The Climax has got to be the best part of your story, right? It’s the maraschino cherry on top of the sundae (that is, of course, if you’re the kind who saves the cherry to eat last). Anyway—the point is you want your story’s Climax to be gripping. You want it to be suspenseful. You […]
Search Results for: climax
February 8, 2015 by 26 Comments Story SettingsThe 5 Secrets of Choosing the Right Setting for Your Story’s Climax
When you plan your story’s climax, the first thing to come to mind might not be the setting. Too often, the climactic setting is an afterthought. The action, after all, is what’s most important–not where it takes place. But setting can make or break any scene in your story, and this is nowhere more true than […]
November 26, 2014 by 37 Comments Novel EndingsDon’t Let This Sloppy Technique Kill the Tension in Your Story’s Climax
This week’s video points out one of the most egregious mistakes you can make in your story’s climax and how to make sure readers never look away from your exciting finale. Video Transcript: Imagine this: you’ve created an amazing story, full of amazing characters, who are clashing in an epic conflict. Your story’s climax has […]
November 23, 2014 by 32 Comments ThemeWhat Is the Role of Theme in a Story’s Climax?
Today, I’m going to be a bad blog writer. I’m not going to make you think at all to find the answer to the title question: “What is the role of theme in a story’s climax?” I’m just going to tell you straight up: The role of theme in your story’s climax is all-important. The […]
May 18, 2014 by 45 Comments CharactersCreating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 14: The Climax
In character arcs, as in plot, the Climax is the dot on the end of the exclamation point. The Climax is the reason for the story. This is where the author reveals what the journey the character just endured was really all about—and, in a positive change arc, why that journey has turned out to be […]
May 14, 2014 by 46 Comments Novel EndingsThe Only Sure Way to Write an Emotionally Resonant Climax
What makes for an emotionally resonant climax? In other words, what makes for a good climax? Is it danger? Explosions? A face-off between the protagonist and the antagonist? Near-death experiences? Eh, all good guesses. But these things are like the seasoning on top a good climax, rather than the meat itself. And seasonings, by themselves, […]
December 11, 2013 by 20 Comments Novel EndingsHave You Invited Enough Characters to Your Story’s Climax?
This week’s video talks about which characters need to be present in your story’s climax and how to get them there. Video Transcript: Your book’s climax is its big party, and, believe me, it doesn’t pay to be too stingy with the invites. You’re going to want to see as many of your important characters as […]
August 27, 2013 by 1 Comment Structuring Your NovelHow to Structure a Whammy of a Climax
The climax is what our stories are all about. We craft our beginnings and middles just so we can reach this final whammy at the end. The bad guy is defeated. The guy gets the girl. Secrets are revealed. Resolutions are made. The conflict is resolved. The story ends. In order to milk our climaxes […]
May 23, 2012 by 20 Comments CharactersStay True to Your Protagonist in Your Story’s Climax
In the posts on my blog, we’ve spent the last couple months talking about story structure, and one of those posts was devoted entirely to the Climax. However, in writing that post, there was one potential pitfall of the Climax I didn’t touch upon. One of my favorite sword-and-sandals epics from the 1950s is Cecil […]
