A good fight scene in literature can be iconic. Think Ender’s Game, the Lord of the Rings series, or even The Iliad if your tastes skew more classic. Writing one, however, can often be a perilous balance between describing the action so readers feel as though they are there but not getting caught in the weeds so readers become bored with it all.

The good news is that whether you’re writing a fantasy fight scene overflowing with magical powers and dangerous spells or a brutally realistic alley brawl with plenty of blood, guts, and gore, the general guidelines surprisingly stay the same. Read on for some points to keep in mind when preparing for (writing) the fight of your life.

Set the scene
When preparing for a fight on the page, you must first make sure that you’ve properly set the scene so that readers are firmly oriented as to the when, where, and how of the process. This means making your setting as concrete as possible in terms of both location and including anything that might be used for the upcoming fight.

In other words, if you’re planning on having one of your characters grab a knife while setting the scene in a kitchen, be sure to reference it beforehand somehow—perhaps the character was chopping vegetables or washing the knife in the sink, for example.

Match the tone
To avoid breaking the momentum that you’ve been building thus far in your manuscript, be sure that the fight scene matches the overall tone of your book. There’s nothing more disconcerting that being fully immersed in a family drama and then reading about a character pulling out some heretofore unknown ninja moves or karate chops.

On the other hand, if the book has been a lighthearted fantasy up until the fight, and then you drop in some no-holds-barred blood and maiming, chances are high that you’re going to lose your readers partway through. Just be sure that the violence (or lack thereof) is aligned with what you’ve already set up.

Advance the plot
While a fight scene can certainly be cool, it should never be a fight for fighting’s sake. Just as every line of dialogue or development in the book should lead toward a certain goal, so too should your fight scenes. What does this particular fight do to advance the plot? What does it say about your character(s)?

And this doesn’t have to just apply to the fact of the fight itself. This consideration should also extend to how the characters fight. Do they use weapons? If so, what type? Do they fight honorably? Or do they employ all the underhanded tricks they can possibly think of in order to win? There are countless ways to describe a fight, just like there are countless ways to use that fight to further your characters’ development.

Consider the length
A lot of new writers tend to question how long a fight should last or how much detail they should use when describing one. The general rule of thumb is: The more important the fight, the longer its description should last.

For example, don’t waste too much time on a fight between your protagonist and some random thug on the street. A fight between the protagonist and main antagonist? Well, that one is worthy of a solid multipage description—especially if it comes around the climax of the book itself. There is no hard-and-fast page rule, but you’ll be in good shape if you keep that general guideline in mind.

Keep things fluid
It’s OK for a fight, especially a major one, to morph as it goes along. Don’t be afraid to change it up in the middle—whether that’s the fight’s location, who seems to be winning the fight, or how they’re fighting.

Also think about whether you want your characters to speak at all while the fight is going on and, if so, what kinds of things they might want to say. Just remember that, in terms of verbal sparring, the shorter and more clipped you can make it, the more vital and immersive it will feel for the reader. After all, no one has time for a long monologue when they’re kicking butt!

Make sure there are consequences
However the fight ends up, be sure the entire conflict has some sort of consequences for your character(s). This could be actual legal consequences (arrest, jail time), physical consequences (a stint in the hospital, a limp), mental consequences (a mental breakdown, newfound anxiety)—or some unique combination of all of the above.

Whatever it is, the readers should get the feeling that the fight is grounded in reality and, therefore, must come with real-world aftermath.

Andrea Moran lives outside of Nashville with her husband and two kids. She’s a professional copywriter and editor who loves all things books. Find her on LinkedIn.