yourself you have to write it a certain way, when you don't.

In the words of Nike: Just do it.

edit: Thinking about it, I used to do martial arts, for years. But, a lot of clubs run free classes to give you a taste of it. Maybe pop along to one? It's easier to write about something you know how to do.

 

[jastius]

that is true, mouse.. used to belong to a fencing club at school. i learned martial arts and gymnastics at the ymca. and was playing field, floor, and ice hockey... where you basically run about chasing people with a stick first... and mind whatever you were chucking at the net second.

 

[Brian G Turner]

IMO the secret to a fight scene like this is not to treat it like an external event, but instead as an internal struggle. Your protagonist isn't fighting the antagonist just because he can: instead it is the culmination of the emotional development of the protag we've followed through the book. The antagonist represents an idealism the protagonist must overcome. The fight has to occur within the protag him/herself on some level.

 

[Boneman]

Pick up any Joe Abercrombie book, there'll be enough fight scenes to show you how it's done... but that might inhibit you (it did me!) so read as as many as you can, so it will help you develop your own style - the art of fighding widout fighding... (sorry, Bruce...) I'd forgotten Conan, thanks Holy Drunk. Especially the Gutenburg link - used it all the time on my degree, never occured to me to look for old classics, there!

 

[Colbey Frost]

Could someone recommend to me a novel that features a semi-aerial fight scene (with jetpacks perhaps) or one with simple sword fighting. Either one is good. I just need to learn how to write a fight scene effectively.

David Gemmell is my hero! The fight scenes might not be aerial, but they're damn good!

I love writing fight scenes, probably too much. Why don't you write an independent aerial fight scene, like a 1k word short story, so there's no pressure, and post it in the critiques section?

EDIT: You need 30 posts to post in the critique section, so it gives you time to knock something up for us to have a look at for you.

we have done a few roleplay fight scenes in the lounge adventures... but it doesn't count towards your post total.. but if you bring your guy into the cracked pot i'll be happy to beat him up for you... (how much of him did you need back, anyways?)

Oh my god, why have I never heard of this?!

 

[Hex]

Forgive me for this, but I think fight scenes are a lot like kissing scenes. If you concentrate on who did what to whom (he stuck his tongue in her mouth and wiggled it around/ he stabbed forward at Xavier's exposed neck), it's kind of pointless. It needs to be as much about reaction/ feeling as about who's doing what to whom.

My favourite fight scene is in Tithe, and one of the combatants insists on holding his sword by the blade, not the hilt. It's wonderful.

I like the idea of a vomit draft. It describes the way I write, too

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Just picked up this link from Joe Abercrombie on Twitter. His timing is impeccable:

Writing Combat In Fantasy: Top Ten Tips | Fantasy Faction

 

[RMP]

Joe Abercrombie is definitely the man for action, he writes it so well - some of the sequences in The Heroes are incredible, same goes for a ton of the First Law trilogy.

Joe aside, I'd agree with whoever said Gemmel up there somewhere, for sure, and also Bernard Cornwall, he's got a knack for making huge battles feel up close and personal.

 

[DaCosta]

Once you're in the fight, quicken the pace. Don't bog it down with needless description or have a character blithering about the past. Your main goal should be to keep that pace galloping along. You want your reader completely immersed in the action. You want their heart racing. Think of a car chase. Keep it moving, keep it fluid, always moving forward, building on each sentence so the reader can barely take a breath.

 

[prizzley]

Choreograph the fight - it doesn't need to be detailed, just so you know where both characters are all the time. Then you can explain their moves/movements so the reader gets it.

 

[stephen.samuels]

Hello

I tend to use these points for writing a fight:


1. Less is more = a fight should be relatively short, if it is singular. Fights can be boring if they take too long. Also in reality, a fight should not take too long. If you look at Man of Steel for example the fights were endless, as a result, each punch had no gravity to it. Make it short sharp and to the point.

2. Different characters fight differently - just because A hits B, does not necessarily mean B will hit A. He could hide, laugh, be unmoved and so on.. Think about how your characters would react and not perhaps how you would like them to.

3. Consider the environment - There should be some sort of impact on the environment. Be it physical, (things are breaking, shattering and so forth) to the child watching on looked terrified.



so...........

"Tallinn had never been so cold and even though he was running faster than he ever had, it did nothing to warm his blood. Why couldn't he hear him? Where was he? He spun on his heel, feeling his feet get trapped in the snow. His eyes adjusted to the black and there were two great yellow eyes looking at him. He still couldn't hear him, why couldn't he hear him?

Lunging forward he fell on to nothing and then a giant claw slashed him straight across his back. He felt the blood squirt out of him and tears filled his eyes. But Tallinn wanted to survive, he wanted to fight. He caught hold of himself, tensed his body and struck out with twisting heel.

He felt his heel strike something, fur and he could feel blood gushing from him. Something heavy struck him down and kept him pinned to the red snow. He looked up at Herath, prince of the night."


Hope this helps. The prose is only scribble.

 

[junkodudeturkey835]

Forgive me for this, but I think fight scenes are a lot like kissing scenes. If you concentrate on who did what to whom (he stuck his tongue in her mouth and wiggled it around/ he stabbed forward at Xavier's exposed neck), it's kind of pointless. It needs to be as much about reaction/ feeling as about who's doing what to whom.

My favourite fight scene is in Tithe, and one of the combatants insists on holding his sword by the blade, not the hilt. It's wonderful.

I like the idea of a vomit draft. It describes the way I write, too

Elaborate on how you do it, perhaps i might get some interesting advice for it once i set out to do it.

I am probably not going to ever write again until next year...unless i feel happier at some point perhaps.