Action scenes are often great thrillers for most novel enthusiasts. Such scenes are vital aspects of a novel and must be properly written. Writing realistic action scenes can be a difficult task for many writers, so, this guide is here to help you.
Keep reading to get tips on how to effectively write realistic action scenes that catch your readers’ attention.
Make Adequate Research
Every great writing requires adequate research. To get readers engrossed in an action scene, you must be knowledgeable about the basics of combat. This will inspire various fighting styles and the usage of suitable action words. You can do this by seeing different action movies, reading action books by other authors, conferring with professionals, or enrolling in a martial arts class.
Use Visual Details
To craft a compelling action scene, you must get your readers immersed in your story. Incorporate visual details that bring your story to life making your readers feel like they are present in the scene. Use descriptive words to craft a picture of the fight scene. By describing what the character feels, sees, hears, or experiences, they clearly visualize the action scene. This helps to bring your readers into the moment and makes it more real to them.
Portray Relative Actions
Your writing becomes realistic if the action scenes are relatable. Hence, the plot development must be considered. Your story appears more real when the action scene is relative to an event or a reaction to what someone has initially said or done. Therefore, never import an action scene to impress or excite your audience. Ensure that every fight move included in your story is an important aspect of the storyline and not an abstract event. Any action scene must have a bearing on an initial event and have a resultant consequence, thereby ensuring consistency in the flow of your plot.
Avoid Exaggerated Claims
Make your stories authentic by steering clear of exaggerated claims. Do not overmagnify the actions of a scene to make it sound interesting to your audience. For instance, the fat man threw the first punch at him. He gracefully dodged it as he flew up to the sky. Fortunately, he was instantly greeted by a moving plane which he entered. Such action scenes are not only untrue but sound awkward. Exaggerating a scene makes it unbelievable to your readers, hence, it loses its authenticity. Thus, you must ensure it is as natural as possible.
Include Emotional Reaction
While writing action scenes, remember that your characters are humans with feelings and emotions. Hence, there will always be an emotional response from them during fights which must be described. It is either they are happy to be defeating their opponent, angry that they are losing out in the fight, or hurting from pains inflicted on them. Whatever the case might be, let your readers get into the action scene and experience it by being aware of the characters’ pain, happiness, worry, fears, or thoughts.
Show Adequate Details
Showing your readers the details of the action scenes makes your story creative and more real. Do not just narrate the sequence of activities to them, rather, show in detail the actions, gestures, and dialogue involved in the scene. Include every important detail in your writing. Give your readers enough details to imagine and reminisce. This is a way of keeping your story alive and realistic. Read our article on the importance of “Show, Don’t Tell” for more.
Give Your Readers a Character
Your readers are very instrumental in determining the authenticity of your story. Therefore, you need to engage them by giving them a character to root for. Make your characters unique so that your readers get attracted to them either for their strength, courage, weakness, or vulnerability.
Conclusion
Crafting realistic action scenes involves an intentional approach in the application of the various techniques discussed here. By mastering the art of writing natural and captivating action scenes, you become a better novelist.