Reply
Mon 7 Dec, 2009 04:43 am
Hiya, new to this sight, but I'm desperate for some help.
I’m a young author, and about to write a dramatic sword fight between two characters, the fights been building up over the novel (I’ve finally reached the climatic event) however I’ve come to release I’m unsure of how to describe a nice, smooth sword fight for people who are of a high class.
Does anyone have any idea of where I could find or if you yourself know, the kinds of words and ways to describe fluid fight between a heavy older man and a very angry young man who hasn’t used a sword much? Would being angry affect the judgment?
Thanks to anyone who gives this some thought, I’m really quite out of inspiration, despite having just watched so many youtube videos involving medieval sword fights...
Edit (Moderator): URL removed
I liked the scene when Indiana Jones
was threatened by a Middle Eastern bum with a sword,
brandishing it around, so Jones drew his revolver n shot him.
Direct, to the point, and dispositive.
The moral of the story is: "don 't take a knife to a gun fight."
David
The link below is to an essay contrasting longsword fighting with modern
fencing. In the text there are many good descriptions of longsword
techniques that you may find useful.
http://www.thearma.org/essays/Longsword_Differs_From_Modern_Fencing.html
@Haruka-Shir,
Maybe u coud have the older guy use the older method
and the angry guy use the newer method; either that,
or thay coud just sit down and
negotiate.
@Haruka-Shir,
Hello Haruka-
You could try reading Sir Henry Rider Haggard's description of fighting in general and apply his words, or variations on them, changing the order to disguise that you are imitating a master, the tense too, with some interpolations gleaned from a fencing manual to direct the reader towards the masculinity of the hero who is a recidivist show-off as the hero always is in any half-way decent writing.
What is the setting for the fight? I don't suppose it's a road-rage incident? It would be a good exercise for a young writer to construct a plausible scenario to a road-rage sword fight.
Give us the context.
@spendius,
spendius wrote:
Hello Haruka-
You could try reading Sir Henry Rider Haggard's description of fighting in general and apply his words, or variations on them, changing the order to disguise that you are imitating a master, the tense too, with some interpolations gleaned from a fencing manual to direct the reader towards the masculinity of the hero who is a recidivist show-off as the hero always is in any half-way decent writing.
What is the setting for the fight? I don't suppose it's a road-rage incident? It would be a good exercise for a young writer to construct a plausible scenario to a road-rage sword fight.
I had a roadrage gunfight (sorta; kinda)
Never bring a knife to a gunfight.
David
Keep your audience in mind, whatever you do. Do you expect your readers to know the jargon, or would describing their movements in terms "universally" understood and employing metaphors be most effective?
@Haruka-Shir,
First question that needs to be answered is, what kind of weapons are these fellows using? Broadsword? Rapier? Sabre? Longsword? Are they wearing armor? Shields?
If this is in a historical context (
i.e., not fantasy), then you should research the period to determine what the common weapons were.
Haruka wrote:however I’ve come to release I’m unsure of how to describe a nice, smooth sword fight
We realize that, just release the pressure, the guys here gonna help you..
@OmSigDAVID,
OmSigDAVID wrote:
. . . or thay coud just sit down and negotiate.
Never bring a negotiator to a sword fight.
@George,
George wrote:
OmSigDAVID wrote:
. . . or thay coud just sit down and negotiate.
Never bring a negotiator to a sword fight.
Admittedly, I 've never tried that.
@George,
Excellent link, that, George. Thanx for sharing.
@Merry Andrew,
You're welcome, MA.
I got interested in the subject when Nigel was fencing for St.John's.
@George,
George wrote:
OmSigDAVID wrote:
George wrote:
OmSigDAVID wrote:
. . . or thay coud just sit down and negotiate.
Never bring a negotiator to a sword fight.
Admittedly, I 've never tried that.
Well, you're no Romeo.
I 've gotta admit that, too.
As a game master for an RPG in a medieval setting, I was called upon to write descriptive scenes for many a sword duel. I usually found inspiration and technical terms from the wikipedia pages on fencing and martial arts. Make sure you follow the links on the pages because there are also many layers of info in those for you to choose from.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fencing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_European_Martial_Arts
@George,
Seaglass' godson, Enoch Woodhouse IV, at one point held the world championship in fencing in the 12 to 14-year-old age group.
@Haruka-Shir,
Quote:I’m unsure of how to describe a nice, smooth sword fight for people who are of a high class.
Do you mean the people in the duel are high class or the people who you anticipate as your readers?
@Merry Andrew,
Merry Andrew wrote:
Seaglass' godson, Enoch Woodhouse IV, at one point held the world
championship in fencing in the 12 to 14-year-old age group.
. . . and a foil man to boot.
Outstanding!
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace