Book Review: Fight Like a Girl: Writing Fight Scenes for Female Characters

Writing Female Characters in Fight Scenes

Writing fight scenes is one of the most difficult aspects of writing fiction. Writing fight scenes for female characters is even more difficult. Especially, when you are not a trained fighter. If you're not careful, the scene comes across as a step-by-step, clinical action sequence rather than a cohesive, exciting encounter.

Fight Like a Girl is just what I needed to understand the difference in how men and women fight. The writing exercises give you a foundation to start with so that you aren't trying to pull a scene from the air while learning. 

She not only provides easy-to-follow examples, she critiques fight scenes in other books and explains why and how the attack or defense used would or would not work. And her humor makes a book that could be dry and boring fun to read.

Detailing the factual differences men and women use in fighting is so helpful. Due to being (usually) smaller and less strong than men, women just don't have the muscle mass to fight the same way men do. That doesn't mean women can't fight effectively, though. This book helps the untrained writer to write scenes that are realistic, yet exciting and engrossing.

I keep this book on my desk along with my other most used writing books.

Extract from Blurb:

Women are not men with mammaries. They don't approach, handle, or react to violence in the same way. Aiki Flinthart is a long-time martial artist, archer, knife-thrower, assault-survivor, and author of 11+ novels.

In Fight Like a Girl, she brings her own experience, plus the results of extensive research and interviews, to the table for fellow authors. 

Take care and stay safe,

Texas Ranch Wolf Pack Series

Books for Writers: The Romance Writers' Phrase Book

The Romance Writers' Phrase Book

So, I've done it again. I cleaned off my desk. Bad mistake.

The one thing I need most at the moment is the one thing I can't find.

In 1984, I bought a new book that I have read and reread over and over. It is a writing book titled The Romance Writers' Phrase Book. It doesn't tell you how to write. What it does is explain what dialog tags are and how to use them. Then is gives pages and pages of examples. And it's not just for romance writers, either. All writers need to know how to use dialog tags.

The idea is to read the examples, then come up with your own tag in the same vein of thought. It works great, and I have over the years recommended the book to anyone who asked how to write tags or how to write in general.

I have reluctantly offered to share this book with very close friends or family over the years, and have always been nervous until it was returned. I think someday, I just need to break down and buy a second copy to share.

At this point, my copy is so well-used, I might need to get another copy, anyway.

My well-used copy.

Back to my point. I am a messy-desk-kind-of-writer. If it is too messy, I have trouble concentrating, though, so occasionally, I will clean it off. Then the tools, books, or items I need get put up (where I will remember them, but I never do), and then I can't find them.

I may have put it on the bookcase in the hall. Guess I will go check.

There are other books, such as The Writer's Guides by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, that are a great help, too. If you need help with dialog tags, setting the mood, or adding descriptive details to your writing, you will find all of Angela Ackerman's books helpful.

Where ever you are in your journey to be a writer, whether you have published dozens or are still working on your first book or short story, these kinds of books are good tools. Over time, you, too, will have favorites.

What writing books do you prefer? Let me know in the comments.

Later,