Have you ever seen Kill Bill? If you have you’ve probably watched the Bride and Gogo’s throw down. It was, to say the very least, one tastefully action-packed scene. But how do you translate a scene like that on paper? To tell you the truth, it isn’t simple.

First, you have to have a pretty good understanding of the human anatomy, you don’t have to be an expert, but if you don’t know where the jugular is then maybe you should have a diagram of the human body somewhere for reference.

Second, you’ll need to know the lingo. Words like a roundhouse kick, sucker punch, jump spin hook, and so on. You’ll also need to know what they look like. There are so many ways fights can go down. Sometimes guns are involved or swords or projectiles, but for now we’ll focus on the basics: fighting with fists.

For example:

 - Jean’s arms were in front of her red face as she tried to keep her guard up. Her eyes narrowed in focus when she saw her opening. Jean shifted her torso and bent her knees, positioning her tightly balled fist just below Kitana’s face Jean threw a vertical punch that connected with her opponent's chin causing her foe to fall backward onto the floor.

You shouldn’t always outright say what is happening. Even if the scene above can be as easily written as:

- Jean’s arms were in front of her red face as she tried to keep her guard up. Her eyes narrowed in focus when she saw her opening. Jean uppercutted Kitana causing her opponent to fall.

It’s quick, it works, but if your reader doesn’t know what an uppercut is then they’ll have a hard time picturing what the heck is happening.

Third, (and you’ve probably heard this before) do not use adverbs unless you absolutely have to. It seems like a good idea because adverbs are so convenient, but really you’re limiting what your readers are seeing. Your action scene will fall flat without detail, not excessive detail, but a good amount of it. Additionally, it is important to note how your characters look. People who fight can have puffed up faces, bruises, sweat, blood, and even tears.

ADVERB USED:

- Without much thought, Jazmine swiftly punched his nose.

We know that she punched him fast, but did it hurt him? Was it hard enough?

ADVERB NOT USED:

- Without much thought, Jazmine jabbed her fist so fast against his nose he had no time to protect himself.

We know that she punched him, we know that she punched him so fast that he couldn’t stop her from doing so.

Fourth, real fighting isn’t like WWE. If you’ve ever been in a real fight or have ever watched any sort of sport which involves fighting then you know that people seldom talk. They’re focused, their adrenaline is pumping, they’re not going to waste a breath on some arrogant comment. At most this is how it would go down in boxing:

- Sweat trickled from Johnny Cage’s brow. It was now or never. Cage clenched his teeth and took a deep breath before he swung his gloved fist and hooked Kano’s arrogant mug. Kano’s mouthguard slipped out from between his teeth as he let out a roar of agony and fell against the red ropes of the ring.  

There is NO dialogue. Zilch. There can be groans, moans, sighs, and screams. But rarely should there ever be dialogue. This isn't anime. If it was, this is how it would look on paper:

- Sweat trickles from Johnny Cage's brow. It was now or never. Cage clenches his teeth and takes a deep breath. “It’s over, Kano! With all my strength, I will defeat you!” Cage says, his fist going a hundred miles an hour. Kano’s eyes widen in dismay.“T-that’s impossible!” Kano says just before Cage’s fist meets his face.

It sounds fun, sure. But if you’re trying to write a serious action scene, you’ve got to understand that people are too caught up in trying not to lose or get themselves a black eye.

Lastly, you’ll need to choose between writing in past or present tense. Both work absolutely fine, but usually, it is easier to verbalize things in the present tense. Just remember, action isn’t nearly as easy to visualize on paper and it's your job (if your stories are action-oriented) to help readers see what you see.