Over the past few months, I've discovered that I really like to write fight scenes. Whether the fight is verbal or physical, it's just fun to write. You get to see how each character reacts to feeling threatened. You may not think a fight scene would be so telling since it's about action, right? But really it's a great opportunity to show another side of your character. Did your MC instigate the fight? Or is he/she the one being bullied? Mannerisms, quick thinking, and snappy comebacks can all reveal a lot about a character.

Aside from that, fight scenes let you play around with pacing. You can use short sentences to increase pace and tension. You can mimic the rhythm of a physical fight by matching words with punches. There are so many opportunities to really reach into your writing handbag and pull out a handful of tricks. And don't forget dialogue in your fight scenes. It's unlikely that your character will be silent through it all. What they say can be equally as important as what they do.

How about you? Do you like writing fight scenes? Do you have any tricks for pulling off a good fight scene?