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Posted By: dleon May 13, 2004 - 09:16 pm

i'm having trouble figuring out how to write an exciting fight scene in my story. i can picture a vicious one on one swordfight between the hero and the villian but whenever i put the words down on paper they seem like they're bland in comparison. is there a technique to writing fight scenes that i don't know about?

Posted By: els May 20, 2004 - 02:38 pm

You might want to take a martial arts class or fencing, if you haven't already, or some other kind of combat/self defence training. If you can't do that, watch some really good fantasy or history movies with sword fights and pay close attention to what they do. Act it out if you need to and pay close attention to how your body moves, how it feels.

Do some heavy duty reading about swords and swordmaking, fighting theory (Sun Tsu's "the Art of War", Miyomoto Musashi "The Book of Five Rings," etc.)

When you have done the research, sit down and write about it. Write it from your pov, even, if you are worried about writing something that would be hard to change in your book.

Reading other people's description of sword fights can be helpful, too, but it is best to know what you are writing about from your own experience, even if it is just from studying theory.

Hope this helps

Posted By: chowder May 20, 2004 - 03:02 pm

Great ideas els!

When I went to see The Last Samurai at the theatre, I must confess there were many times I closed my eyes (I hate the blood and guts of battles). But I could still hear the 'sounds' of battle which, in turn, made me realize I'd left out the sounds from my own mini-battle scene in my book. So, missing out on the visuals really paid off.

Posted By: els May 20, 2004 - 03:32 pm

You know, describing queasiness in a battle is effective too! I'd forgotten about that, but what is the character thinking, if he is thinking, as he fights? How is he feeling inside? Not everyone who fights is completely callous to to gore, so your heroes might have some problems with the ick factor, during or after the battle.

I had my eyes shut all the way through the Braveheart battles, Chowder. Was the Last Samuri as bad as that? I want to see it, but getting sick in a movie theater isn't my idea of fun.

Posted By: chowder May 20, 2004 - 03:45 pm

els (after reading about your history of skinning animals, I've a feeling we may be acquainted from another colourful board). Anyway,

I was never brave enough to watch Braveheart but I have a feeling it may have been worse than Last Samurai (of course, how would I know, I didn't even watch the gory scenes in it!)

Posted By: els May 20, 2004 - 04:20 pm

hmmm... would said board be yellow or blue?

Posted By: chowder May 20, 2004 - 04:41 pm

T'is the yellow. Hi, els, it's Lynn. Only pop in there occasionally now.

Posted By: els May 20, 2004 - 04:58 pm

Hey Lynn! I don't check in there so often anymore, either.

Posted By: Robohare Jun 26, 2004 - 07:48 pm

i was workin on a [edit.Bmat] jurymast fer this film project in spain when my transexual sister's male friend told me about a feckin good battle scene hed read, i tell yeah it sounded mighty good. listening? blood, guts, people dying, ahhh...that's what makes life worth while.

Posted By: Talon_Sinnah Jun 30, 2004 - 07:04 am

Chaos works better than anything to bring around the feel of a battle. ( I am sure that most people are sick of hearing me use chaos as a description) I personally love writing fight scenes especially sword fighting. I got my inspiration from Highlander movies and series, and also I read plenty of Dragonlance and Sword of Truth, after a while I developed my own style of writing fights. One of my stories is posted on the site in the story forum. It is called Psychic Fire Chapter I: A Father's Dream, the chapter is basically a battle, so if you would like to read it it is there.