How do *you* write a good battle scene?

[Cathbad]

I always feel inadequate when I have to write a major (mass) combat scene. So I cheat.

For instance, in my novel, Flight of the Elves, there are three major combats. When the story opens, the first is already over – for some hours. I only had to describe the aftermath. Near the end of the book, there is another major battle. Fortunately, it was better, story-wise, to only describe the way it began – especially since the outcome was a forgone conclusion (though the losing side did not know it).

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get out of detailing the battle between dragons and elves – only hope I did it well enough (Is a writer ever satisfied with his/her work?). I think my problem is I’m never certain how much focus to give each area of the combat.

 

[zmunkz]

I have the same issue. In my own battle scenes, it tends to feel like a video game scene. It is not easy to capture the mayhem and the tension, and to keep the POV at the same time.

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

I have a couple of battle scenes in my WIP, but I try to avoid getting bogged down in detail. Instead, I write it from one or two people's POV (I write mostly 1st person), emphasising the stench of blood and ruptured guts, the noise, the heat, the sweat or blood blinding my character, his/her dragging exhaustion, and above all the confusion. If I need an overview, I try to have another character watcing from a distance.

I don't mind reading battle scenes, but writing them is hard. I worry about disengaging the reader if I put too much military detail in, so I probably make the opposite mistake and leave confusing holes instead. People I know who've fought in real battles in real wars (mostly my Dad but some younger folks too) speak of fear and confusion and noise as the main things they remember, so that's what I try to recreate.

 

[zmunkz]

People I know who've fought in real battles in real wars (mostly my Dad but some younger folks too) speak of fear and confusion and noise as the main things they remember, so that's what I try to recreate.

Huh, that is very interesting, and good to know. Thanks!

 

[Brian G Turner]

Suggestion: you're not writing a battle scene, but just another character POV chapter - albeit a potentially busier one.

 

[aThenian]

I enjoy writing battle scenes. Mine are mainly sea battles. I write them OPOV which maybe helps. I'm not sure I'd like to write a battle scene from one person's perspective - it would be harder to get beyond the confusion and sensory impressions, and I like to describe the overall formations and strategy.

 

[F.J. Hansen]

I had a number of battle sequences in my last two novels. I keep sentences short and too the point and limit descriptions to what the POV character is most concerned with--like what his opponent is doing.

In my last novel, I had a huge battle with a lot going on and a lot of key characters involved (7 POV characters). Two character deaths that affected my main characters. It sort of helped that I had been seeing this battle play out in my mind over and over ever since before I had even started the book. One thing I tried to do was to layer the POV sections. While the character was doing his/her part in the battle, he/she would briefly notice somewhere in the distance something else happening.

Sometimes, especially with space battles, I will take a step back and focus on different parts of the battle for a few paragraphs.

 

[James118]

Reading some of these responses, I suspect I focus too much on the physical action, describing the act of the fighting more than the senses and feelings. I may rectify that in future, depending on what the scene requires.

So my current but flawed method would be to focus on the physical actions of the MC, and after a few moves, let it blur into into a less detailed discourse, and focus on the feeling as the physical fighting loses its novelty to the reader.

 

[ratsy]

Suggestion: you're not writing a battle scene, but just another character POV chapter - albeit a potentially busier one.

This ^

And if you really don't want to describe the battle, have your POV get separated from the action?

 

[LittleStar]

I've just gotten through drafting a battle scene a few minutes ago... I've had several of them in the series thus far. Like Brian says they are just like any other scene, just make sure you stay with character experience, rather than go for the scope of epic battle (I write in close 3rd, so can't speak for any other POV use really, maybe epic sweeping overviews are the way you want to write them)

But Every battle is epic for the one person we should be caring the most about. Maybe it's very cool to know that on the other side of the battlements some draws has single handedly lifted a catapult into a crowd of orcs at the bottom while dragons circle above him, but if our POV is got even 2-3 of his own orcs swinging swords at his his head then he's not going to care about the dragons or dwarf's strength.

Kerry gives great advice I think, focus on the speed, the sons the fear, the confusion. I know what a battle looks like, I can well imagine rank upon rank of warriors waiting for the order to charge and what not, but I have no idea about how it feels to be staring that down. Those are the details that we crave as readers I think (there woud be some to disagree with me though I'm sure).

