My brother is a fighter. I don’t mean he goes to bars and gets into brawls. I mean he’s a professional. He gets paid to fight. He was the International Fight League champion a few years ago and after he won, he praised Jesus on national television. See, my brother is a Christian, and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Oh, and he’s an engineer for the government too. He doesn’t exactly fit the fighting stereotype, does he? This may sound weird, but the way my brother fights in the ring is very reflective of who he is as a person. He’s humble, and he’s respectful. You can tell by the way he treats and talks about his opponent. He never gets tired (he’s known for his stamina) and he fights intelligently. You can almost see his mind working as he circles the ring.
So what does all this have to do with writing?
A lot, actually. Fighting is important to writers. Or at least it should be. We might not have knock out punches in our novels, but we should all strive to have at least one good argument.
Why?
Because arguments not only epitomize the essence of great conflict, they add dimesion to our characters. You see, fighting is highly individualistic. No two people fight the same. Just watch a fight on television. This makes fighting an excellent way to build characterization.
Right now, I’m reading Characters, Emotion, and Viewpoint by Nancy Kress and in her chapter on fighting, Nancy says, “People express deep layers of their personalities in how often they fight, with whom, how fairly, and how intensely.”
Let’s dissect each of these components, shall we?
How often does your character fight?
The character who takes offense to everything is much different from the character who shrugs everything off. The character who thrives on conflict is much different from the character who desperately wants to maintain peace. So who is your character? Where on this continuum does he or she lie?
Who will your character fight with?
Might your character extend grace to strangers, but argue with everything his mother has to say? Or maybe it’s the other way around. What about the character who treats her subordinates with kindness, but is criticial of her superiors? Nancy Kress gives the example of a grandmother who is gracious to her heirs and her cleaning lady, but argumentative with doctors and police officers. Who your character chooses to argue with says a lot about him or her as an individual.
Does your character fight fair?
Is she underhanded? Does she name-call, manipulate, threaten? Does she use tears? Or does she stick to the issue at hand and support her arguments logically? As you can see, these two characters are very different. How fair is your character when it comes to fighting?
How intensely does your character fight?
In the midst of an argument, what drives your character? Passion? Logic? Something else? Does your character stay calm? Do they raise their voice? Do they shout? Do they get violent? Are they passive-aggressive? In real life, we all react differently when offended. An insult may lead one person to murder and another to laughter. How intensely a character fights says a lot about who they are.
But before you settle on the intensity, consider these three factors:
1. The character’s personality. The quick-tempered character will not fight with the same intensity as the soft-spoken one.
2. The nature of the specific fight. Can you think of a circumstance that might make your soft-spoken, peace-loving character to fly off the handle with rage? Most everyone has a sensitive spot. Have you given your character one?
3. Culture. Even a quick-tempered character knows better than to backhand somebody in church. Where are your arguments occurring? Fights are more restrained in public places than they are in private ones. How interesting to force your characters to fight about something important in a highly public area, where they must whisper and smile.
My brother may fight intensely in the ring, but he’s done as soon as the referee blows the whistle. He morphs back into Mr. Nice Guy Engineer. The guy with the quick smile and the easy laugh. He’s a fighter in the ring and a lover in life. This makes for an interesting character, don’t you think?
Questions to Ponder: So how about you? Have you considered these aspects of fighting in regards to your characters? Which one do you find the most useful? And what about real life? What kind of fighter are you?
i came looking for how to write a fight scene and found a writing blog too.
In my rewrite for my current wip – I've been adding fight scenes. Great post!
Happy Birthday, Katie! My main character is very strong-willed, but would never be caught raising her voice. She's a very quiet fighter, but can hold her own.
Me? I hate controntation, but have no problem slamming a door when I'm at my maddest.
I dislike physical fighting so I had trouble right at the start of your analogy. I've heard the arguments that professional fighting requires skill and training and control, etc., but as a Christian I simply can't understand anyone's desire to voluntarily hit or hurt someone. I can't see a point in professional fighting.
But with all that aside, I get your application to writing… particularly to showing anger. People don't always have control of their emotions so there will be times when our characters don't either. My current MC mouths off… i.e., lets go with a stream of verbal abuse… and that can be just as bad as physical abuse.
When it comes to me, I hate confrontations and am always the one who tries to "turn away wrath with a soft word"… I'm the peacemaker in our crowd.
I'm really thinking about that question, what would it take for that passive, sweet person to fly into a rage. That will help me develop this MC even more. Thanks! And, great story about your nice guy brother who fights.
I tend to get quiet when I get mad, so creating fighters, on the page, who are vocal about their anger, tends to stretch my abilities. But sometimes writing a scene like that can be a great catharsis!
After my husband read a fight scene of mine, he said, Hey, I remember that. Now it was a verbal battle, a man woman thing, but it was something reminiscent of one of our battles. The thing is, we're fair fighters. My characters, not so much. They go all the way. And just like Lisa, my heart was pounding, too!
Thanks Katie. I think I will picture my characters in a boxing ring with their opponent to see how they react to help me figure out their fighting personalities.
I tend to blow up then back away. So my fighting personality is like a hockey referee–let the players go at it for abit, letting their frustration out or until someone is in a position of gettng hurt, then pull them apart and put them in separate boxes so they can't start again.
Excellent analogy! And neat about your brother, too.
Happy Birthday!
Oh, Katie, (is it your birthday?? Yes? Happy B-day!!), I'm a lover not a fighter. Which is a nice way of saying I'm passive aggressive! Ha!
It all comes down to knowing your character and this is another way to get to know your characters. Thanks.
