Not that I actually want to learn how to be violent....
One of the biggest challenges I face as an author is never to stay in one place. I need to be growing, changing, to continue learning new things.
In the spirit of learning new skills, I spent a good portion of today focusing on violence. That sounds rather terrible, but it is what I did. I write a lot of action packed sequences and adventure stories. However, violence is one of my least favorite things in this world. Because of that, I tend to simply gloss over the fighting and do my best to ignore it in favor of emotional level character development. I have come to the realization, though, that if I am going to write the kind of stories that I write, then I need to know how to effectively write violence.
So, to that end, I spent several hours this afternoon doing research. I read about how to write fight scenes. I read about how to actually fight, not simply write about it. How to use a knife, a bow, a fist. It was violent. Some of it was pretty gruesome. But I learned a lot. About weapons, about techniques, about all sorts of things. I then put some of that new knowledge into practice and wrote some fight scenes. Not spectacular by any means, but I think it's better than it has been.
Obviously, I'd be able to write combat better if I participated in that sort of thing, but as that isn't likely to happen any time soon, doing extensive research seems like the next best option. And so far, I think it really is helping.
I won't stop with today though. I'll continue to research effective fighting techniques as well as reading up on how to write realistic and powerful scenes that involve violence. I want to better my skills as an author, and that is going to take time. But it is time that I am willing to dedicate to the cause, because the better I write, the better I can use my gifts to glorify the Lord :)
Hello, Amanda!
ReplyDeletePleasure to meet you- my name is Ashley, author of Like No Other Fashion...I was visiting Paige at Sunday Best and All the Rest and saw you there.
This is quite an interesting post! Though I wish I could be more fluent at writing non-fiction, I am fascinated by the topic! My sister is actually more of the author in my family and is currently working on her first young adult fiction novel. Reading your post of violence and and weapons reminded me of the types of things she researches for her writing efforts.
I'm so glad you are using your gifts to glorify God! I'm sure you are a wonderful author, and as time allows, I would love to read some of your other posts!
Blessings to you!
Ashley
Like No Other
www.likenootherfashion.blogspot.com
Hello, Ashley!
DeleteThanks for stopping by. :) Paige's blog is lovely, isn't it?
There are so many things I wish I did better as an author, which is one of the reasons I have undertaken this new journey into the world of violence. (No matter how I say that, it still sounds like a bad thing). Good luck to your sister in her endeavors!
I don't know about "wonderful," but I do my best :)
-Amanda