I am writing a story about fencing...

[teachthisnewbie]

I am writing a story about fencing for my creative writing class. I think it is a beautiful sport but I know nothing about the mechanics. I was wondering if anyone could help discuss a deul? match? fight? with me.

I have been studying the terms so I know the gist of what happens, but it still seems like the first time I tried to watch a football game or something. Does anyone really know what a down is?

Sorry, I got sidetracked, it would be very much appreciated. If someone had the time.

[Katman]

Don't let the technicalities get in the way of telling a good story.

That said: distance and timing are key. Actual honest-to-god duels are usually short and ugly and the winner is often not the person you'd expect.

If it's just a sport fencing match: timing and distance are key and movement is usually precise and with purpose. The person who can exercise more control over their opponent usually wins.

Got hit up google video and search for "fencing." Google video has more relevent results right away compare to YouTube, which has lots of videos of people grabbing electric fences. Watch what the fencers do.

Terms I think you can use that won't confuse John Q. Nonfencer:
attack
parry
riposte (maybe)
lunge
counter attack

Don't get bogged down with more obscure terms like remise. Is this a short story?

Also, a great way to find out what a sport fencing match is like is to go try it out. It doesn't hurt and it's loads of fun. May be more than you want to do for a creative writing class assignment.

[VorpalCat]

Writing about fencing is like writing about music: the more detailed, the more exact your description, the less interesting it becomes to read, especially to those who don't know what all those details mean. Spelling out an entire bout or encounter step by step, movement by movement, totally kills the scene for me. On the other hand, when The Big Moment happens, give it more detail -- it brings the action to a sharp focus at the moment you want to bring the reader's attention to that same sharp focus.

For writing practice, watch a brief fencing action, either via online video as suggested earlier or by visiting a nearby club. Then describe the action as you see it, regardless of terminology -- we write to sell the visual, not the technical (usually!), remember. Think of it this way: using exactly correct terminology is transcribing the action. You want to get across the visual feeling of the action, not so much the step-by-step details*. (How interesting would courtroom drama be if it read like the courtroom transcripts? Yeah.) Anyhow, as you polish your description, that's probably when the bits you want to get specific on will stand out to you.

*In other words, don't worry about details like 'he parried in quarte' -- I know you just said, 'huh??' didncha? So would most of your readers. Again, describe how you saw the action, focusing on what made it exciting to you.

Hope this helps, it's pre-caffeine time for me and I'm not sure how coherent I am at the moment. Luck to you!

[TexasLady]

Also read what established authors have written. Fencer Nick Evangelista has written some books on fencing in which he describes some bouts in which he has participated. Sci Fi/Fantasy author Elizabeth Moon has written some good fencing scenes into her books. My personal favorite George RR Martin also captures the feeling of fencing in his medieval fantasy books.

Maybe this is a little much for one assignment, but I recommend the books anyway. The first author is a fencing master who writes solely on fencing. If you intend to start fencing, his books give good background. The other two authors just tell good tales with fencing and swordplay woven in.

[teachthisnewbie]

Katman, VorpalCat, and TexasLady.

Oh, thank you so much. Your reply has helped me tremendously. This story started out as a great idea, but as I kept searching through the reading and the information I was accumulating and this project just became more daunting. I had no idea how to go about it.

YouTube! Who would have thought? I can't believe that. Wow, that just made everything so much easier. I would love to go out and see a match though, fencing just looks/sounds fascinating.

The terms are abit confusing if you do not know what they are supposed to mean. Thank you, VorpalCat, you helped my meager confidence because I know I was starting to feel the strain. When am I supposed to use this word? A passe-huh?

Oh, and TexasLady. Those books you recommended would probably be a good read and I just love books. Especially if they happen to include this new (for me) exciting sport. It also probably would not hurt to see how other authors do it, so that I may have base outline for my own story.

Yes, it is a story it has to be over 8000+ words and about something we didn't know anything about that has been approved by our teacher. It is the first assignment of the new semester and definitely a doosy.

[Rabid Monk]

I'm with Vorpal. Go to a local club or tournament.

Online videos tend to be of of lower quality, and can pixelate and blur the faster motions. You'd get a better feel for it in person.

If your going classical, try a local SCA (Society for Creative Anachronisms) or similar aswell, but be careful. Some don't have the same quality of instruction as fencing clubs, and so tend to make things looks ugly.

Oh, and a "down" is moving the ball 10 yards toward the endzone (goal area). In CFL, you have 3 plays to do this. In the NFL, you have 4. (CFL > NFL).
If you can't do it, you lose the ball and the other team gets it, which is why the last play is normally used to kick the ball as far downfield as possible, making the opposing team have to run further. Sometimes the last play is used to try to move the ball, but only if the rewards outweight the risks.

