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Q&A How to make a repeating plot "slice" not annoying

If X gets hurt in a fight, recovers, gets hurt in a new fight, recovers again, etc. that is going to start to get boring. If you want to avoid boring your readers, fights need to have consequences...

posted 6y ago by prosepraise‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-28T15:45:03Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/37198
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T09:13:18Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/37198
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T09:13:18Z (almost 5 years ago)
If X gets hurt in a fight, recovers, gets hurt in a new fight, recovers again, etc. that is going to start to get boring.

If you want to avoid boring your readers, fights need to have consequences. In your story, that's not death, but it could be a lasting injury, or a damaged plot relevant item.

X doesn't have to recover, or not completely. Especially if they're getting hurt badly. Even with sci-fi medicine, plenty of injuries probably can't be healed instantly. Not to mention the mental traumas such as PTSD that can happen.

If there are lasting effects from the fight that affect X in later scenes, it gives the fight scene a better sense of purpose. Maybe the leg wound they got in chapter one prevents them from climbing to safety in chapter three. Or the concussion they got means they're unable to drive and can't follow the bad guy.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-06-25T00:50:43Z (over 6 years ago)
Original score: 33