The Word Cloud

I'm currently re-writing my first chapter and i'm struggling with the battle scene.

Those of you that read my first (and second) draft will know that this is one point that was really flawed.

How do you write a gripping battle scene that keeps the reader interested?!

HELP! :(

Hi K,
Like any scene choose your narrator first. If you have and omnisient narrator you will have an overview of the scene and will include more aspects of it. If you see the battle through the eyes of a character then this will narrow down what bits you will write. The latter I think would be the easier way and will emerge the reader right into the action. The reader will form a picture of the scene themselves. I think we as writers forget that writing is a two-way thing. When we try to take on everything and forget about the reader writing can seem like an arduous task.
Don't know if this helps any! :)

Nashelle's right that point-of-view is the key. Wideangle is hard to get right and still keep it immediate and involving, and a particular character's experience of what's going on is always the best way of drawing the reader in. On the other hand, that can make it hard to convey what you need to, of the progress of the battle, that an individual can't know.

I'd suggest that there's always the option of using a third-person narrator who has an omniscient point-of-view but also can slide into the voice-and-point-of-view - the head - of a character involved in the scene. Free indirect style, in other words. Or more than one character, if you're feeling brave and want to be really grown-up about it. Though you'll have to brace yourself for the narrow-minded rule-grubbers who say it's 'not allowed'.

You might also want to think about the closely related issue of psychic distance:

http://emmadarwin.typepad.com/thisitchofwriting/psychic-distance-what-it-is-and-how-to-use-it.html

If you think in terms of a rhythm of moving inwards and outwards - then that can help a lot.

I think with battle scenes you should slow it down. Break it into sections and look at improving each one. Take out parts which you don't think are vital to the storyline and finish off each section with something that will link to the next part. This will make your battle flow better.

If your struggling for ideas of what to write then try this exercise; watch a movie like Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, Braveheart, 300, Henry V (all have brilliant battle scenes) and think how you would describe it in a book. Take into consideration the sights, sounds, smells, feelings , anything worth noting. Incorporate this into your book and it should be great.

Some useful things I once read about writing battle/action scenes (Paraphrased here):

Hi Korinne.
Try this. Put your head inside your reader. What does he/she need to know about the battle and its outcome?
Keep your focus on this. It will allow you to utilize widescreen and/or close-up, as is fitting.

Is there a surprise?
Is the main character going to win or lose?
Which other characters are integral?

I know I keep on harping about it - your readers are your audience.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

This is really helpful. When I get round to re-writing the battle i'm going to take all this on board. x

Treat a battle like any other event your characters endure. Be sure to keep continuity; your initially timid, shy hero does not become a bloodthirsty berserker in a moment, for example.