I was just talking with ArseNick and came across the question...

What makes a Qudditch match a good read? Or, in other words; how do you write a good Quidditch match?

What do you look for when writing one, and what makes one better than another?

EDIT: I've just noticed pers has added chapters 14-17 on in the WbA section. This may take awhile to get too then.

 

The first thing you should ask is: what is the reason for this match? Is this just a normal Quidditch match where nothing plot driven will occur? In that case you should just summarize who won. (Hint: if Harry is not playing, it's not important.) If there is a plot driven event during your Quidditch Match, i.e., professor attempts to kill Harry, dementor attack, Draco is humiliated, or Ministry official exerts power over the students, realize that it has already been done and you should just cut the whole idea.

Seriously, Quidditch is not important to a Harry Potter story.

 

I've written one, just for the enjoyment of writing one, but I'm asking about writing one in general. So, as readers, what does a match need to be a good read?

 

Quidditch needs to be fast!

At least that's my preference when reading the one millionth match that runs on for five thousand words, blow by blow commentary, and updated weather conditions every other paragraph in generic fic #678912.

Make it fast (I don't want to say brief, because that's too broad, but make it brief). Quidditch should be like a swift kick to the balls.

Eh, or something like it,

~Joe

 

Quidditch... a good idea, maybe - but if it wasn't for the brooms, it just blows. Every possible game with every possible outcome has been written about to oblivian, and Rowling made the game such that 99/100, the abilities and skills of 6 of the players don't mean shit.

So as it's been said - make it plot driven, make it fast, and make it painful - for Malfoy at least.

 

The game needs some serious rule changing to be interesting in the slightest...

But yeah. In general describing quidditch is like writing about any other sport. It's usually going to suck compared to actually watching or playing, so don't bother.

 

OT, but nice av..

Darker than Black is the shit.

 

How about only describing it from a players perspective? That way, you can cut off all the useless commentary (having it just at the star when the players are lining up, and at the end when they are celebrating or mourning).

Although a lot of people have done, or perhaps just a few, keep the positions more Fluid... Seekers can break up attack formations, Chasers can disturb seekers... etc etc.

But seriously, the best way, as said, is to cut off all unnecessary detail. Just imagine the sort of thing you would notice @ 100 miles per hour and put only that in. Keep the language sparse and without frills.

That'll make a good match, I suppose.

 

Well, the best way I can think of to make the game more interesting is get rid of the snitch, make the seeker a beater, and then impose a time limit. Football on brooms, where three players on each side focus on clubbing the opposition. Sounds like win.

Even then, don't write about it.

 

One sentence:

Quidditch matches are annoying. Unless a character ends up injured, dead, portkeyed to an orgy/in front of the Knight Bus, leave it out.

 

I still want to see a Quidditch match where someone starts to shoot spells at Harry and he just swerves back around, swings mostly off his broom, and boots the fucker in the skull on the flyby.

Then goes back to finish the game.

 

Muttering Condolences did it better than I could, but here's how a Quidditch Match in fanfics should go down:

 

^That's possibly an exception. But besides that, the best quidditch in a fic is non-existant.