by Jennifer Brinkle

Created on: February 20, 2009

I absolutely love fight scenes.

There is nothing that gets my blood pumping more than watching or reading a good fight scene.
Whether it is a noisy gun battle, a fast paced sword fight or an old fashioned bar brawl, the fight scene can make or break your story depending on how well you are able to write it. By following a few simple tips, you can easily engage your readers and keep them coming back for more while having a little fun with your characters in the process.

1. Avoid monotony.

Fight scenes are very basic when broken down and if not treated correctly will bore your reader.
To increase the tempo of the scene use single syllable words and vary your sentence structure to create a faster rhythm.

2. Simplify but also use specific detail where necessary

There will be times in your story where technical detail is a necessity but when you are writing a fight scene it is often best to simplify the specifics and focus instead on the action.
Fight scenes are fast paced and you want to draw your reader through it quickly. While it may be important to know that your character is armed with a Glock 36 .45 Auto pistol with the tactical light 22 accessory featuring the enhanced switch function for noise sensitive areas, this is not information you need to bring up in the middle of your fight scene. However, using details specific to the fight at hand can add dimension to the scene while still keeping the action flowing. For example, instead of simply stating "she kicked him" try saying "she lashed out with her foot connecting with his unprotected knee."

3. Ground your characters in reality

One of my favorite authors is Stephen King. I absorb everything that he writes for one simple reason his characters. If you have ever read one of his short stories or novels then you will know what I am talking about when I say that his characters are real. They are people you meet on the street on a daily basis. They are your neighbor, your sister, your friend. When his characters are faced with fantastic situations they remain the people that they started out to be. They reacted to the situation they were thrown into and didn't develop skills that are out of character simply to make the plot more interesting. Unless your character can bend reality as in the movie "The Matrix" or were trained assassins with amnesia like in the movies "The Long Kiss Goodnight" or the Bourne trilogy then you have to keep your characters within character.

4. Add dialogue carefully

Chances are your characters are going to be saying a few choice words to each other while in the heat of the moment. Adding dialogue can be tricky at best and if done incorrectly can destroy your fight scene with wordy bantering.

5. Violence vs. gore

A fight scene is the epitome of violence. However, you can have a violent scene without adding on all the gore as well. Consider your audience again to determine the level of gore you wish to produce if any. If done correctly and conservatively, you can add just enough to add realism while not grossing out your fan base.

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