At becca's behest, I'll be posting up fight scenes sent in by members for you to guess the gender of. The first one has already arrived, so here it is below. If anyone wants to write a scene themselves, send it through to me on the WWMail.

Michael threw open the door and lurched onto the concrete, but Hurri was out of the driver’s seat, round the front of the car and had smashed his fist into the perfect face before he was on his feet. He stood watching as Michael rose with difficulty, the dark stain spreading like a malignant disease over the white shirtfront. He felt the cheekbone collapse with a sickening crunch as his fist struck home again, and the pain shot up his arm through the tightened fingers making him gasp. Michael was upright now and heading for the edge of the dock. Surely he wasn’t going to swim for it? Hurri galvanised into action, but already he could see Michael suspended in the air above the black water. The freeze-frame moved on and the figure descended with a splash and a cry so terrible that for a second Hurri was hanging once again above the inky void surrounded by the flames that had almost ended his own life. He looked down. He could see the blue-white of Michael’s shirt hanging limply in the blackness below and part of a steel hull piercing the surface. Something twisted in his gut. Hatred, triumph, compassion? Maybe all three.

I'm guessing this first scene is written by a man - but I'm often wrong about this!!

Anne B

It's reflective at the end, I'd say a woman wrote it, but I suspect a woman might have anyway, so it's a bit of a cheat in a way.

Hi
I think a woman. There is a theme of compassion...seeing it from "the victims" point of view running through it (and attention to the colour of shirts :-)
John

Hi, I think it is a woman. For the reasons John gave and because there is reflection/introspection in it. I suspect that with an all out fight the frontal lobes don't join in until afterwards, it is all primitive urges and older brain parts doing their bit. Cheers, Hilary

Does it really matter? There's a relish of the details of physical violence which seems masculine and an attention to detail of other sorts which seems feminine, but, surely any of us who wants to be a complete person, let alone writer, needs to have access to all aspects of his/her chromosomal make-up? Discuss! Interesting experiment, though.

Best,

Mike

OK First one was......a woman - I'll let her introduce herself should she wish. Here's number 2

The crowd cheer and laugh and in the midst of the furore, Alison is aware of swift movement. Then silence. Serge is facing back into the crowd, the third boule in his left hand smeared with blood. A man lies at the foot of a deep well which has miraculously opened in the crowd. His mouth is smashed and vivid blood stains his yellow shirt. He is bubbling through his broken face, trying to spit out a tooth. Alison’s handbag is still clutched, half open, in his hands. Serge’s eyes scan the crowd and the crowd backs away, opening like spring ice. “Pick up your bag.” She freezes. The man on the floor needs help. His jaw must be broken and he is choking in blood. “Alison. Pick up your bag.” There is the glint of a blade at the back of the stall. The gypsies move forward. “Now. Now!” She stoops. She pulls her bag from his grasp. He resists. The sole of Serge’s foot slams onto his broken head and the bag springs free. The crowd parts as they move forward and out into the open parking lot. Serge turns to hurl the heavy ball back towards the stall, causing the onlookers to disperse in panic. The blades come forward now, on quick scuttling limbs. “Now you run.” “What?” “Run.”

The first one was me - not written especially for this but for a short story. I think the second is written by a woman too, there's something about it I can't quite put my finger on, maybe in the use of words. I could hazard a guess who wrote this...

I have to admit Nell .. i thought the first was you..when you "galvanised into action" don't please ask me why I just felt that was your phrase..and the last sentence too .. so maybe i am recognising styles.. I too feel i know the second one..and also a woman

so where are the guys then?? come on..

Ellie

I have to admit Nell .. i thought the first was you..when you "galvanised into action" don't please ask me why I just felt that was your phrase..and the last sentence too .. so maybe i am recognising styles.. I too feel i know the second one..and also a woman

so where are the guys then?? come on..

Ellie

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eek action replay..not sure why

I would submit one, but given the number of action-oriented bits of work I've posted up on the site recently, I think my style is likely to be all to easy to recognise.

yes, I think your style might be recognised, IB, it was partly your last peice that made me think about the fight scene thing. I have to admit I'm finding it very hard to even start this exercise. Someone tried to explain the concept of enemy to me yesterday to give me a bit of help, didn't though.

Mike, of course it doesn't matter, it's just a game, it would be great if we did find one that was completely impossible to guess. That's what I'd want to aim for. But there are genre differences in writing, I think it's to do with what things are considered relevent and what emotions are expressed, rather than strictly choice of words.

I'd go for a woman in the second sub, 'opening like spring ice,' and the girl's realisation that the attacker needs help. I rather hope I'm wrong. They've both been difficult.

Certainly a lot of interest in writing these scenes anyway - when replying say if you'd like me to post the remaining ones straight away or space it out a bit. Here's the next:

Larissa turned , her beautiful back twisted under the straps of her evening gown and her profile appeared behind a sheet of glossy black hair and then there she was facing him. Her eyes fixed his with snake like hypnotism..in her hand was a knife. Jack was momentarily paralysed but then his senses returned with a vengeance. "Larissa , what the hell are you doing..look put that knife down talk to me!" With deadly accuracy she took one pace forward and lifted her arm.. the knife poised..Jack lunged forward and tried to grab her arm but he was toppled over by a karate chop which winded him... and he lay there sprawled on the floor. The next thing he was enveloped in black silk and an equally silky voice said "Jack please never forget my birthday again." The knife went limp and a smell of chocolate pervaded his nostrils Jack started laughing and soon Larissa joined him until they were rolling around the floor hysterically... and then he kissed her and she responded with more than equal fervour ..but a little place in the back of his mind was thinking.. would this always be a joke?

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by the way, the last one was a man