"Let's pick a fight." But...with who? http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755 TumbleCoyote So! I've decided I need to jazz up my novel with some more fight scenes. I'm about 12k in (and behind schedule), and I've mostly had the characters bouncing around and talking to each other, which I suppose is good to get out of the way. But now, things are...well, dull. I think part of this comes from the fact that I went into this book without any big 'setpiece' action scenes in mind. A mistake. So yeah, right now, I've got a ninja, a werewolf, and a young university professor who need to go beat somebody up for plot relevant information, preferably in a big and flashy manner. Though I'm honestly not sure WHO they should go knock around. I suppose there's the whole 'bar full of bad guy monsters' idea, but that seems a little dull. Maybe a meeting of some not-so-secret (and rather nefarious) society? So yeah. Anyone else got any fun ideas? Bonus points if you include a cool setting for the fight scene. :) Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:10:09 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_607065 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_607065 Djeinus Mug attempt? An assassin that fails? In a casino full of dwarves? That's all I've got. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:28:43 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_607463 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_607463 Ecarg7000 Well, I have a few plot ideas along with hints for action writing. apparently i'm good at writing action. -maybe the professor discounts the fact that werewolves are real? -ninja stalks professor as some ninja assignment, professor gets all ticked off -if it's modern world, try having them all in a bar or a party or something where there's a lot of people, someone gets pissed off and a fight ensues it really depends on your character's personalities. i think i can help more if i know more about your character's personalities, specifically the professor's. he seems like an interesting character. notes on action writing: -there must be something at stake, you can't have people walking around aimlessly looking for fights to pick -if you can picture the scene in your head, write from there. when you don't know what happens, read what you've wrote and play it like a movie in your head then go from there (it's worked a lot for me) -combine short and long sentences (simple and complex) so it flows good luck! sorry if this comment is really long Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:34:37 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_608744 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_608744 TumbleCoyote Well, personality wise, the three of them are college buddies, so they're all on the same side, so to speak. Think Buffy-ish. The Ninja's probably the most action-oriented of the set. Used to weirdness, revels in it. He's slightly hedonistic and/or adrenaline junkie. The werewolf's of the 'change at will with a good deal of control' type. She also runs her own business. Professional and friendly...until she has to bite something's head off. As for the professor, he's just a regular (if resourceful and knowledgeable) human. Studies modern occultism and such, though he hasn't really learned anything of major consequence for awhile. Practical- he's taken to carrying a revolver (though I haven't decided what kind) since they're getting into something crazy. Oh, and he had a crush on the werewolf gal back in college. Still does, really. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:58:49 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_609209 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_609209 MandyBroughton The ninja needs to get into a fight with a PIRATE because, of course, Ninjas rule but PIRATES think too highly of themselves. Plus it works off energy. It might be over a girl pirate. Boy ninja meets girl pirate and sparks fly. Girl pirate's boyfriend isn't quite an ex so fists fly with Ninja. The werewolf needs to get into a fight with an ASTRONOMER because, of course, ASTRONOMERS control the lunar cycle and the werewolf wants to/does not want to change more often/less often (effects control over change). Also, the werewolf is a part of a revolutionary group that wants to do away with the Gregorian calendar. They want to bring back to the Lunar calendar. And the young university professor needs to hash it out with the DEAN of his department because he stole he research and took credit. Tenure is in the balance, the young prof will not only lose his position with the university but will be black balled from ever working at another university. His only option would be to work at a junior college or *gasp* a high school. Setting of the three way fight scene? The House of PI and LAMBDA: Serving the best pies and lamb chops to all the university students. Located on the seashore on the night of a blue moon (2nd full moon of the month). How to tie it together... write it first to see what you uncover. Good Luck! Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:09:35 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_610560 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_610560 Ecarg7000 Coolio. definitely coolio. so, I can't really see the professor getting in a fight with werewolf gal, since that's pretty much ruin his chances with her. if you turn romantic or plan to put anything like that in your novel. ahh, the ninja. just saying, he should do parkour to get around, that would be epic. the best conflict i can see here is the ninja and professor arguing about the practicality of hedonism or doing things for the thrill. i can't see the professor really doing what a ninja would. but since they're buddies there's not a whole lot of room for a major fight scene, if that's what you're going for. if you have a werewolf, there must be a pack around.... i'm guessing. maybe the professor has a bone to pick with werewolf gal's ex maybe (ex comes back tries to help with whatever the threesome are doing, they don't get along), there's some nice head to head stuff there. my only problem is that i can't see the professor really getting into the whole fighting gig (like mma, streetfighting, etc.) so get him to learn. maybe from a dojo, maybe he secretly loves bruce lee, who knows? you'll come up with something, i'm sure. again, you could go with the fact that ninja drags professor into a crazy place where people do crazy stuff or whatever (like a skateboard park or some place where people attempt crazy physical stunts with their bodies, like parkour) and professor's like, whoa no way when he gets there. everyone's like, oh come on dude (or maybe just one rly annoying dude) and professor gets ticked off at him and pulls off some epic stunt. even better, werewolf gal has been doing this with ninja for a while and sees it happen.... good romantic conflict as well. so as always, good luck! sounds like an interesting novel :) Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:14:46 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_611785 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_611785 Feathers Vampirates attack the city and loot the blood bank, sucking the vaults dry. Who or what is behind this attack? Luckily the professor is on the case and his old pals the ninja and werewolf want in on the action too. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:27:30 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_611982 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_611982 CarisonRodriguez I had one of my characters practicing super-advanced magic while the rest of the group was training to catch up to her (because she hadlearned magic before she actually had a reason to, since she was a super nerd), and she found the incantation for winning a one-man war. She then summoned a massive army of undead wraiths that attacked her underprepared team. "YES! ..... Oh, crap" Sat, 12 Nov 2011 13:34:58 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_649419 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_649419 Kidrylm-writer ninja boy + pirate girl = EPICNESS! Sat, 12 Nov 2011 23:00:13 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_655507 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_655507 Kidrylm-writer A great way to get inspiration for fight scenes is to think about setting. Bad guys could attack just about anywhere so make it fun and incorporate the background into the moves. What are some different places your guys might go? What are some random places they could go? What about a movie set after hours? A dounut shop with a mysterious top floor? A rusty old playground in the middle of the night? The roof of a skyscraper with lots of dangerous ledges to fight on? A boat in the middle of a lake? Knock yourself out! Sat, 12 Nov 2011 23:02:49 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_655525 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_655525 MandyBroughton Exactly... I figured it would be worth at least 20k! Might keep that for myself for CampNaNo... And I keep seen people griping about sparkly vampires--maybe I'll thrown in a sparkly zombie... Sun, 13 Nov 2011 03:16:39 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_657626 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_657626 rbingham2000 Who are the bad guys of your story? Who is your antagonist, what does he or she want, how does this conflict with what your characters want, and what lengths are your antagonist willing to go to in order to get what he or she wants? Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:41:26 +1100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1076739 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/adventure/threads/31755?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1076739