Writing fight scenes

If there's one thing I love writing, it's fighting scenes. And yes, I mean the physical fighting scenes where people in some way punch each other. This might have something to do with my background in martial arts, or how I feel these scenes carry motion and pace. I love the form, and I love the way I can express personalities through fight scenes.

But however much I like them, they don't always fit, which is why I ensure these action-packed scenes carry their weight in both plot and story. I try to give the scene a purpose, whether to show character development, reveal something vital or new about the plot, or bring a consequence to the story. If I can cut the fight scene away without its removal having any effect on the storyline, I better give it purpose or scrap it.

Another important thing is knowing where they fight, and the physical space where the scene takes place. If I don't clearly understand the space they fight in, it's hard to make my characters move through it convincingly. It's also hard to make them use their environment to their and the storytelling's advantage, the interaction adding depth to the scene.

The most important thing when writing a fight scene is character. Since I'm a pantser, someone who doesn't plan out what their story will be like, I enjoy a character's personality to build the fight scenes for me. For example, if someone's a scaredy cat, their technique (or lack thereof) will look very different from a warrior in the prime of her years. The fun part of writing these kinds of complex, sometimes bloody interactions is that I get to know the characters, and they often get to know each other.

I tend to go back to the basics if I'm struggling with a fight scene. Is it really an action scene that's needed here, or is it something else? I also ask myself if I've built up the environment enough for this scene. If I don't know the room, how are my character's supposed to know and move around in it? On the other hand, knowing the layout gives me more artistic freedom when creating the scene.

Another thing I recommend before writing a fight scene is taking a sparring lesson or two. Sure, you can watch videos explaining how to land a punch and why to move a certain way. However, having your own body going through the movements adds a muscular understanding and a greater understanding of why you do things a particular way. After learning how something is correctly done, you can then choose to break these rules. Because how not to punch correctly is just as important as knowing how to land a proper hook. It won't just prevent you from getting hurt—it'll be a great help when writing how your character acts in a fight scene.