Boom! Pow! How to Write a Dynamic Fight Scene For Your Story

We have talked before about how to write a scene in general, but let’s dive into how to write one of the most jam-packed, action-oriented scene imaginable - the fight scene!

Writing a fight scene can be challenging for those who use our words rather than our fists to disagree.

Too often, we rely on stunted and weak language, such as "balled up fists" and "attacked like a lion." While it is not horrible to include such sentences, you must understand the above scene mechanics to make a fight dynamic. 

When you do, you can not only make the fight a little more original, but you can also make the page jump out at the audience. 

To increase your battles' realism, it is important to consider the following:

DRAW FROM PAST EXAMPLES

How much exposure have you had to actual fighting?

Maybe when I was a child there were plenty of schoolyard scuffles, but in my adult life, I think I have only witnessed only one fight (over a parking spot, no less). Thus, if you are anything like me, then you couldn't base your fight on anything you witnessed in real life. 

This means that media will be your best example of a punchy (pun intended) fight.

You will find plenty of examples on Television and movies, reality TV, news, and all manners of action films. It is good to watch these, but other than recording and pausing them; it would be hard to study them. 

Instead, turn to visual examples of storytelling because, yes, not all stories need to have words. In my opinion, graphic novels and comic books are some of the best examples of fight scenes. This is not just because they are loaded with heroes and villains.  Though, this obviously helps.

My recommendation to use graphic novels and comics, is because you can visually track a fight from one panel to the next. You also have an idea of the most important aspects of the fight because of artistic representation.

Note how the artist focuses on a special body part, like a closed fist or an elbow to the stomach. Also look at form and movement. You are essentially training your brain to determine what is, and isn’t, important in this fight scene.

Meaning you are more likely to better replicate it with your words.  

I would also suggest drawing from literature examples as well.

George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is full of sword fights and hand-to-hand combat. The same with The Hobbit and the Lord of the Ring series.

You can go beyond fantasy and find numerous good fight scenes across all spectra of literature. The goal is to find something you like and note what you like about it and get you thinking of why good fights come out of good writing. 

For instance, let’s say you decide to study a scene from The Hobbit, specifically the ring stealing scene between Gollum and Bilbo Baggins.

Here, you might study how the tension builds through the character’s quips and rounds of trivia, then escalates as followed:

“But now the light in Gollum’s eyes had become a green fire, and it was coming swiftly nearer. Gollum was in his boat again, paddling wildly back to the dark shore; and such a rage of loss and suspicion was in his heart that no sword had any more terror for him. Bilbo could not guess what had maddened the wretched creature, but he saw that all was up, and that Gollum meant to murder him at any rate. Just in time he turned and ran blindly back up the dark passage down which he had come, keeping close to the wall and feeling it with his left hand. “What has it got in its pocketses?” he heard the hiss loud behind him, and the splash as Gollum leapt from his boat. “What have I, I wonder?” he said to himself, as he panted and stumbled along. He put his left hand in his pocket. The ring felt very cold as it quietly slipped on to his groping forefinger. The hiss was close behind him. He turned now and saw Gollum’s eyes like small green lamps coming up the slope. Terrified he tried to run faster, but suddenly he struck his toes on a snag in the floor, and fell flat with his little sword under him. In a moment Gollum was on him. But before Bilbo could do anything, recover his breath, pick himself up, or wave his sword, Gollum passed by, taking no notice of him, cursing and whispering as he ran. What could it mean? ”

— LORD OF THE RINGS, J.R. TOLKIEN

Although this is not a true fight scene, since there are no punches thrown, it is very clear that given the chance, Gollum would have surely murdered Bilbo. In fact, this passage directly says as much!

However, I think it is worth exploring because it gives a great window into tension (notice how the author keeps mentioning Gollum’s glowing eyes in the darkness), the action items (the way Bilbo falls against rocks, stumbles, and cowers), and the general feeling of alertness and unease in the narrative.

This is a great setup to a conflict and that is one of the reasons why this scene is so memorable – the physical conflict does not occur. It sets up the ring’s power (invisibility) quite well because the reader is expecting a certain payoff and instead gets something unexpected.

