by Elton Gahr

Created on: April 14, 2009   Last Updated: June 23, 2011

Writing action is one of the most difficult tasks for any writer and the fight scene is the most difficult type of action. There are three factors which play into this difficulty, the first is that of pacing, the second is personal experience and the third is simply making it interesting. All three can be keys to a good story though if you practice and when you have done that you will find that a good fight scene can add considerably to the book you are writing.

The issue of pacing is something that must be faced in all aspects of writing, but it becomes even more important when the action or plot is must advance quickly. Short sentences with declarative statements can help with this feeling of pace, but that becomes more difficult in the description of a fight scene. Modern movies achieve this feeling through quick cuts and shaking cameras, the writer doesn't have this, but he has things available that the filmmaker does not. The mind of the character is often the most potent way to make the reader feel involved. Allow the narrative in the characters mind to become more disjointed or slow down. Use the fluid time a writer has to create the atmosphere even before you explain the action.

Another issue many writers face is that unlike much of what we write we have little experience in fighting. This can be solved at a bar most nights of the week, but for those of us who don't enjoy drunken fist fights the options become more limited. Still, there is room to draw on your own experience. We have all had the moments of adrenalin and fear that are a huge part of the way a fight feels. Think about the car accident you had, or the moment you had horrible news or saw someone else get hurt. It is also useful to remind yourself that fighting is hard work. Be wary of allowing characters to have long fights without exhaustion.

Which leads to the most important part of a fight scene, which is making it interesting. A fight scene in a story is often the climax of the entire story or at the very least a chapter and as such it carries a great deal of weight. This makes the need to keep it interesting doubly important. The first key is to make it part of the story. If you've ever watched a Kung Fu movie you know the disconnect that can be created by a random fight. It is far worse in a book because a reader isn't as impressed by your characters skill as you are by the skill of a real actor.

Second, the character must matter to the reader and the fight must matter to the character. No fight scene will work if these two criteria don't aren't met in some way. A fight scene relies on jeopardy for the character and the feelings that ignites in the reader.

Third is the scene itself. This is where it becomes difficult. Understanding your own voice and style is vital here, but so is the ability to express large amounts of detail with small amounts of words. Use all the senses in a fight scene. Describe small details that express the bigger picture. Use expressive words. Allow the collaborative work between writer and reader to take over and make the readers imagination do as much of the work as possible.

None of this is easy and it will take considerable amounts of practice to become good at writing a fight scene but by understanding the reasons for the fight scene, the way the character would think and focusing more than normal on the way you express ideas you will be able to create fight scenes that capture the reader and move your story.

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