Note how many characters are going to be in the fight scene, and where the fight scene is going to take place. Consider the time of day, the mindsets of the characters involved in the fight, and the stakes of the fight. Will it be a fight to the death or a fight with minor injuries?
Avoid a blow-by-blow description of each character action, as this will feel too technical and dry. The scene should feel chaotic, much like a real fight. Keep the character actions simple, clear, and to the point. [4] X Research source Avoid long sentences and don’t use adverbs or too many adjectives in the scene. This will only confuse and distract the reader. For example, short sentences like “I aimed for his nose and connected. Blood splattered on the ground” are more effective than longer, more detailed sentences such as: “I curled my hand into a fist and aimed for the front of his nose. My fist hit the bridge of his nose. His blood splattered all over the ground of the warehouse. ”
For example, your hero may be facing a challenging adversary and start to feel she is losing the fight. She may have interior character thoughts as she struggles to gain the upper hand. “She hits me again and I taste blood. Come on, Buffy, get up. Find the stake. Get up. She grabs my head, her fingers digging into my scalp, and lifts me until I’m dangling on the tips of my toes. She slams her hand into my ribs and I wince. The pain ripples across my chest. Come on, Buffy. Focus. I lock my eyes on the dead, black holes in her head and jab my palm under her chin. She reels back, releasing her grip. ”
For example: “Go now, Buffy! Save the others. ” “Are you sure, Giles?” Giles sprayed silver bullets into a wall of vampires. I watched a few slam against the concrete, splattering guts and blood. The rest of the pack moved closer. Giles glanced at me over his shoulder. “Go Buffy, now!” I run.
If your character suffers a cut or stab wound, for example, you will have to show her recovery or if you are jumping ahead in time, her scar from the wound. If a character has bruises and cuts to the face, this might limit her ability to eat or chew. If a character is in a fight for the first time, she may feel shock and anxiety from the fight. Or she may feel hardened and ready for more.
For example, you may start with a first draft a scene that has sentences like: “Buffy counted ten vamps in the room, though it was dark, so there could be more than ten. She had two stakes in either hand and two more tucked in her back pocket. And the knife strapped to her ankle, which could do some damage if needed. The vampires locked eyes on her, blood thirsty, and ready to kill. She sized up the room and her weapons. “Ready?,” she said calmly. Not waiting for an answer, she arches her arm back to throw a stake into the heart of the nearest vampire. ” Your edited version may appear as: “Ten vamps in the sealed off room. Dark in here though, so there could be more than ten. Two stakes in either of her hands, two more in her back pocket. And the knife strapped to her ankle, which could do some damage if needed. She feels their eyes on her, blood thirsty, dead, focused on their kill. “Ready?”, she says. She arches her arm back and throws a stake right into the heart of the nearest vampire. ”
The fight between Hector and Achilles in Homer’s The Iliad. The fight between Hector and Achilles has become a classic model for fight scenes in literature. [7] X Research source The fight between The Man in Black and Inigo Montoya in William Goldman’s The Princess Bride. This is a great example of a sword fight, full of action and dialogue packed with wit and humor. [8] X Research source The duel between Macbeth and Macduff in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. This pivotal fight scene has been reinterpreted as a fist fight and a gunfight in modern productions. But the original set up for the duel is a sword fight, the final showdown between the play’s protagonist MacDuff and the play’s antagonist, Macbeth. [9] X Research source The battle between Percy Jackson and Kronos in Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian. This is another great sword fight, with lots of action. The battle lasts for at least 10 chapters, and is very detailed with many fights all over the place.
A fight scene should always advance the plot of the story or reveal character. It should provide crucial information to the reader about the characters involved in the fight. In general, choose one to two example fight scenes and think about how they fit into the story as a whole. [10] X Research source How is the fight scene situated within the overall plot or story? The fight scene should fulfill the promise of your book and feel like it fits seamlessly into the action of the previous chapters. If you are writing a historical fiction novel, for example, the weapons and fighting styles of your characters should match the historical setting of the novel. For example: A samurai in feudal Japan will be taught from an early age to use multiple weapons forms. A fight scene in a fantasy book may be filled with fantastical weapons or fighting abilities. For example, the world of “Harry Potter” includes spells and magical objects. Consider how the writer builds up to the fight scene and how the weapons and fighting styles of the characters matches the tone and setting of the rest of the book.
What does this character hope to gain? What does the character stand to lose? What sort of ability does he or she have? What type of training does he or she have? Does this character have cultural beliefs about fighting? Why does the reader care about the character? How can he or she likely relate to the character?
For example, in The Princess Bride fight scene, Inigo Montoya is given snappy lines of dialogue between each swish of his rapier to vary the pace and demonstrate his character in the scene.
A fight scene may also create a conflict for your protagonist, as a close ally, friend, or family member may end up being collateral damage in the fight, motivating the protagonist to fight back.
Ask the fight instructor about common responses between fighters during a physical encounter. If you have no experience being in a fight, you will react differently from a seasoned fighter. Consider how a professional fighter might approach a fight, as they will likely be very relaxed and focused. Good fighters can see a punch or kick coming. They have had constant training and have been taught to focus on how the body moves in a fight.