Again, when you write your scenes consider how your scene’s goal is to be met through each action presented.

REMEMBER INDIVIDUAL FIGHTING STYLE IS NOT UNIVERSAL

Before you put pen to paper, there are a ton of questions you need to ask yourself.

• How big or little is your character?

• What is their physical ability?

• On the above note, can they realistic do what you want them to do?

• How do they view fighting in general?

• Would they find an alternative means to settle the conflict?

Even how others in the story view these characters will impact how the conflict might progress. Thus, it is important to look at the scene from different angles to determine what is logical with character and for the situation itself.

The same could be true when it comes to motivation and reasons for fighting.

Here are some questions you can ask:

• How and why does your character get into the fight in the first place?

• Did they reach the point of no return after a bully gave them one too many insults?

• Is this a final battle where your character must prove their strength to receive a specific honor?

• Further, what are the stakes?

• If your character loses this fight, will they die?

• Or will they get a bruised ego?

All this information will factor into individual fighting styles since not every person will fight the same.

For example, if I were to get into a fight right now, I would probably lose horribly.

However, if this attacker were going to harm someone I love, I am 100% certain I could muster some innate strength to do some damage.

That is because the stakes are higher. I love my family, and I would pity anyone that would try to hurt them. Granted, I would probably still fail, but I would go down kicking and clawing. 

Each character's fighting style will depend on their reasons for getting into the fight and their overall physicality, including their ability.

This is to say nothing of whatever weapons or magic might be handy. 

RAISE THE ACTION BY INCREASING THE PACING

Throughout your story, the speed will have highs and lows, depending on each scene.

When you are writing any fight, the pacing is going to increase.

That does not mean that there is no slow build-up, but rather when the scene arrives, it should escalate quickly.

For example, consider the following:

“I hit Shelley under the jaw, and he stepped back and swung at me. I shrugged my shoulder up and took the punch on it. I hit Shelley four times, three lefts and a right in the face. He stumbled back, blood rushing from his nose.”

— EARLY AUTUMN, ROBERT B. PARKER

I love this description because the movement is almost palpable.

The author does not go into long-winded passages about how the two are parrying. It is quick, the pacing increases, and the reader understands who the victor might be without the author outright stating it. 

There are many tools you can use to help you increase the pacing.

For instance, I mentioned in my previous guide to story structure, how you can use a tension and time graph to map out your escalation.

However, that is not the only tool you can use.

You can also draw out a diagram of where the fight starts and ends. You do not need to be talented at drawing, either. 

Case in point, the battle plan from Home Alone:

Merely give yourself a general idea of what happens where and then use that to frame your scene. 

CHOOSE ACTION-ORIENTED LANGUAGE

You can use many techniques to increase the pacing of the fight scene, such as using shorter sentences, focusing on the internal rather than the internal, including dialogue along with the action, etc.

However, one of the most effective ways to make your fight scene dynamic is to use action-oriented language.

You can employ this in two ways.

First, include fight scene words, such as:

• Dart – “He darted back and forth”

• Flit – “She flitted to and fro”

• Sweep – “With a quick sweep of the leg, their opponent fell to the ground.”

• Bluff – “He bluffed with one hand, and then threw his other fist out”

• Charge – “He bit his lip and charged forward”

• Twist – “She twisted her hips, barely missing a kick to the face”

• Hammer – “They all hammered on him, one by one.”

• And so on.

These are just a few examples, but they give you an idea of how the words you choose will affect what your audience can infer from the fight. 

The same can be true of including tactile information.

In other words, use all five senses! Does your character hear the squeaking of sneakers against the gym floor? Do they taste the metallic hint of blood from a split lip? Do they feel clammy and nauseous? 

Include as many of these sensory details as possible. When you do, your audience will be right there in action with your characters.

Writing a complete scene is rewarding because it means you are that much closer to finishing the entire novel. However, it important to treat each scene like its own story. To do this, you may want to consider what kind of story structure to follow.

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