In a guest post on Kristen Lamb’s blog, writer Piper Bayard offers advice on writing kick-ass fight scenes. “We all have our favorite ways of doing violence – in fiction, of course – but our stories are most interesting if we never use the same attack method twice in the same book,” Bayard writes. “As a result, we fiction writers are always looking for a new twist on a fight scene.”
The most important weapon your hero can bring to a fight, Bayard says, is attitude. “They must be determined to do whatever it takes to keep themselves safe and disable or kill their opponent,” she writes. “Once they see the world in those terms, potential weapons are everywhere.”
She also recommends that you think beyond firearms. “If we can stab with it, it’s a weapon. If we can jab with it, it’s a weapon. If we can use it to hit someone, it’s a weapon. If we can throw it, it’s a weapon,” she says, recommending that you look around your immediate environment – right now! – to inventory items you can jab, hit, or throw.
Our list: Pens and pencils, ceramic mug, heavy books, small wooden statue. (Remember, it’s always better to hit another person with an object. Your skin tears and your bones break. Protect them.)
Repeat this process when you go out – grocery store, library, coffee shop, doctor’s office. What would you use to batter someone in those settings?
Bayard also offers advice on where to strike and reminds us that your heart and mind – and a killer instinct – are your most crucial weapons.
