screw fear. | THE 100

action scenes.

WRITING ACTION/FIGHTING SCENES.

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"well. i'd say he's heard one too many of your motivational speeches." - murphy

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so this chapter is more of a writing tip, than a tip specific to the 100, but if you're writing a book about the 100 there's a big chance you're going to have some pretty intense/action filled scenes.

if i'm gonna be honest, i'm really not the BEST action writer ever either, but i did do some research and i'll do my best to give you the hacks and ideas i found. xxx

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1. only incorporate a fight if it advances the plot. no matter what you think violence can actually be kinda boring if it's useless and drags on. sometimes though, a fight can provide a crucial piece of info about the characters. also the fight may wound your protagonist which could slow them down and giving you a chance to make their lives harder and therefore increase the suspense. this will obviously effect your plot down the road. i'm not saying don't incorporate fight scenes, just don't add them for no reason.

2. reveal character through action. make your character fight the same way they live life. yes, adrenaline will kick in and maybe they'll end up doing something they maybe usually wouldn't have but the way someone fights shows who they are as a person. merciful? relentless? are they a fight because they're protecting someone else, or are they a douche and started a fight for fun? are they trying to get off without inflicting too much pain on their opponent or are then in it for the kill? etc...

3. be reasonable. similar to the tip above, keep your character in character as they fight. if your OC is a grounder warrior for example, they're probably going to be more experienced when it comes to fighting than a delinquent. i'm not saying your OC can't develop eventually into a skilled warrior, but just saying they probably aren't going to be that great when they first arrive on earth, it will take a while for them to build up the strength and skills.

4. let the reader choreograph. if you spend your time describing every single action of the fight, you're just going to bore your readers and your pacing will fall apart. don't meticulously describe every little part of the fight, but instead just give the reader enough isight into the action that they can build the scene in their mind. obviously describe enough that your readers know what's going on (i.e., what weapons are the characters using, where are they, etc), but remember the reader will then be able to fill in the action while you describe what your characters are saying, what they're thinking, and what's showing on their faces. in other words, let the reader fill in the action while you describe the drama.

5. dialogue during fights. most dialogue during fights is going to be quick, minimal sentences. your characters are tired, and probably more focused on trying to live than on having a conversations. (unless it's a casual practice fight or something). also dialogue will be quick. usually during more intense scenes i skip describing everything that's going on, and focus more on the dialogue.

6. matter over mind. force your protagonist to make quick decisions or react—to run on instinct rather than intellect. if you think about it, during intense situations, minds don't necessarily work right. your brain is more focused on survival than morals. make sure your character is following their instincts during a fight, rather than their intellect. of course they can think, but maybe reveal that they have some crappy ideas that they throw out, etc.

7. the aftermath. okay, the worst is when i'm reading a story and the characters get into some epic fight and then walk off scotch free. like "oh yeah, my leg kind of got ripped off during the fight but i'm fine now bc the author forgot that it happened lols". obviously sometimes as writers we mess up, but make sure you show the effects the fight or battle had on your character realistically.