How Do You Write Good Fight Scenes?

[Kureous]

I am comfortable and quite happy with most aspects of my story, but action scenes are the one part that feels hit or miss to me. Sometimes, I surprise myself; other times, they feel rushed and unexciting. What are some tips to improve the writing of action scenes?

 

[ArchlordZero]

From my humble experience, and some guide I read seven years ago, fight scenes are best written blow-for-blow but fast paced. A good example can be seen from James Bond novels:

"Twenty yards behind him, the man with the gun took both hands off the handlebars, lifted the luger, rested it carefully on his left forearm, and fired one shot."

You can include dialogues during the fight as well, just like most shonen anime series to increase the tension. However, the fight will be a tad bit unrealistic. I still do this nonetheless.

 

[matalayudasleazy]

Take my opinion with a grain of salt like you should to every other.

There are many ways to establish a 'Good' fight scenes, but what are they? Are they Flashy and Exciting? Quick and Badass? Gritty and Necessary? The context of who does the fight, why, where and basically all questions of 5W + 1H regarding the fight itself happens and for what purpose matters.

If a fight happens just because, e.g. Some stranger are picking out a fight in an alleyway while you're walking past the street, you bet I won't get why I should care, I'd just buzz off and not try be the next one in line for a beating.

But if it happens to someone who I've known about and it happens to some place I deemed important, e.g. My brother are fending off against someone from my school even though he's a college student, than I'd have attention piqued interest on seeing him in action and questions that pops up with it.

There's also the flow of the time that you should consider, whether it's a slog to get through or a trivial matter in a Tuesday. This matter because you're going to be bringing out their experience, their thoughts, their rationality to these fight scenes. You'd at least know there's some difference between a hooded assassin and a hooded brawler even with their identity masked, it's from the way they fight, with what they fight, how long it takes and etc.

Not sure what kind of 'Good' fight you'd want to go with, so if you may please state what kind of situation the characters are at, that'd help.

 

[ThrillingHuman]

I am comfortable and quite happy with most aspects of my story, but action scenes are the one part that feels hit or miss to me. Sometimes, I surprise myself; other times, they feel rushed and unexciting. What are some tips to improve the writing of action scenes?

View attachment 19352

Hm, I thought it was a signature.

 

[Midnight-Phantom]

idk .. i write what comes to mind .. then edit it till I got satisfied ..

 

[LunaSoltaer]

I just got done writing a fight scene, a little while ago, so I have some 2 cents to add to this:

First, OokamiKasumi has some AMAZING guides for writing Action Scenes. Go read them, but the big thing I'll draw is, just like with quotes, split each combatant's actions to their own paragraph, and KEEP STRICT CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

Other than that, right? I like to think of the following when a fight scene starts up:

Incitement - What started this fight? Why are you fighting? Did communication try to happen? (It's okay if no - it just makes things more brutal-seeming)

Stakes - What are the combatants trying to do to each other? Tag? Assert Dominance? Grab a MacGuffin? Kill? Knowing the basic win and lose cons of the fight WILL help you write it to the level of seriousness it needs. NOTE: The stakes need NOT be the same on either side. A really good example is the "I Know You're In There Somewhere Fight", where one character is trying to get their friend or loved one back from a Possession that IS trying to kill the Character outright.

Thoughts - Fighters, if they're good, are trying to fight strategically. There will be some planning, and a lot of emotions, and a general philosophy behind the choices they select in a fight, from techniques, to tactics. Dig into this. If you want your fight to feel really fast paced then maybe not, but if you can afford to immerse your reader in the mind of ONE of your characters (you could try multiple, but that's Advanced Thoughts lol), then do so.

Aftermath - What happens afterward? Who wins? Who loses? Did the fight get interrupted? If so, is the interruption entirely good? Bad? Both? Did one side get a buff? Did one side get a debuff? Are those permanent? Having an idea of how you want the end state of your fight will help you shape the fight to your needs.

And as a joke...

Chaos - Fights are rarely ever planned. Maybe you should just write the fight, and if you like where it naturally goes better than your planned outcome, do that instead.

I hope any of this helps.

