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On writing large/long pokémon battles.

S

some colour no doubt

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Hi guys, in the next chapter of my fic, Seasons i have a battle that has been building for a while, and its proving to be quite a long written thing. So, in your experience/opinion, would you say to keep it as one section or to split it up into chapters? I'm more or less done writing it and i'm just concerned that the length may put people off as its a fair bit longer than my typical chapter length.


Please, let me know what you think!

Thanks,
Some Colour No Doubt
 
Well I'm hungry for more from your great fiction, therefore I'd be happy to see the whole battle in one chapter :3 I can't see a problem there
 
Basically, what AetherX said. Of course, don't make the battle long for the sake of being long. Believe me, I would know. :p
 
As someone who is planning a battle threatening to encompass half+ an entire part at some point in the future (this bad boy is 54KB...SUMMARIZED - one matchup of which takes up half of that), I can tell you this. Now granted, this is all theorycrafting at this point, but the trick to writing a long battle is to make it a rollercoaster ride. A break should come during a flat part, while ascending a slope, or right as you're about to descend - to keep the metaphor going. So basically, there's three good points.

- During a part when it's like "okay, what's next?" e.g. when someone is between Pokemon and thinking.
- During a slow, tense part, when a fall is looming. e.g. when someone is in danger of losing.
- When shit is just about to get real. e.g. after a powerhouse has emerged or just tore something a new one.

If there's no good place to do that, then it doesn't necessarily mean anything. Unless it's too huge. That case aside, it just means that you either make a minor adjustment, flub it, or don't break it up.
 
thanks for the feedback guys!

I went and uploaded it as one section as it seemed to fit it better. Thanks for replying and if you have the time be sure to give it a read!


Thanks,
Some Colour No Doubt
 
Do you have any subplots or main characters who are busy doing something other than battling? If so, you could just skip to whatever it is they're doing for a chapter, then go back to the battle when your other characters are at an important/critical part.
 
I know you already resolved the question, but I'll chime into say that my motto is always leave the readers dying for the next chapter. So essentially, always end a chapter on a cliffhanger! It's always worked out well for me. So if you have to split up something with no obvious breaks, that's a good way to do it.
 
NoirGrimoir said:
I know you already resolved the question, but I'll chime into say that my motto is always leave the readers dying for the next chapter. So essentially, always end a chapter on a cliffhanger! It's always worked out well for me. So if you have to split up something with no obvious breaks, that's a good way to do it.
Click to expand...

I'd second this! As @System Error; said as well, if you have a moment where you can leave it on a cliffhanger, create an atmosphere of 'something coming' or leave on that 'bam here it is' or simply if there's just a great moment in the battle where it's tied etc. you could very easily move it on to the next chapter. This can help give you a chance to reflect to (or at least I find that).

A cliffhanger may also simply be:

'Here's Delcatty and she's about to use Hyperbeam against your Wurmple...'

It seems like a lost cause, but if you leave it there, your readers will still want to come back and find out whether Wurmple (and its trainer) were able to think of anything to abort that situation.
 
I've had this theory that making things easily accessible helps keep readers on board. I think you have the right idea even considering that factor, so I say just trust yourself, you'll figure it out!
(also, I haven't actually read Seasons yet, I aught to huh? :p)
 
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