#review tips

More writing tips

So, when it comes to writing fight scenes, as I have done quite a few of them, there's some things I keep in mind.

Ensure Consistent Character Abilities: Characters should fight consistently throughout the scene. They shouldn’t magically become stronger or weaker without a clear reason. Consistency in their abilities helps maintain believability.

Avoid Making Heroes Invincible: I prefer not to portray heroes as invulnerable, as seen in many 80s action movies. Instead, I include moments where the hero gets hit, shows visible injuries, and shows fatigue. This makes them feel more human and improves the significance of their victories. It’s hard to create a sense of urgency if the characters don’t seem to be in real danger.

Portray Antagonists as Competent: I avoid depicting random cannon fodder as foolish by having them attack one at a time or easily get knocked out. Instead, I show them employing smart tactics such as ganging up on the hero and even getting back up after being knocked down.

Incorporate the Environment: Don’t forget to include the surroundings. Whether the fight takes place in a cramped alley, on a rain-soaked rooftop, or in a collapsing building, use the environment creatively. Characters can use objects as weapons, find cover, or struggle against challenging terrain.

Highlight Self-Inflicted Pain: Characters can hurt themselves just as much as their opponents. For instance, after landing a powerful right hook, a character might need to pause and shake off their hand in pain. This not only adds realism but also highlights the toll that fighting takes on the body.

Show Consequences After the Fight: Consider what happens after the battle concludes. Do injuries slow the hero down and limit their abilities for the rest of the story?

5 Steps to Requesting a Book Review

Today we’re going to be discussing something that I’ve seen a fair amount as a fairly experienced writer/blogger: requesting book reviews. So we’re talking about when you have a book and you’re reaching out to bloggers, asking if they’ll review it for you. I’ve been on both sides of this exchange, and there are some steps I’ve seen missed (or missed myself) that I’ve found are a key part of the…

i’m just gonna pretend i haven’t been on tumblr in, like, a week and continue with this challenge oops :^)

monday - week 4 - what is your biggest tip for staying focused? 

05.04.19 ~ Friday

Updated 23rd May 2026 More writing tips, review tips & writing description notes

Backhand–Hook Sweep Takedown

Combination Barrage

Double Arm Drag Takedown

Low Strike–Elbow Throw Combo

Spinning Bird Kick

Sprawl Counter

Parry–Knee Break Takedown

Blind Double Elbow Counter

Roundhouse Kick

Parry–Flank Counter Strike

Acrobat Kick Barrage

Sweep–Handstand Double Kick Combo

Suplex

Monkey Flip

Roundhouse → Hook Kick Combo

Wing Chun Chain Punch/Lin Wan Kuen

Arkham Beatdown

Hurricanrana

Cross Guard Counter Hook

More writing tips

A lot of stories nowadays aren't told in chronological order. Some begin in the middle before later receiving prequel stories. I'm a big fan of prequels when they're done well because they can add emotional weight to scenes that already existed. I wanted to showcase an example of this using one of my favourite movie scenes and explain how later prequels made it even more meaningful.

That example comes from Return of the Jedi. The scene in question is Vader's final moments. He asks his son to remove his helmet so he can look at him with his own eyes. Luke removes the helmet, revealing the man underneath: old, burned, and scarred.

What I love most about this scene is Luke's reaction. He doesn't flinch at the scars or the frailty of Vader without the armor. He doesn't show any disgust. Instead, he gives him the gentlest smile. In return, Vader smiles too—probably for the first time in a very long time.

Vader tells Luke to leave him, but Luke refuses. Even though he has already brought his father back from the dark side, he still wants to save him from death. Vader assures him that he already has saved him and asks Luke to tell his sister that he was right about him. Then he closes his eyes and passes away. As he dies, Luke tells him, "I won't leave you."

On its own, this is already a powerful scene. But Star Wars is a massive universe, and I want to talk about how the prequels make it even more emotional.

First is Vader's unmasking.

As we know, both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka loved Anakin deeply, and both eventually confronted Vader. During their respective fights, Obi-Wan destroys the right side of Vader's helmet in Obi-Wan Kenobi, while Ahsoka destroys the left side in Rebels. But neither of them can bring Anakin back from the darkness.

Both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka are burdened by guilt and regret over what Anakin became. They fight Vader because they believe Anakin is gone. Even when they catch glimpses of the man they once knew, they can't fully reach him.

That's what makes Luke's confrontation so much more emotional.

Luke's love is different because it's unconditional and hopeful. He loves his father despite everything Vader has done. He refuses to give up on him when everyone else has. That love is what finally breaks through the darkness.

