Writing Excuses 20.25: Writing Confrontation (LIVE Aboard the WX Cruise)
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Jun 22, 2025 Hosts dive into the art of writing confrontations, both physical and emotional, revealing key elements like focus and physicality. They discuss how anticipation and character history shape these intense moments. The conversation flows from crafting dynamic fight scenes to exploring verbal arguments, emphasizing character depth and emotional stakes. A fun take on action scenes is shared, encouraging listeners to rewrite movie confrontations for prose. Plus, an engaging look at the Hulu show 'Death and Other Details' adds fresh insights for writers!
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Four Elements of Reactions
- Reactions in fight scenes have four parts: focus, physicality, thought, and action.
- Using all four simultaneously can bog down a scene; selectively highlighting these elements creates compelling moments.
Sword Fighting Reaction Insights
- Erin Roberts discovered she reacts aggressively in sword fighting but can only rely on instinct rather than thought during fast combat.
- Experienced fighters spend less time on physicality and more on tactical thoughts because their movements are ingrained.
Reflexes Over Conscious Thought
- In high-stakes, fast situations, like driving on black ice, reflexes often override conscious thought.
- This experience helps understand how action scenes can compress time and reactions authentically.
