I like writing fight scenes. I like the fast pace and choppy sentences and the feeling of being pulled forward because you CANNOT BEAR TO WAIT TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT even if dinner is burning and the smoke alarm is going off.
Not that I've done that. At least, not often.
But I like to write them. And I think I'm pretty good at them, which is funny, because I've only been in one fight my entire life. I was in kindergarten or first grade, and my dad had just given me a necklace with six little rainbow heart charms on it. I was so proud of that necklace. But then Cameron from down the street came roller skating through our parking lot and grabbed my necklace and broke it, and the six little rainbow charms went flying.
I Hulked out. No, seriously. He was twice my size, but I grabbed him, spun him around, and threw him onto a car. And then, despite the fact that his nose was bleeding, I made him pick up every one of those little rainbow heart charms, but he could only find FIVE, and I was so angry that he skated for his life.
Grr, baby. VERY grr.
And that is the extent of my fightery. But for some reason, I'm really good at fight scenes, especially if battle tactics are involved. Maybe it's the years spent married to a ninja? They talk about that kind of thing all the time. Either that, or it's one way for me to let my inner Hulk out without harming the populace or going all green and bulgy.
That must be it. Fight scenes are my way to save the populace. And my complexion.
What about you? Ever written a fight scene? Like to read them or hate it? Any fight sceney pet peeves?
10 comments:
Lol! Love the Hulking out! I love writing fight scenes and watching them. Took karate as a kid, and grew up in the city. I had my share of fights. So much so, I love to read about them also. Some great fight scenes can be found in the YA series Young Samari
I never feel like I have enough experience to write a realistic fight scene so I'm kind of intimidated by them. I need better ninja skills. I do love to read a good fight scene, but I get a little peeved when they're not done well and I can't really follow what's happening.
My fighting scene pet peeve is when the characters all of a sudden seem to be these great fighters. Or 100 things happen 'by chance' (the marbles I had in my pocket accidentally fell out and the guy fell over, knocking his head into the set of golf clubs I had in the corner for the tee time I had later that day - when he got up, he hit his head on the lamp I had been meaning to raise higher, and my alligator bit him on the hand since I forgot to close his cage earlier)
But I've never written a fight scene :) Seems like there's a fine line between describing everything and showing it, which I would find hard to do, since I haven't been in a fight. But GO YOU with that necklace!
LOVE LOVE LOVE. In fact, I love reading them almost as much as I love writing them. For one, they seem to come easily to me, probably because my nature is nearly as violent as yours, for another, they're quick. Quick paced, quick to write.
I tend to be very long winded, especially with description, and it's something I struggle with a lot and have to slave over during revision, but it never happens during fight scenes.
Sword fights FTW!
Can you find a picture of you at that age? LOL that is such a great story!
I'm not so good at fight scenes or action of any kind. I'd gotten decent at writing love scenes when I wrote romance, but major action has still never been my forte. I'm stronger on dialogue.
Love reading and writing fight scenes. Or any intense scenes for that matter.
I like reading/writing small scale fight scenes, but I'm not a fan of battle or war scenes.
I've actually been in a few fights, but nothing major. Mostly standing up to bullies (I kicked one in the 'nads, threw one in the creek, and went semi-Hulkish on another one in high school).
Ha ha ha! Great story. I LOVE to read a good fight scene - the pace, the action, the suspense... love it! :-)
I just finished writing a fight scene for my MG book. Too fun.
LM: Young Samurai has been on my to-read list for a while. I need to invent a time machine so I can get caught up on reading.
Logan: Hey, my big fight experience was in FIRST GRADE. I'm not sure it's really necessary to have any to write them well. :) But I know what you mean about hard to follow fight scenes. I hate sitting there going, "Wait. HE HIT A GIRAFFE? DID I MISS SOMETHING?"
Shanyn: *runs to take alligator out of current book* Um...yeah! I hate that too! I would never do that! ;)
Matthew: I echo your SWORD FIGHTS FTW! and think we need shirts with that printed on them. I also think we would have fun hanging out.
Cari: I have lots of pictures. None of them look particularly Hulky, though. :)
Stephanie: Hey, dialogue is a tough skill to master. I think there are a lot of parallels to writing good action, though. It's paring down to the heart of what's happening rather than writing every step or "um" or stutter. So many people write unnecessary dialogue just like they do unnecessary action. That's what I think anyway!
Anita: WOO! Glad you agree!
Larissa: How does one go semi-Hulkish? Like from the neck up? ;)
Shannon: Oooh. I want to read your MG now. ;)
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