It's also why Luke is the one who removes Vader's helmet completely. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka damaged Vader's mask through battle, but they couldn't bring Anakin back. Luke doesn't remove the helmet by defeating Vader—he removes it because he saved him.

For decades, Anakin has been trapped beneath that armor, consumed by obedience, guilt, and self-hatred. He believes he is no longer Anakin, only a tool of the Empire. Luke's refusal to hate him reminds him that he is still a person worthy of love, not just a weapon. That's why Luke is the one who finally sees the man beneath the mask.

Then there are the parallels in the dialogue.

Luke confronts Vader because he believes there is still good in him, despite everyone else insisting otherwise. In the prequels, during Padmé's final moments, she tells Obi-Wan that there is still good in Anakin. In his own final moments, Vader tells Luke, "You were right."

Even though Luke never knew his mother, he shared the very same belief she did.

Finally, there's Luke's line: "I won't leave you."

Anakin's entire life is defined by abandonment and loss. He leaves his mother to join the Jedi Order. He believes the Jedi abandoned and betrayed him. His fear of losing Padmé ultimately causes him to lose everything. After becoming Vader, he spends decades under Palpatine's control—a relationship built not on companionship but on manipulation and possession. Even the suit that keeps him alive also serves as a prison, isolating him from everyone around him.

So hearing someone who truly loves him say, "I won't leave you," is probably something Anakin had needed to hear his entire life.

More writing tips

For anyone who doesn’t know, my favourite style of writing is fight scenes. But I don’t keep them generic—for example, just saying he hit him and she hit him back. Instead of trying to invent fight scenes from nothing, I study real and fictional fights: wrestling, video game moves, and combat sports. From there, I translate those movements into my writing. Let’s look at some examples.

Suplex:

A description of the move:

The attacker grabs the opponent around the waist, lifts them off the ground, and hurls them backwards.

How I wrote it:

“The robot found himself falling right into Knuckles' waiting arms. The echidna, having recovered from the earlier sand attack, locked his powerful arms around Gemerl from behind and executed a swift suplex. The move drove Gemerl's head into the sand, and before the robot could recover, Knuckles followed up with a thunderous punch that sent Gemerl flying back across the beach.”

Monkey Flip:

A description of the move:

The attacker grabs their opponent from the front. They then throw themselves backward, planting either one or both feet into their stomach, and using the momentum to flip someone over.

How I wrote it:

“His forearm blocked the shaft cleanly, his other hand gripping low around the knight's armored torso. With a quick drop, Sonic fell onto his rear, planted one foot squarely into the robot's midsection and let its forward momentum do the rest. He kicked up as he pulled back, the technique flipping the machine clean over his head.”

Roundhouse → Hook Kick Combo:

A description of the move:

The attacker throws a roundhouse kick first, following the motion by snapping a hook kick.

How I wrote it:

“Without letting momentum die, she pivoted to the next robot and lashed out a precise roundhouse kick, the strike smashing into its midsection with enough force to dent its plating. As the machine staggered, Blaze retracted her leg, and before it could hit the ground, her right leg snapped up in a sharp hook kick that whipped across its head.”

Wing Chun Chain Punch/Lin Wan Kuen:

A description of the move:

The attacker throws a rapid series of straight punches down the centerline, one hand striking while the other retracts, creating a constant chain of fast, direct hits that overwhelm the opponent.

How I wrote it:

"Zheng flowed between styles as seamlessly as breathing. A forward attacker got too close, trying to grapple, but Zheng slipped under his arms and delivered several lightning-fast chain punches to the ribs—sharp, controlled strikes that forced the man’s body to jerk with each impact."

Arkham Beatdown:

A description of the move:

Two palm strikes to the torso, a quick punch to the gut, another palm strike, then an upward elbow strike to the face. The sequence then repeats very quickly, making the attack look like a rapid, relentless flurry.

How I wrote it:

“The first palm strike landed with a resounding thud, knocking the wind out of the assassin's chest. The second palm strike came almost instantly after, causing the assassin to stumble back further. Espio seized the opportunity and delivered a quick, powerful punch to the assassin's lower gut, doubling them over in pain.

But Espio wasn't finished yet. He spun on his heel and delivered a swift elbow strike to the assassin's temple, sending them reeling. With impressive speed and precision, he continued the pattern of strikes, landing two palm strikes to the chest, followed by a punch to the gut, and an elbow strike to the head, all in quick succession. The assassin was completely overwhelmed, unable to keep up with Espio's lightning-fast movements."

My process is simple: I watch the move, break it down into steps, understand the purpose of the move, and rewrite it in a way that fits my story. You don’t need to copy it word for word—just use the basics as a template and feel free to add your own variation.