Scout Practice Because I Need Human Art Practice 😂

Scout practice because I need human art practice 😂

Writing Climaxes

@everything.writing

The climax is the part of the story that has the most action, usually at the end of the novel, before the resolution but after the rising action. Depending on the genre, the climax could either be a character’s worst enemy spreading their most valuable secret or a magical villain coming to terrorize a whole city.

1) Make sure the climax fits the genre and story. This is an obvious one, but magic would not belong in a realistic fiction story. If your climax fits the genre, I can’t tell you if it fits the story or not because I’m not an expert on your WIP and I don’t know. Just remember that the events should be reasonable with the prior events in your story.

2) Make sure it’s at the right spot. The climax is almost always towards the end, but whether the falling action is a few chapters or just ten pages, it’s important that it’s at a reasonable spot for your novel. Climaxes shouldn’t normally be at the beginning or else your reader will lose interest. You shouldn’t rush the falling action too much by putting the climax towards the end, but you shouldn’t rush the rising action either.

3) It should be the highest point of action. If you remember story mountain from your days in elementary school, that’s the top of the mountain. This is what a climax is, and remember that. You probably already know that, and I suppose what I’m trying to say is don’t give the prior scenes too much action or else you can’t write a proper climax.

4) Write good rising action. Good is a relative term, and this point doesn’t explain how to write good rising action. Maybe I’ll give you a post on that one day. But this is a reminder to make sure you write quality rising action that can build the climax.

5) Plan it out. For planners, you probably already plan out much more than the climax. Pantsers may not plan out anything at all. Whether a planner, pantser, or anything in between, you need to have an idea of what the climax should be. Even a few sentences is enough, but writing the climax will be way easier if you have a plan.

6) Make sure the stakes are high. In a romance novel, a breakup might be the high stake. In a sci-fi novel, people could get trapped in a cycle of time forever. The climax is the point that determines the fate of the characters (usually), and make sure you had high stakes in your novel to make the climax even more interesting.

7) Characters’ true personalities should be revealed. There’s a saying that goes something like, “it’s the tough times that show who you are.” In the climax, the reactions of the characters should show who they truly are inside. What are their true priorities in life? How do they react under pressure?

8) Time for plot twists and secrets to come out! Chances are, characters have been hiding a lot from each other and readers, and even themselves. In the climax, something should be revealed. Plot twists are also common, but don’t make them too unbelievable or it won’t flow naturally.

9) It should mark a turning point in your novel. Not everything has to be different from the way it was before, but the climax should spark change. For example, a protest that ended in violence may inspire government officials to change laws. Things after the climax should be different from the way they were before, including the characters. This is a wonderful time for character development.

10) Be descriptive. This should be the most detailed part of the novel, when you’ll describe the setting more clearly. There will be a higher page to time ratio. As one of the most memorable parts of the novel, you should get into more detail than you normally would in a regular scene.

I love climatic scenes when my fingers practically fly over the keys! It’s the part where my fingers and brain get the most excited, but it’s also the hardest part for me as well. I always feel like I’m not doing it right. I hope your climaxes go well!

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seledrw

11 months ago