Do you like your fiction to have a ring of truth? To really CLICK?
That’s me. And it’s especially true when it comes to flying scenes.
As a former fighter pilot and test pilot, the authenticity of such scenes—or lack of it—profoundly affects my enjoyment of a story. (You might guess which Top Gun movie I preferred based on that perspective.)
But you don’t have to be a fighter pilot to write believable flying scenes. I’m here to help!
I will be sharing several practical tips over upcoming blogs on how to write flying scenes. While I write sci-fi, these tips can apply to any fiction genre. (Okay, it might be a tough fit with Amish romance…)
For now, let me suggest 6 areas to ensure your flying scene CLICKS:
- Culture: Those who fly—especially within military aviation—have a distinctive culture. Capture this well, and you’ll thrill your reader with engaging characters even before the first takeoff.
- Language: Aviators have their own lingo. Whether short-hand phrases, tone and tempo, or talking with their hands, their communication style lends a unique flavor to a story. Help make your dialogue spark, whether in the middle of a dogfight or at the ubiquitous aviator bar.
- Inner Drive: Pilots are people too. They have many motivations. Yet, without getting stuck in clichés, capturing the can-do drive of military aviators can deepen your characterization. And understanding common stresses they face helps ramp up the inner conflict.
- Cockpit: What about all those cool screens, switches, and controls? Or the range of sensations an aviator will experience? To truly immerse your reader, it’s imperative to capture that first-hand cockpit experience. I’ll be your wingman for that research.
- Kinematics: In fiction, it’s okay to bend the rules of physics. But if you want to inject realism into a flying scene, it’s helpful to know how aircraft actually behave. Don’t think of this as a college exam—more like a starting point so you can mine for challenges your fictitious aviator might have to solve while in flight.
- Strategy & tactics: Thinking like a military aviator involves considering strategy and tactics. What are some considerations for how to employ a force of aircraft in battle? When to play offense versus defense? I’ll share general principles to help you shape your story.
Yes, you figured it out. CLICKS is an acronym.
Because aviators love acronyms! (As per #2 above 😊)
Now stay tuned as I dive into how to write flying culture well in the next blog!
Dan