Review: Must read if you want to write fight scenes
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 14, 2011
I love fight scenes in books and movies. Now I want to write them effectively in my own novels. Alan's book basically takes you through what you need to be aware of in order to write a decent fight scene, things that you would never even consider as a "normal" person who has never thrown a punch outside Body Combat gym classes.Important aspects such as :* the importance of footwork and range* being aware of surroundings and setting so you are prepared - and of course as a writer, we can set up the physical environment to make a fight scene more effective* throwing and grappling as important techniques - it's not all punching and kicking... and so much more.There's also the psychology of fighting which is fascinating to me - Alan writes "Fighting is constantly responding to chaos" which in itself is a beautiful phrase. He also talks about sizing up everyone you walk past, assessing their strengths - these are amazing insights into someone trained in techniques that can give our characters rich detail.Basically, you need to invest in this book if you want to write a fight scene that thrills your readers and also helps reveal your character.