Action Scenes

[Butterfly]

Well, i'm currently stuck on one of these. So I've been looking around for some help and i found a great article on writing them. Thought I would share.

How to Write a Thrilling Action Scene

 

[skip.knox]

Thanks for that, Butterfly. The Don't Do This list is spot-on, plus I found the comments interesting in their own right.

The article is an example of something that irritates me, though. The title is "How to..." but the article itself is in fact "How Not to..."

There must be a kajillion (an Internet number) articles like this. I fully realize that in any art it is easier for the instructor (or critic) to say what didn't work than to say what did. This is what makes being a beta reader so tricky. And Don't Do This lists can indeed be helpful, especially for the writer in edit mode.

If they would just change the title. Truth in marketing. I know, that's an oxymoron. But it still irks me. With a blog post, it's no harm done, but with books where I pay actual money, the irk is irkier.

 

[Reaver]

Truth in marketing. I know, that's an oxymoron.

I think you mean it's a contradiction in terms. Or are you being ironical?

 

[Phin Scardaw]

I've found with action scenes and also with sex scenes in writing the maxim "less is more" applies most effectively. The reader contributes a lot with their imagination so there's no need to give more than what's needed to get them engaged in these passages.

 

[Holoman]

Thanks, was an interesting article. I definitely agree with making them fast and to the point.

I read another good piece on this subject were the author said don't just make it about the action either, use the benefit of writing as opposed to movies, by going inside the persons head and making us really see how they feel and react rather than just describe things happening. It's very true, when I read action scenes in books if it just a description of explosions etc I find my interest wanes.

 

[AJ Stevens]

Interesting. I'm going to tackle a fight scene from a third person POV over the next day or so, so this contained a few useful pointers.

 

[JP Harker]

hmmm - some interesting points. I sometimes think I'm guilty of overloading my fights with information (I'm a martial arts obsessive and unfortunately so are most of my friends/proof-readers so when I fill a fight with technical details they don't find it dull or confusing because they're into the same sort of thing - one of them actually asked what style of swordfighting a character was using as I'd been 'too vague'! Probably not what the reader in the street would be thinking!)

 

[Miskatonic]

hmmm - some interesting points. I sometimes think I'm guilty of overloading my fights with information (I'm a martial arts obsessive and unfortunately so are most of my friends/proof-readers so when I fill a fight with technical details they don't find it dull or confusing because they're into the same sort of thing - one of them actually asked what style of swordfighting a character was using as I'd been 'too vague'! Probably not what the reader in the street would be thinking!)

This is one of the issues I had with the fights scenes in The Witcher. It was like someone describing a choreographed dance instead of a visceral conflict between two or more people. I'm not going to remember what kind of move the hero performed a couple pages ago, especially if it's just a matter of describing how skillful they are.

Some fight terminology put in once and awhile can enhance what's going on, but if the fight just consists of different attacks and counters (especially if they are described using made up names unique to a made up combat system) it can get boring.

I'll take Robert E. Howard's fight descriptions any day.

 

[skip.knox]

I'll take Howard's descriptions of just about anything, on the rocks or neat. Take a look at his writing in non-fantasy genres--it's just as strong.

 

[Miskatonic]

Even Tolkien's description of the fighting, like in Moria, was good. Simple and to the point. The Orc chieftain's helmet (and head I presume) being cleft in two by Andruil is a classic moment. It's even better when you listen to someone reading it out loud.

 

[skip.knox]

>It's even better when you listen to someone reading it out loud.

Wouldn't we all love to have that said about our prose?

 

[bradford177]

I just joined, and am finding the forum great. I just finished my first fantasy book and am now looking for ways to make the second even better.

I just got done reading a series of fantasy novels, and found that I would skip over a lot of his fighting scenes. The author insisted on describing every action at every battle.. got tiresome to read.

So yes, less is more. The other replies were correct in saying that the readers imagination does fill in lots of the gaps.

Thanks everyone!