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Edit Note: I'm really amazed by how much love this post got. Guess it just shows we're all in the same boat. Never give up writing! ❤️

Edit Note 2: I can't believe this has reached 3000 notes. Been on tumblr for almost ten years (different account) and nothing like this has ever happened before. Thank you! 😊

surqrised

“People go but how they left always stays.”

— Rupi Kaur

writerthreads

How to write a gripping fight scene

By Writerthreads on Instagram

Context

Provide the readers with preliminary details about the basics:

When is the fight? Where is the fight? Who are the characters involved in it?

Before you write the scene, it would be helpful to pre-plan the events and know the basic "itinerary" of the fight. This could be how it was initiated, which characters fight each other and how, and the way the fight ends.

Identify the backstory

The key to how to write a fight scene or battle scene is Goal, Motivation and Conflict (GMC).

Ask yourself:

Why is this fight or battle taking place? (This supplies motivations, what each fighter or army has to gain or lose)

What each party wants (the goals). Goals may differ for the same conflict. One soldier may want to prove themselves worthy of promotion, for example. Another may just want to survive to see family or a lover back home. In a battle scene, what does the unit want, versus the individual?

What are the potential conflicts in the scene? For example, an argument might break out within ranks, or a sadistic leader might find themselves without aid at the peak of battle because their troops secretly despise them. A single, larger conflict could have smaller, breakaway conflicts that add further, lesser tensions to an already dramatic scene.

(From NowNovel)

Use characterisation in action

A fight scene can seem long and boring. To spice things up, you can provide readers with a bit more insight to the character as they fight.

Why does the character make the choices that they make in the fight?

How does each choice reinforce their characterization?

How does each choice impact their internal and/ or external goals?

Is this conflict getting the character closer or further away from their goals? How?

What are the stakes for each character? What do they stand to win? What will they lose?

What type of fighter is the character? What are their physical or mental abilities? (Remember that not every protagonist will be a trained assassin, so they’re prone to make sloppy mistakes during a fight.)

Use the fight scene to reveal necessary information about the characters. Be sure to give the reader a glimpse into the character’s soul and not just into their fighting skills.

(From NYBookEditors)

Use all the senses

To make the scene truly gripping, you have to make it visceral. Hit the readers with all the senses other than just sight. Sounds and textiles are particularly helpful and make the scene much more memorable.

So, next time you want to write one person's sword hitting another, you can describe the clang of the two steel pieces hitting each other, the smell of fresh blood in the air, and how heavy the sword welder's arm feels after parrying for ages.

Know the limits of each weapon and magic (if applicable)

Before you start writing, do some research about the "code of conduct" fighters in your time period had and how the weapons work. If you're very dedicated, you could try some classes in martial arts or fencing to get a rough idea of what the specific fight scene should feel like.

The ending

Let the readers know what the results of the fight are. Did one side clearly win? Were the results unclear (not in the sense of bad writing but of a draw-like scenario), or was it a Pyrrhic victory that incurred so much loss that it wasn't worth it?

One pet peeve of mine is a fight that ends when a Super Boss Weapon is revealed and ends the fight immediately. It's a quick way to finish the scene with no hassle, but in my opinion, it seems lazy and makes me wonder why the Super Boss Weapon wasn't used in the beginning. Unless it's justified, eg. the Super Boss Weapon had to be charged up, I get very mad when it happens. (But this opinion is very personal and you can obviously ignore it!)

Conclusion and disclaimer

Hopefully these tips will help you pen the perfect fight scene! I have minimal experience in fight scenes and all the fighting I do in real life is fencing (badly).

And as always, our tips are just tips and not rules -- you obviously don't need to follow them since they're just a guide to make your writing better! Good luck in writing your fight scene! :)

Sources: NowNovel, NYBookEditors

writeness

one of the best pieces of writing advice i’ve ever gotten:

if a scene isn’t working, change the weather.

it sounds stupid, but seriously, it works. thank u to my screenwriting professor for this wisdom

thewriterswitch

wnq-writers

Let me love you in ways that make saints blush and heathens jealous.

koshercosplay

Idk why but villains with standards will always be the funniest thing to me. like you'll get someone who will take absolute pleasure in doing the most vile things but paying their minions less than minimum wage? how dare you insult their honor. there'll be a guy who just loves terrorizing people but if you say something sexist about his sidekick he'll punch you in the throat and step aside with glee to let her pummel you. villains who are like "murder is fine generally but if you're a homophobe then I'll tie you to a boulder and catapult you into the ocean". Idk there's just something innately hilarious about a villain who is very definitively bad, like extremely morally reprehensible, but like there are just certain things that even they won't stoop to, thereby implying that those who do are worse

writeness

one of the best pieces of writing advice i’ve ever gotten:

if a scene isn’t working, change the weather.

it sounds stupid, but seriously, it works. thank u to my screenwriting professor for this wisdom

markgraysn

A LOVE THAT WASN’T BUILT FOR HUMANS;

gotinstarblog-deactivated201512

half-black-phillip

I’m so mad because this worked

britney2007spears

help me roger

telanu

Reblogging myself because

Originally posted by gifs-for-the-masses

luthienebonyx

Reblogging myself because… what was that? Five minutes?

O_O

riskpig

………my friend has made me curious

maryburgers

help me roger

maryburgers

Update: after I reblogged this someone messaged me offering me tickets to the sold out Hausu screening with a Q&A and autograph session with the director