This one has been bookmarked, printed and filed in my writing folder – love it!! AND I love the new blog look! 🙂
I hate conflict. So I usually run away and try to write an argument later. :0)
My novel opens with the aftermath of an argument. It was a lot of fun to write. :0)
Hi Katie –
Super analogy!
I enjoy writing conflict, as much as I detest it in real life. It perks up the reader's interest, and speeds up the pace.
Blessings,
Susan 🙂
Great post and wonderful things to consider while writing. Thanks for sharing!
When I wrote a fight scene between my hero and heroine, I could feel my heart pounding as anger poured from my fingers. Hubby asked me a question and I snarled at him. I had to apologize and explain. He said, "You really get into character, don't you?" Well, I kind of have to climb inside my characters' heads to feel what they're feeling.
Love the paradox about your brother. Great character quirks.
In real life, I hate confrontation and avoid it at all costs.
I forgot to tell you Happy Birthday!!!! I hope you have an awesome day. With lots of ice cream and chocolate. 🙂
Awesome post!!! I totally agree. I have two characters, best friends, and they fight completely differently.
Very cool about your brother! I've been thinking of writing a book with the hero being a fighter. *grin* I can't wait!
~***HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE***~
(I did get it right?) 😉
What a great idea for a post! Really informative with lots of food for thought. I'll definitely be applying this to my work in progress! Thanks! 🙂
MY MC fights a lot with her BFF who is like a sister. I never intended the characters to not get along, they sort of decided on that on their own. Funny how that works! 😉
I'll definitely start thinking about fights more. Fights = conflict = good writing. Thanks!
GREAT post! Lots of food for thought! Thanks for sharing. I will be referencing this and sharing your link on my Monday Mosaic blog today.
Wow! You can always pull stories from your brother's life, can't you????
Very cool analogy.
The whole writing process is a fight:
to get likely but compelling characters
to get intense issues that turn on readers but don't push them over the edge
LOVE this blog.
Patti
Happy Birthday, my love!!
I hope your brother didn't learn his fighting skills on you growing up! lol
What great thoughts about fighting and ways to up the tension! That book sounds like one I'll have to add to my list.
I'm very non-confrontational, so fight scenes can be difficult for me. Maybe, I should save all my fight scenes for when I'm really angry at someone and take it out on my characters.
What a valuable post, Katie! Thanks for the book recommendation.
My main characters are both headstrong, so sparks fly often. Their verbal sparring intensifies as the story progresses. My poor hero doesn't do well, though, and often ends up putting his foot in his mouth, whereas my heroine knows just what to say to get to him.
I saved the best for last ~
Happy Birthday to wonderful you!!!
I'm in the middle of writing an awesome fight scene. It was incredibly fun to write and came out of nowhere (I love when that happens!). My characters past troubles are influencing the way he's responding in this situation, and the also his reaction to the fight (which I'm planning to write today). Our pasts influence the way that we handle conflict, and so it will also influence our charcter's methods too. Great post, Katie!
First, Happy Birthday, Katie! Have a wonderful day celebrating you! 🙂
Second, great questions. I know for myself, I used to be quite the hothead…esp when it came to family. But I've cooled off as I've gotten older. I'm more tactful and have a longer fuse. Still…if that fuse snaps…
My heroine isn't much of a fighter, she shrugs off a lot of stuff. However, when people start picking on her special gift, she gets defensive and isn't afraid to strike out against the offender.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
I hope you have a wonderful day- full of love and blessings from on High. I know you will- because God's mercies are new. How are you enjoying that new Kindle?!
There are two characters in my WIP- father and son who battle like nothing else. I wonder at all how they manage to conjure so much anomosity. Painful exchanges abound, but I detect peace before the close of this journey.
I used to be a yeller. I tell no lie. Yell. Yell. Yell. I'm a passionate person, what can I say? God has had His work cut out for Him with me. I don't yell anymore, but I'm not always the best listener. I think often about what I want to say next.
For my WIP, my MC is sharp-tongued, but I imagine anyone would be in her situation. How's that for leaving you hanging?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
~ Wendy
Katie!!!!! I have missed you so much. I plan on coming back the week after unplug week. That is also the week I plan on querying. I am really praying as your book goes to the Pub board this week. YAY! How wonderful. It will go there and everyone will love it. I am getting ready to have my prayer time(got up late) and I am praying furiously. God loves how you love him Katie. And I do too.
Christopher continues to bless people he meets. And last night a man in church testified what Christopher has done for him. Yup, I cried. =)
Thank you for your prayers. Please keep them up. God is so wonderul. I love you Katie.
And this post today comes at a time when I am fixing an argument scene that my two girls, best friends, (one quick-tempered, the other more soft-spoken) have in my book. It has to be stronger. More involved. More real. Young kids thirteen years old fight and carry everything to the extreme. Thank you for helping me see that. I know now it will be a fantastic scene in the book that all girls will be able to identify with.
*hugs Katie* See you soon. I will be back to check in and see what happens.
Happy Birthday Katie! I hope it is a fun one:) Eat cake for me.
My characters fight, each differntly.I've never thought about it separately like this, just used their fights as part of their character. But you have made me see them as an element apart.
How cool about your brother and I love how you can incorporate it into your writing that's fantastic!!!
Oh and Happy Birthday! I found out over on Janna's blog!
Oh wow! I've never thought about this! I know my H/H argue, but I've never really "thought" it through before! Girl, you are making me THINK! lol
(thanks for your thoughtful and encouraging words on my blog today. You are one smart lady!)
Interesting about your brother. It is interesting how athletes can turn on a competitive persona.
In reading, I like characters with fight and tenacity as it allows me to cheer them on.
And happy birthday.
Very interesting about your brother. Glad he morphs out of fighter mode when the fight is over. Those arrogant guys are tiring to watch. :O)
http://www.dianeestrella.com