I’ve wrapped up the first “arc” in my story (well, second, if you count the intro chapter). We’ve had some laughs. We’ve had some tears. We’ve had some action.
But while it’s one thing to choreograph a scared man running through a field, or a brief gunfight, or an escape scene, how do you properly write a fight scene? Like, a REAL battle with multiple people? Turns out, you write it painfully and clumsily, then blush a little when you read it out loud.
It’s hard.
The problem with more involved fight scenes is that the reader must ALWAYS know where your characters are, which is difficult when all of the characters are moving, concrete is falling from the ceiling, lights are smashing, and very bad things are trying to kill them.
It’s worth noting that some of the original inspiration for climaxes in this novel came from epic boss set pieces in games like Dark Souls, Elden Ring and Sekiro—and capturing that awe on the page, in a completely different medium, isn’t as simple as it seems.
I’ve learned that making an exciting fight in written fiction depends on brevity and clarity.
For example, re-reading this fight scene the first time showed me I had at least one, possibly two extra beats of “attack” patterns that either needed to be cut completely or changed to something different.
What felt slow, lumbering and inevitable in my head translated to slight repetition and boredom on the page.
But, that’s a problem for editing later.
The scene’s bones work. The emotional beats are there. The arc is finished, and at this point, it really feels like I’m “writing a book” and not just jotting down words here and there.
Not just a book:
My first book, and if I have my way, my first bestseller.
Might as well dream big so my wife and daughter can live off royalties for the rest of our lives.
Then my daughter can get me a mug for Father’s Day that says “King of Books.”
…
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Love,Dad Nick
P.S. The King of Books has reached a new crowning achievement in terms of word count. This week we decreed a total of 17,767 words dancing across the pages.