 

[Kureous]

I just got done writing a fight scene, a little while ago, so I have some 2 cents to add to this:

First, OokamiKasumi has some AMAZING guides for writing Action Scenes. Go read them, but the big thing I'll draw is, just like with quotes, split each combatant's actions to their own paragraph, and KEEP STRICT CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

Other than that, right? I like to think of the following when a fight scene starts up:

Incitement - What started this fight? Why are you fighting? Did communication try to happen? (It's okay if no - it just makes things more brutal-seeming)

Stakes - What are the combatants trying to do to each other? Tag? Assert Dominance? Grab a MacGuffin? Kill? Knowing the basic win and lose cons of the fight WILL help you write it to the level of seriousness it needs. NOTE: The stakes need NOT be the same on either side. A really good example is the "I Know You're In There Somewhere Fight", where one character is trying to get their friend or loved one back from a Possession that IS trying to kill the Character outright.

Thoughts - Fighters, if they're good, are trying to fight strategically. There will be some planning, and a lot of emotions, and a general philosophy behind the choices they select in a fight, from techniques, to tactics. Dig into this. If you want your fight to feel really fast paced then maybe not, but if you can afford to immerse your reader in the mind of ONE of your characters (you could try multiple, but that's Advanced Thoughts lol), then do so.

Aftermath - What happens afterward? Who wins? Who loses? Did the fight get interrupted? If so, is the interruption entirely good? Bad? Both? Did one side get a buff? Did one side get a debuff? Are those permanent? Having an idea of how you want the end state of your fight will help you shape the fight to your needs.

And as a joke...

Chaos - Fights are rarely ever planned. Maybe you should just write the fight, and if you like where it naturally goes better than your planned outcome, do that instead.

I hope any of this helps.

Thanks a lot. I never considered stuff like interruptions before

 

[OwlrageousJones]

So the big Thing for me when writing fight scenes is pacing. Pacing is super important to a fight, because you, presumably, want it to feel fast and snappy.

Don't get bogged down in descriptions of every little attack or moment - save that for the big moments, the ones with the most impact.

Vary your sentences. Have small ones. Frequent ones. They represent quick exchanges. Trading blows. And then maybe there's a longer drawn out moment as both/all fighters pull back and take a breather before bam. Back at it.

New paragraphs every time someone is taking the focus - in a fight, the involved parties aren't likely to be taking turns, so they'll be acting/reacting simultaneously, but each paragraph should focus on what one person is doing, whether they're acting or reacting.

 

[LunaSoltaer]

Thanks a lot. I never considered stuff like interruptions before

Yeah, no problem!

Also if it helps, consider that þe olde Deus Ex Machina is a very classic form of interrupt, if cliched to hell and back. I mention this because that can get you seeing it as a tool in your repertoire.

Also, Action Scenes are HARD. I had to write like four or five before I wrote one that landed what I'd call beautifully. But you gotta write 'em to grind the XP.

So the big Thing for me when writing fight scenes is pacing. Pacing is super important to a fight, because you, presumably, want it to feel fast and snappy.

Don't get bogged down in descriptions of every little attack or moment - save that for the big moments, the ones with the most impact.

Vary your sentences. Have small ones. Frequent ones. They represent quick exchanges. Trading blows. And then maybe there's a longer drawn out moment as both/all fighters pull back and take a breather before bam. Back at it.

New paragraphs every time someone is taking the focus - in a fight, the involved parties aren't likely to be taking turns, so they'll be acting/reacting simultaneously, but each paragraph should focus on what one person is doing, whether they're acting or reacting.

Ooh, so this might be like:

Luna swings down her sword from overhead, seeking to split Sara's skull!
Sara tucks her head aside, sacrificing her left shoulder to the heavy blade oncoming. Blood splashing onto her closed eyes, she screams. (This one I imagined the scene to be closing eyes then blood splatter then screaming)
Luna palpitates at the sight of what she just saw. This was a trap! She drops her hilt and dives to the left, tears stinging the eyes forced open by adrenaline.
Sara swings her left foot forward in a circle, lining up her bloodied shoulder to where Luna would land. Her wound glows with malice before a sanguine talon of hellfire screeches straight for Luna's mouth.

And those breathers/clashes are good points to put in philosophical musings like "Sara knows I'm afraid of her. She's going to bide her time and gather a powerful spell. And she's right: I am. If she's preparing something, however, her concentration will lapse. I just need to swallow my fear and end it in one blow. She won't expect it." vs "Fuck! She feinted me!"

 

[Ellieporter]

You imagine yourself in a fight instead of the character that you are writing.

