Almost every good book has action of some kind. From heated duels, chaotic war scenes, and fields of slaughter to more interpersonal struggles, such as dodging an incoming obstacle, fending someone else off, or moments of rising tension. They can range anywhere from authentic battle scenes to the jurisdiction of an important trial, and many series can feature all sorts.
I’ve received praise in the past for my action sequences, but every author can evolve and better themselves. As such, I’ll give my own advice as well as examining some popular tips for writing action.
As always, if my personal examples and writing style appeal to you, you can check out my book here! If you’re seeing this somewhere else, please do subscribe to my mailing list, check out my Facebook or other social medias, and stay tuned!
- Fight/action scenes should move the story forward. This is important. If your story gets caught up in needless conflict and battle, it can weigh heavily upon your readers. You may think it’s spinning up a web of words, showing what you can do in writing an intense action scene. This article argues that if you can remove your fight scene and it doesn’t change the story, then it might not be necessary.
You might be saying, so what? Does that mean I have to take all the action out of my scenes? Well, not directly – you just need to pace it properly. Action scenes require an active-minded reader. After all, our words are just ink on a page. The reader is who brings it to life in their own mind, and they may picture it quite differently from what we meant when we wrote it.
If every battle scene is a move-by-move telling of a fight between two characters, your readers will grow tired quickly. Variety is key. If your characters delve into a monster-ridden dungeon, you shouldn’t bog them down with the details of every skirmish. Summarize. Only focus on key details. If story-moving sequences aren’t happening in the fights, shorten them. Say instead, “They fought through several hair-raising skirmishes on the way. Though their losses were scathing, their generals yet survived.”
2. Use battles to build/show character. Keep your warriors in character. This applies equally for other shows of action. Whether in a tense courtroom moment or a heated duel, they should never betray who they are. If they do, either cut or justify it. The calm and calculated warrior/lawyer shouldn’t freak out in the action. If they do, why did they? Was it a personal cause? Something about the situation personally riled them up?
Furthermore, focus on the mental aspects of the battle to really have your character shine. What does the fight do to them? Are they happy to eradicate all these soldiers, or is it a bitter loss for them no matter the outcome? What choices do they make in the battle? What effects do their training have on it?
A hero may be more empathetic during battle. Nine times out of ten, your hero doesn’t want to mow down all these soldiers unless there’s a very good reason. Usually the true evil lies at the head of the army, guiding their sheep to the slaughter. If your hero knows this, they should demonstrate that knowledge with things like hesitation and self-affirmation, trying to convince themselves that this is what needs to happen.
3. Flow with the battle. In a short, tense confrontation, use short and chopped sentences. In point of view scenes, your character’s train of thought doesn’t have to necessarily follow grammar laws to a tee. Again, this is best used to reflect the action in a tense fight rather than moments of clarity. A truly magnificent scene will roll with both. In a direct fight between two the action might flow like swipes of a dagger.
Lars slashed at my hip. I pivoted, knocking his weapon aside. I swung for his head. He blocked, a little too easily. His hand shot up. I saw the darkness gather in his hand quickly enough to duck. Pain lanced through my shoulder.
Between two characters, as long as it’s obvious nobody else is involved at this stage need only focus on them. If this is important you don’t need your character to see the outlying battle and describe bits between his attacks. It’ll only distract them and your readers. As well, this kind of conflict doesn’t tend to go on long. Can you imagine reading 6 pages of breakneck action? This kind of scene is best written short and sweet. If you find them battling like this for too long without reprieve, consider switching it up. Include the dialogue between them in longer exchanges.
A relatable piece of advice: how many times do you think of what to say in an argument after the argument is finished? Relate that to your characters.
4. Include all senses. Our most primal instincts come in during tense situations. Sight in battle is usually what is readily apparent. Their opponent, their expressions, other near aspects of the battle. Next is sound, and it’s usually obvious. The thunderous clash of their swords. The vulgar shouts of battle.
The others are the hard part, but they can offer extra points to immerse your reader. How does the battlefield smell? Imagine in a battle involving dragons, the smell of burnt flesh rising above all else. Do they feel constricted by their armor? Their boots sloshing in the marshy terrain of the battle site? What if they can still taste the remnants of the pre-battle feast on their lips?
Now you’re thinking. Write it right, and your readers will remember it as though they were in it.
5. Edit. This one is simple and easily presumed, but not to be taken lightly. A second and third read of this, especially by friends and professionals alike, should bring up any mistakes. Look for consistency, for flow, and for unnecessary information. A blow-by-blow summary of the fight might need some work. Keep in mind tense moments that your hero might recall later, whether in admiration or haunting nightmares after the fact.
6. Consider point of view. Experiment writing the same scene multiple ways. Though my novel is primarily first-person, I have chosen to alternate with an eagle’s eye POV for certain scenes. Some scenes work well through the combatant’s eyes, while others may work from an outside perspective. However, be careful with this. A mistake frequent in shows and anime is a narrator who explains every move the hero makes, sometimes going into huge depth on what they must be thinking. It’s naturally dumbing things down for your reader.
A few appropriate uses for this might be where a character duels your hero. When done from an outside perspective, it can highlight your hero’s strengths and how they’ve grown. I don’t recommend using it for the final battle, per say, as their personal exchange and feelings are more important than their strengths at this point. It can be a good point for later in the plot to show their growth, convincing the reader that they must be ready to face the big bad. This pairs excellently with proving them wrong.
There are countless tips to consider when writing action scenes, and I hope this helps you with most of them. Any questions or any other topics you’d like me to cover, feel free to comment or personally message me! And if you got this far, please drop a like and consider checking out my published book here!
Sovereign Soul 