Write a Good War Story

War Stories have always entertained people. Whether it be the stories your Grandpa told you or a blockbuster like "Saving Private Ryan" the basics themes will remain the same.

Steps

  1. Find a war to write about.
  2. Research the war.
  3. Read fiction novels about the war. If you are writing about WWI, a good suggestion is "All Quiet on the Western Front".
  4. Create realistic characters each with a backstory.
  5. Use reasonable and believable language. (If the protagonist's friend is blown up, the protagonist should yell "Holy ****" not "Holy Molly")
  6. Make even the smallest fight dramatic and epic.
  7. Know that emotion is always good.
  8. Research guns, planes, ships and tanks (It won't make sense if you just say that a character picked up a gun, you have to say what type of gun it is.)

Tips

  • People die in war, so at least one of the major characters should die in a war story.
  • Try not to hit cliches, for example, the man who has a photo of his gal back home is the first to die.
  • If your writing about the battle of Iwo Jima and your Grandpa was there, ask him questions. But be respectful and if he doesn't want to talk about a certain aspect of the battle, just leave him be.
  • Using little known wars is always good and unexpected. For example, Crimean War, Irish Civil War, and the Spanish-American War.
  • Every soldier is as vulnerable as every other, any character could be picked off at any moment, and not everyone's a super soldier. Their weaponry should be reasonable and most likely standard issue, not a dual pistol wielding Rambo.

Warnings

  • Wars are brutal, devastating,and horrifying. Before you write a war story celebrating the heroes' exploits, please think about the enemies that the heroes had killed and injured, and their families, friends, and neighbors. Take the horrors of wars into consideration when you are writing a war story.

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