 

[melchi]

Writing - [Tutorial] Writing ACTION 1: The Trick to Writing Action Scenes that Work

The Trick to Writing Action Scenes that Work: Action THEN Reaction! The #1 Most Common cause of Confusion in Action sequences...? Putting the Reaction BEFORE the Action. WARNING! This tutorial is NOT meant for those do Creative Writing. This essay was originally written for writers seeking...

forum.scribblehub.com

I'll just leave this here.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Act out the fight scene and describe each and every action. How your breathing feels, the types of attacks, what wears you out, and how you move. Fill in the gaps with whatever you need to make it fit into your world. Then make sure the flow is good with a blend of attacks and defenses.

 

[BearlyAlive]

Act out the fight scene and describe each and every action. How your breathing feels, the types of attacks, what wears you out, and how you move. Fill in the gaps with whatever you need to make it fit into your world. Then make sure the flow is good with a blend of attacks and defenses.

Or only describe the important actions and let the reader imagine the details. It's kinda hack-y but from my experience those scenes are a lot more dynamic since they feel more fast-paced.
And I actually like the more vague action scenes better than the ones that overexposition every detail. Action -> Reaction -> Consequence -> Action is many times easier to read than a few chapter long DBZ-esque action scene. Tho I do kinda want to read 10 chapter action scene where a character is just climbing up a rock xD

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Get firsthand experience

 

[LunaSoltaer]

Get firsthand experience

Step 2 is to survive it.

 

[melchi]

Get firsthand experience

Carefully.

 

[Notadate]

Learn how to fight, and then imagine how it would happen. Be the narratior

 

[DataNerdX]

Besides what has been mentioned already, use active verbs instead of passive ones. And make sure characterization shines through in the scene too. For example:

The goon on my right acted first, swinging a bat like he was in a baseball game instead of an actual fight. Amateurs. I stepped into it with ease, delivering a sharp thrust with my forearm to his wrists and halting his swing. In the same movement, I rotated from my hips and slammed my left knee up into his diaphragm. Spittle flew from his mouth, but I ignored it. There will be lots of spit and blood before this is over.

Seeing him lose his grip on the bat, I slid my right hand down along his arms and grabbed it from him. "Thanks," I said as he crumbled to the ground, "It's not even my birthday."

 

[Story_Marc]

I was going to stay out of this since I can say a lot on this subject, but I feel the urge to add a little something.

Overall, there are two types of fight scenes in fiction: entertaining and gritty. Think of this as the fight's tone. There can be a mix, but... we'll worry about that later.

If you're doing gritty, write violence realistically. Make it nasty, brutal, and quick. These are the type where fight scenes are over quite quick. It's more about the build-up to the fight and the aftermath. With this approach, aim to make the reader feel revulted and horrified. This is when fight scenes lean more towards shock.

Entertainment is far more about spectacle and theatre. The fight action is more prolonged here and get to show off behavior and display impressive skills more.

These types are the ones that use locations more creatively, more crazy feats, etc.

Finally, of course, can blend elements of both. Like you lean overall into the spectacle, but still draw some gritty elements with how it impacts the fighters ultimately.

The only other thing I can toss out immediately is something I once made a video on. Here you go if this can help you:

This video is more suited for the spectacle end of the spectrum. That's why I explained that first before linking.

 

[melchi]

I was going to stay out of this since I can say a lot on this subject, but I feel the urge to add a little something.

Overall, there are two types of fight scenes in fiction: entertaining and gritty. Think of this as the fight's tone. There can be a mix, but... we'll worry about that later.

If you're doing gritty, write violence realistically. Make it nasty, brutal, and quick. These are the type where fight scenes are over quite quick. It's more about the build-up to the fight and the aftermath. With this approach, aim to make the reader feel revulted and horrified. This is when fight scenes lean more towards shock.

Entertainment is far more about spectacle and theatre. The fight action is more prolonged here and get to show off behavior and display impressive skills more.

These types are the ones that use locations more creatively, more crazy feats, etc.

Finally, of course, can blend elements of both. Like you lean overall into the spectacle, but still draw some gritty elements with how it impacts the fighters ultimately.

The only other thing I can toss out immediately is something I once made a video on. Here you go if this can help you:

This video is more suited for the spectacle end of the spectrum. That's why I explained that first before linking.

This is some good advice. Fights where things get really gory tend to go from tense to disturbing if they get drug out for many pages.