If You Want to Write a Fight Scene, Try THIS

[satyrosphilbrucato]

Also: Remember how bodies work, and learn how certain weapons can and cannot affect bodies.

I've seen SO MANY examples of writers (or filmmakers) who do not understand how bodies, weapons, and injuries work. One story I read featured a character getting stabbed through the forearm by a kitchen knife so hard it CAME OUT THE OTHER SIDE. (What - no bone in the middle of the arm?) She PULLS OUT THE BLADE AND KEEPS FIGHTING. No. In another book, our hero gets repeatedly beaten in the head by a crowbar. BY. A. CROWBAR. Conversely, I've lost count of the number of fight scenes (usually, but not inevitably, in sword & sorcery tales where the author has clearly never hefted a sword) where the hero knocks a foe over and the foe's skull shatters on impact with the ground "like an eggshell" or "like an overripe melon." Dudes, that is NOT how head trauma works. And do not EVEN get me started on books where heroes climb hand-over-hand up ropes while nursing a compound-fractured arm, heft bodies over their shoulders (like a sack of flower) WHILE SUFFERING A BROKEN COLLARBONE, or run around town fighting for hours AFTER BEING STABBED IN THE FUCKING INTESTINES. And yeah, all of these examples come from books where the characters are supposedly normal human beings.

Yes, a certain amount of dramatic license is expected. When someone shoots a longbow arrow all the way through the hero's shoulder, however, then your hero ain't gonna be using that arm again anytime soon; no matter how tough you are, severed tendons and ligaments don't work. Using PHYSICALLY ACCURATE effects of injury, on the other hand, ups the dramatic stakes while taking the audience by surprise.

For guidance on the physical, emotional and legal effects of real-world physical trauma from a writer's perspective, I highly recommend Sgt. Rory Miller's excellent book Violence: A Writer's Guide. For the real-world effects and deployment of armor and weapons (with a caveat noted for the fact that living bodies aren't as rigid as practice and demonstration dummies, and they tend to react and move through space in ways that lessen the effects of a blow), I suggest watching various military, weapon, and historical reenactor videos so you can see those effects and deployments in real time.

[paulgaras]

If you’re going to use unconventional, non-improvised weapons, just remember there’s a reason that weapon is unconventional. If you’re writing a western with a gunfight and one character just happens to be using a crossbow instead of a revolver, that could be interesting or it could be really stupid.

[ttan]

In my first book, one of my protagonists has Spina Bifida, which I also have. In the fight scene, a billionaire (think of a Batman who kills) battles a man who sometimes uses a wheelchair, has trained in Krav Maga, and possesses a "Merc with a Mouth"-type personality.

[mnfowler]

"Eye of the Needle" (the book) has a fight scene between a man and a woman that goes on for pages. It is also a long scene in the movie version. The conflict between the two characters builds over the course of the story, and the fight is a payoff that has to be substantial in order to reward the reader.

[grondhero]

Even though some of us grew up with it, don't start your fights with "My kung fu is better than yours, old man!"

Also, I think you made this video just to show off your Samoan war axe, and I'm okay with that! Do you know of any well-written fight scenes that use one? 😁 Could make for a good part 2 video.

[desempar.e]

Your channel is the wiki of writing in a good way

[praxismobius]

I love the Spyderco cameo! What's that? Endura? Looks too long for a Delica!

[LaniBanani]

“Power of One” By Bryce Courtney is good at fights.

[gliderfan]

Perfect analysis and here is the perfect realisation:

This was written down, in Polish, back in 19th century and filmed about 50 years ago. By the specialists the scene is considered the best sword fight ever filmed - it was choreographed by a true master, olympic medalist in fencing. At one moment the big guy almost k****d the small one for real, as the actor playing the small guy missed his move. This is retained on the final cut (can you find it?) and adds to the realism. The duel is crucial for the story (the defeated soldier is the undergoing character change) and his words "Kończ waść, wstydu oszczędź" (Finish [me], sir, spare the shame) are iconic in Polish language.