Q&A with Steven Pressfield discussion

I'm curious... what you perceive as the "essential" elements to writing a kick*** battle scene

First, use the word 'ass.' Seriously, my theory is a battle scene is just like an entire book or movie; it should have a beginning, a middle and an end; it should have a theme (it should be ABOUT something.) It should advance the story. And it should have as many visual and sensory details as possible without slowing down the momentum of the action. It's the details, in my view, that make any action scene come alive and seem real. Hope that helps, Heather! (P.S., the same rules would apply to a sex scene.)

ha. that does help - thanks! I look forward to writing plenty of cursing and sex scenes :))

I think, also, the progression between those phases should be obvious and clear to the reader-- we have to know that Side A is doing well and Side B is doing poorly; or perhaps the tables turn at some point-- we need to know how and why and what the consequences are. This is essentially the "bird's eye view/God's eye view" that is so very different from a first person/lowly grunt perspective. The dichotomy between the two views of the fight can be a very tricky thing to pull off sometimes, in my opinion.

There's a vast difference between the experiences of the foot soldier-- the heat, the sweat, the push of the pike, the straining and cursing, the blood and stink. the scrabbling of your feet trying to gain purchase in the dirt, etc. and the experiences of the commander-- excited subordinates riding up with the latest updates, the eyes of the subordinate commanders upon you, waiting for your decision, trying to outguess the enemy commander's next move...

We WANT to read about that grunt's experiences, because, really, that's what we would experience if we were there. But we NEED to know about what that commander is going to do... to place the whole thing in context.

Just my 02, worth what you paid for it.

H.