Nov 24 2009
Maybe It’s Easier for Guys …
So two weeks ago I came to a turning point in The Advent which I wrapped up all nice and quick, and then I realized, No, it just can’t be that easy. We need a battle scene here.
Despite the fact that both Worlds Unseen and Burning Light contain climactic battle scenes that work fairly well, I am terrible at writing them. The pacing is hard to keep up as the tension levels have to be high without frazzling readers completely. They have to be planned out so carefully, and all the time I write them I think, I’m probably missing something really obvious and important, and when readers read this, they’re going to go, Yeah, but why didn’t they just push the button? They could have skipped the whole silly fight!
I had a week where I wasn’t able to write due to Behold the Child prep, rehearsals, and first performances, so last night I finally came back to this battle scene and started writing it. I was right, it needs to be there, and it’s not going too badly, but it’s still hard. I think this might be easier if I was a guy. Possibly guy brains are more suited to figuring out battle plans.
On a very different note, tomorrow I am launching the best Seventh World Trilogy sale EVER — both Worlds Unseen and Burning Light for only $25 plus shipping. They’ll be available on the home page starting tomorrow around 11:00 a.m. and going until December 25.
I’ve found that my best sounding board for battle sequences is my brother. I’d written a full draft of my story, thought it was done, and gone on to the next novel when I decided that I ought to go through and edit the first one. Upon doing so, I discovered that a story set primarily during a prolonged campaign had a whopping three battle sequences. None of which were more than 3-4 pages long. Now, while that worked for a couple of the fights, there was no way the climactic battle could be less than half a chapter. So I settled in for a re-write. Now there are considerably more skirmishes–varying from a few paragraphs to a few pages in length–culminating in the final battle that covers approximately two and a half chapters. And each of them has been approved by my target audience–my sixteen-year-old brother. I also talked them out a bit with him to make sure he thought the battle plan and tension was high enough to keep him interested. You might try using one of your brothers for the same purpose!
So in your case, my theory holds true! Thankfully two of my regular beta readers are guys, so they’ll tell me if my battles aren’t working out. I didn’t have them in the past, though!
I don’t think I’ve ever written a single battle scene in my life. Hmm … maybe I’m missing something! *Smile!* I can imagine that guys would be better than girls at writing battle scenes – after all, they’re out there in the garden at the age of three with “swords,” ACTING a never-ending series of battle scenes! I’m impressed that you’re going for it and writing anyway – I don’t think I’d know where to start! *Smile!*
Actually, when I was a little girl, *I* was out in the garden acting out battle scenes with swords. And staffs. And bows and arrows. I was an odd little girl. You should try writing a battle scene sometime — it would be probably be an improving challenge :). They’re fun in their own way, just difficult.
Funny, I liked pretending to use swords when I was child. I would pretend to be fighting with my Narnia friends. I haven’t written a battle scene yet, so it will be interesting (or maybe disheartening?) to see how I arrange it when I reach that scene in my writing…
When I was younger, my little brother and I make swords of out wood and had a great time trying not to get hurt. We played Narnia or Peter Pan and Captain Hook. Finally our parents made us stop so we made bows out of hangers and became Robin Hood and Maid Marian. :)
An improving challenge?!? Hmm. That sounds … like a homeschool assignment! :)