As much as we might enjoy reading about “happy little elves,” conflict and battle are fundamental to science fiction and fantasy, and have been since their inception in mythology (if anyone here has read Beowulf, you’ll know what I mean). But writing battle scenes does not always come naturally to those of us who have spent our lives wielding a pen instead of a sword. Like the rehearsal of a well choreographed dance, timing, physical movement, and mental reactions are all crucial to an exciting and believable battle scene. Today’s post will discuss how these elements come into play in small or one-on-one skirmishes. Next week, we will explore specific considerations for major battles between larger groups.

Timing
Successful battle scenes are those that keep the reader in suspense. Readers should feel as breathless as the characters themselves as they wait for an enemy to strike or desperately parry an attack. If the tension drops for a prolonged period of time, the feeling of danger will dissipate and your reader will lose interest. This is where pacing comes in. Everything in a fight should move quickly, hovering on the edge of moving too fast for the reader to follow. Sentences should be short and to the point. Elaborate description should be omitted whenever possible in favor of quick sketches of characters’ (often jumbled) impressions and sensations. Moments of stillness can be very effective in a fight scene, but only if the emotional tension is maintained - through anxiety at waiting for a hidden enemy to strike again, pain at discovering a fresh wound, fear for the safety of companions, etc. Always include an element of the unexpected to keep your characters (and your reader) a little off balance; rarely should a protagonist feel completely in control during a fight.

Movement
Experience, size, and physical and mental conditions (both temporary and permanent) all affect how a character moves in battle. As anyone who has ever studied a Martial Art knows, it is much more difficult to coordinate your hands, feet, and intentions than it looks. Inexperienced fighters (as many sci-fi/fantasy protagonists are) move slowly and clumsily, and are almost as likely to trip over themselves as they are to hit their aggressor. Swords and other weapons, while not nearly as heavy in reality as those depicted in some fantasy novels, are cumbersome and awkward to wield unless you have trained for many months or years to master them. Physical size also plays a role in movement and balance. Thanks to the law of inertia, larger people cannot move from rest or change direction as fast as those who are smaller. The same is true for weapons - there’s no such thing as a quick swipe with a broadsword without magical intervention. And if your character has any extra appendages, like wings or a tail, you will need to think about how they will help or hinder his or her balance and agility. Finally, keep in mind that some conditions and circumstances - like having traveled miles on horseback or not eaten for three days or even fighting in the darkness - will change how well your character can react and retaliate.

Thought
In battle (and elsewhere), characters’ thoughts should mirror the pace of the scene. That means they should probably be fast, panicked, and not entirely coherent. It’s okay (and often even expected) for your character’s thoughts and actions to be irrational during a battle, as long as he or she remains relatively focused on the immediate danger and strategies for surviving it. Any conversations between characters should likewise be basic and concise - no blocks of dialogue! Long, contemplative moral discussions can come later.