Hi! So this is a request from @SupernaturalTWD68
It's a tip on how to write fight scenes!
So I realize that this can be a difficult thing to write, and there are also many kinds of fighting you could write about.
You could write about fighting in World War II, or fighting aliens. You could talk about two men getting angry and fighting physically, or two friends getting angry and fighting in an argumentative way. You could even be talking about some kind of emotional or personal fight, like fighting cancer or, fighting the urge to do something you shouldn't.
SO this tip is a complex one! I will cover mainly good words and kinds of descriptions to use, and also what not to use.
We will start with the kind of fighting done in a war or battle.
Obviously this would be a traumatic event for a character, so you should relate to emotions a lot. I've found that often when writing about this topic, it's easy to simply say 'I ran, I jumped, it exploded, I fell' and it becomes a story stuffed with action verbs. While these are necessary, they make for a boring story by themselves. What you need is to say how your character FEELS when they are running. Are they scared? Do they have a limp or injury that might slow them down or cause them pain? I know it can be harder to write, and it definitely takes longer, but it will make your story more accurate and interesting!
Like I said, action verbs are certainly necessary. Here are some good ones, with an example of how they could be used if needed.
Aimed
Attacked
Barked
Broke
Choked
Cajoled
Commanded
Crashed
Cried
Cut
Defended
Deflected
Deserted
Detonated
Dove
Dropped
Encourage
Escaped
Evacuated
Exploded
Exposed
Faltered
Fell
Fled
Flew
Fumed
Groaned
Hid
Hissed
Howled
Hunted
Jumped
Limped
Missed: he narrowly missed getting hit
Mourned
Pierced: He was pierced with (something sharp), OR the sound of bombs pierced my ears
Ordered
Plunged
Prayed
Protected
Ran
Retreated
Ripped
Screamed: the injured man scream, OR bullets screamed past me
Shattered: His leg shattered, OR booms shattered the ground
Shielded
Shook
Shot
Shouted
Showered: Debris showered down
Shuddered
Snapped
Splashed
Split
Threw
Tore: bullets tore through the air
Whistled: He whistled to his men, OR bullets whistled past
Now, when it comes to fighting in an argumentative way, personally I find that even harder. You have to come up with things for you characters to say without being lame or cheesy. You can't blow something way out of proportion, your characters argument has to be for a reason. So that's where you should start. And let the readers know it's coming.
You can't have everything be going great, and then have someone make a controversial comment and the two have a huge argument. You've got to introduce the problem before hand, possibly even in the chapter or two before. Make the problem are real one, something that might really upset you.
The second thing, is to decide what kind of character your character is! Based on how they have been written so far, how would they argue? Are they clever? Can they make witty comebacks? Or are they awkward? If your character is naturally rude or sarcastic, that should be how they argue as well. Likewise, if your character is shy or quiet, they would probably argue that way. If they turn into a whole other person when they are angry then the character is inconsistent.
For some kind of personal/inner conflict, you also need to rely on emotions a lot. A major thing you need to do is make sure that whatever your character is facing, you represent both sides. For example, if your character can't decide between two hard decisions, make sure that you have them thinking about both. Don't leave one side out.
If your character is fighting some sort of illness or grief, emotions have to be a huge part! If it is a medical illness, talk about how they feel, what they dislike, what makes them uncomfortable or angry.
I really hope this helps and isn't too confusing. I know it's a lot, so I hope it all makes sense! Thank you all so much for reading and voting and commenting!!! Also a MAJOR thank you for getting this to 1.2 k views!!