[GuitarKid]

Personaly I think there should be a hint of love interest between a foilest and a eppeiest... they're love shall never be...

[UnorthodoxEpeeist]

Shall I describe a team tournament I participated in?
It was quite exciting for my team and me.

Info: It is basically a 3 vs 3 relay match. Each match consists of 9 rounds, each fencer fencing 3 bouts one after another. The first team to 45 touches (points) wins. In whole, each team's fencers try to get 5 touches before their opponent, then "relays" to his/her teammate, who steps up to get another 5 touches, and so on, and so on until the team reaches 45.

Scenario: Unfortunately, my epee team had no hopes in winning the gold or silver medal (being the fact that our accumulated victories could not match the top 2 other epee teams). So we settled on winning the bronze.

Now, here we go.
(You can change names if you want)

My Team: Jeff (me), Romeo, Brendan
Opposing Team: Joe, Mark, Nick

The match starts off pretty evenly, with scores ranging at first from 5-4 to 8-10 to 18-20 to 25-24.

At this point, my team was winning 25-24. But all of a sudden, Nick on the opposing team goes on fire and starts a streak of 6 touches before my teammate (forgot who) could touch him.

The score become 25-30.

Then Joe on the opposing team started his streak!

Score rose to 25-35.

When all hope seemed to be lost, it was my turn against Mark. Everything worked out alright, though Mark still remained ahead by the end of the bout.

Score cut to 34-40.

Now, the final round of the match. It was my teammate, Brendan's turn to fence. He had to gain 11 touches before Nick scores 5.

After much cheering, endless sweating, screaming, and jumping in anxiety, Brendan pulls through, my team winning the bronze medal with the final score of 45-44

Well, there you go. There's an example of fencing that would make a great story! Do what you want with it

[fences_like_a_lemur]

Well, there you go. There's an example of fencing that would make a great story! Do what you want with it

A great story? I don't think that any story that even mentions the word ep** *shudders* should even be published...what ever happened to the good old days of government censoring? Of course anyone with a brain would just censor that entire story without a thought...

If your truely want a great story with lots of action, check out the next sabre tournament! Plenty of action, yelling, screaming, insults flying at the directors, etc...

[Inquartata]

This is one of the few occasions when a writer getting lost in his research would be acceptable. Even commendable.

[UnorthodoxEpeeist]

A great story? I don't think that any story that even mentions the word ep** *shudders* should even be published...what ever happened to the good old days of government censoring? Of course anyone with a brain would just censor that entire story without a thought...

If your truely want a great story with lots of action, check out the next sabre tournament! Plenty of action, yelling, screaming, insults flying at the directors, etc...

Insults flying at the directors, meaning continuous carding?

[Rabid Monk]

I think you should be able to write 10k words on the conflicts that occur endlessly between the admirable foilists, and the misguided epeeists and sabreists.

*dons fire suit*

[fences_like_a_lemur]

Insults flying at the directors, meaning continuous carding?

But that is the fun of the tournament! I mean everyone likes all of the pretty colored cards, right?

I think you should be able to write 10k words on the conflicts that occur endlessly between the admirable foilists, and the misguided epeeists and sabreists.

Between sabrists and epeeists, yes. The foilists don't really do anything worth mentioning so they would just ruin the book.

*dons radio-active dump suit*

[Rabid Monk]

Personaly I think there should be a hint of love interest between a foilest and a eppeiest... they're love shall never be...

I just noticed something here. I should have noticed earlier.

foilist, epeeist, and their.

/nitpick

[UnorthodoxEpeeist]

LET'S ALL LIVE IN PEACE AND HARMONY!!!

...what are the chances...

[fences_like_a_lemur]

LET'S ALL LIVE IN PEACE AND HARMONY!!!

Peace and Harmony? Never, at least not until all epeeists and foilists evacuate the Earth...

[Rabid Monk]

We can't. Can you imagine what the sabreists would do to the placE?

Ugh! Ruination and destruction!

It's our solemn duty to keep you in line.

[fences_like_a_lemur]

We can't. Can you imagine what the sabreists would do to the placE?

Ugh! Ruination and destruction!

It's our solemn duty to keep you in line.

Then there will never be peace...and it is your fault, remember that

[Asprin]

Personaly I think there should be a hint of love interest between a foilest and a eppeiest... they're love shall never be...

And have a sabreur just beating everyone else up?

Nah, have one petite female sabreur beating up all the blokes and them being scared of her. (All the blokes at my club aare scared of me when I have a foil in my hand they run away when I change it to a sabre).

[fences_like_a_lemur]

And have a sabreur just beating everyone else up?

As long as you make it classy and suave!