A great fight scene can range from a full on battle of thousands, to a one on one fight to the death.
The Power of a Good Fight
A well-executed fight scene isn’t just exciting to read, it can also help with character development, add conflict, and set the tone for what lies ahead.
Know Your Characters and Their Fighting Styles
Before you start writing action packed fight scenes, you should have a solid understanding of your characters’ backgrounds, skills, and motivations. Their strengths, weaknesses, and personal histories will affect the dynamics of the fight. It’s no good pairing an expert martial arts fighter against someone who only fights with a sword — the fight would be over very quickly.
If your characters have specific fighting styles or use weapons, research these techniques. Understanding the mechanics of combat will enable you to describe movements with authenticity and enhance the scene’s realism. And these don’t need to be swords, knives, or guns. Mugen from Samurai Champloo uses his feet against his opponents very effectively.
Set the Stage
Next think about the environment where the fight takes place. The setting influences the pacing, tactics, and overall atmosphere of the fight. Whether it’s in a narrow alley or an arena, add a few strategically placed objects in the environment as weapons or obstacles, to make things more complicated or to give your character an advantage.
Establish Clear Goals and Stakes
Figure out the goals each character aims to achieve during the fight. This could be victory, escape, protection of a loved one, or any other motivating factor. Then heighten tension by establishing high stakes. The outcome of the fight should have significant consequences for the characters and the overarching plot.
You can read more about story stakes here.
Work out the movements
Choreograph the fight with a balance between action and reaction. Show the characters’ movements and attacks, but show their responses either through thoughts, actions, or dialogue. Have moments of intensity constrast with brief pauses and highs and lows. This adds realism and allows readers to catch their breath before the next surge of action.
Use the Five Senses
Immerse readers in the fight by using the five senses to describe the sounds of clashing weapons, the taste of adrenaline, the scent of sweat, and the tactile sensations of impact or pain. Show how the physicallity of the fight is connected to the characters’ emotions. Allow them to express their fear, determination, or desperation through their actions and reactions. Vary inner dialogue (thoughts) with verbal taunts.
Use Effective Vocabulary
The right words can help to add movement and intensity. Words like “parry,” “thrust,” “feint,” and “counter” not only convey the action but also add flavor to the fight. Watch out for repetitive language by using varied descriptors for movements and actions. Instead of always using “hit” or “strike,” experiment with alternatives like “lunge” or “slash” to add variety and keep the action dynamic.
Wordnik have a great list with examples. https://www.wordnik.com/lists/fight-scene-words
Build to a Climax
Try to build tension gradually throughout the fight, escalating the stakes with each exchange. Don’t make things too easy for your protagonist. Plot armor is fine, but they should still run the risk of being injured, humiliated, or weakened. The action and tempo should increase as the fight nears its climax regardless of whether it’s a win or loss for your character.
Don’t take too long to finish the fight. Even the best planned fight scenes can become boring if they go on too long. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has several intense fight scenes. One of my favorites is when Lisbeth rescues Blomkvist from the serial killer. The stakes are obviously high but the scene doesn’t end with the killer’s defeat.
Less is more
Fights scenes in novels cannot replicate fight scenes in movies or anime. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to describe every movement and reaction. It slows the pacing down and is boring to read. Let your readers use their imaginations by giving them key dramatic moments of the battle.
And remember, fight scenes lose their impact if there are too many. You can add variety by changing characters, weapons, location and the outcome, but limit their appearance or you run the risk of readers skipping them.
Tips
- Maintain Consistency: Don’t make your character a master fencer if they’ve never picked up a sword.
- Inject Surprises: Add more characters, weapons, or something else to keep readers engaged.
- Utilize Dialogue: Show how your character feels through thoughts or dialogue.
- Rhythm and Flow: Add highs and loss, fast action and slower movements.
- Show Vulnerability: Even heroes can be injured or weakened.
- Use Environment Creatively: Let your characters use their surroundings to give them an advantage.
- Keep the pacing moving: Don’t over-describe every movement or action.
Conclusion:
A well-written fight scene can add excitement and tension into your story especially when they are confronting a major foe. Use the right vocabulary and keep your pacing tight so that readers don’t feel bored reading the same thing again and again. Have fun and don’t forget to throw in a few surprises.