And don't be afraid to miss things out. Not getting bogged down on the intricate details keeps pace and tension. I dont really care for the exactly how he put one foot behind the other and spun 180 while striking for the other guy's feet with his six foot oaken staff before stopping the over head swing with his iron gauntlet. I'd much refer something like, Spinning, he swiped Norman's feet from under him, and dodged back from Fred's strike. Not the best example, but you get the gist. That's my preference for fight scenes anyway.

 

[Cathbad]

I have the same issue. In my own battle scenes, it tends to feel like a video game scene. It is not easy to capture the mayhem and the tension, and to keep the POV at the same time.

My Motion Sickness won't allow me to play video games.

 

[Cathbad]

I don't mind reading battle scenes, but writing them is hard. I worry about disengaging the reader if I put too much military detail in, so I probably make the opposite mistake and leave confusing holes instead. People I know who've fought in real battles in real wars (mostly my Dad but some younger folks too) speak of fear and confusion and noise as the main things they remember, so that's what I try to recreate.

I, too, enjoy a well-written battle seen! I ws in the Army for six years, but I never saw combat.

 

[Cathbad]

Suggestion: you're not writing a battle scene, but just another character POV chapter - albeit a potentially busier one.

Good suggestion. I could have detailed the last battle from the one character who didn't want it to happen in the first place!

 

[Cathbad]

I had a number of battle sequences in my last two novels. I keep sentences short and too the point and limit descriptions to what the POV character is most concerned with--like what his opponent is doing.

In my last novel, I had a huge battle with a lot going on and a lot of key characters involved (7 POV characters). Two character deaths that affected my main characters. It sort of helped that I had been seeing this battle play out in my mind over and over ever since before I had even started the book. One thing I tried to do was to layer the POV sections. While the character was doing his/her part in the battle, he/she would briefly notice somewhere in the distance something else happening.

Sometimes, especially with space battles, I will take a step back and focus on different parts of the battle for a few paragraphs.

In the battle between dragons and elves, I tried to keep it from the POV of the dragon leader - but too much was going on. (This was virtually the climax of story.)

 

[Cathbad]

Reading some of these responses, I suspect I focus too much on the physical action, describing the act of the fighting more than the senses and feelings. I may rectify that in future, depending on what the scene requires..

This is exactly what I try to steer away from. Even though I was in the military, and played a Medieval LARP for a few years, I don't feel comfortable describing combat action.

 

[Cathbad]

And if you really don't want to describe the battle, have your POV get separated from the action?

Kinda what I did for the last "major battle", as my main "bad guy" just took himself away.

 

[Cathbad]

But Every battle is epic for the one person we should be caring the most about. Maybe it's very cool to know that on the other side of the battlements some draws has single handedly lifted a catapult into a crowd of orcs at the bottom while dragons circle above him, but if our POV is got even 2-3 of his own orcs swinging swords at his head then he's not going to care about the dragons or dwarf's strength.

Actually, you make me feel like my handling of the dragon battle was at least half good.

Not getting bogged down on the intricate details keeps pace and tension.

Good advice - Thanks!

 

[NbDawn]

I think it's perfectly okay to skim over some parts, such as what you did by describing the aftermath of one and the beginning of the other. A reader is not going to want too much detail, but they will need just enough detail to get a feel of what's going on. I like some of the comments above about focusing on the feeling of the PoV character rather than his actions, though some actions will be needed as well. And I would only focus on the important points of an ongoing battle rather than to try to describe each and every action/reaction.

 

[Cathbad]

I think it's perfectly okay to skim over some parts, such as what you did by describing the aftermath of one and the beginning of the other. A reader is not going to want too much detail, but they will need just enough detail to get a feel of what's going on. I like some of the comments above about focusing on the feeling of the PoV character rather than his actions, though some actions will be needed as well. And I would only focus on the important points of an ongoing battle rather than to try to describe each and every action/reaction.

Yes, some great advice! Thanks, everyone!

 

[Shyrka]

One trick I've seen used is to start with close POV for the beginning of the battle and then, at the start of the next chapter, have some 'historical account' of the prefacing it which describes the broad strokes of the battle and elaborates on the disposition of troops, etc. This seems to crop up a lot in Warhammer 40k books where the reader needs to know the wider context of events.