Writing scenes for The End can be more uplifting than writing scenes in The Middle.
Think of the Middle as the tunnel of darkness, fraught with antagonists of all sorts. The Crisis, the high-point of the Middle, is the dark night of the soul, hitting bottom, when the protagonist becomes conscious of who she really is, or what she has been avoiding or denying. A light snaps on, and thus begins the process of transformation.
In the End, the protagonist still has foes to confront and overcome. Only now, she is armed with a new understanding of herself. For the first time, her goal comes into focus.
The Climax at the End (1/4) serves as the light at the end of the tunnel. The protagonist moves toward the light — one step forward toward the ultimate transformation, three steps back, a fight for a couple of steps, being beat backwards.
The Climax spotlights the character in full transformation demonstrating the necessary new skill or personality, gift or action.
The Climax is the crowning glory of the entire project. The Climax is where protagonist “shows” in scene her acting in a transformed way — in a way she could not have acted in any other part of the story because she first needed to experience everything she does in the book to get to the final stage.
Ask yourself what scene will most dramatically show her demonstrating her transformed self?
The Resolution ties everything up. If the story resonates with thematic significance the reader is left to ponder the deeper meaning.
This helps clear things up but even better it comes at just the right time. Rather than stall out, I’m excited to go on. Your post stimulated a couple of great ideas. 🙂
Hi, Martha,
I’m on a two-week writing (actually, a revising) retreat in New Mexico and greatly appreciate your clearly outlined plot tips, which are helping me clarify what’s missing from my first draft.
It’s amazing to me how each book (this will be my 5th) is different; I feel like a beginner each time! As a more intuitive (as opposed to more analytical) writer, I really appreciate people like you who can help me analyze a story.
Thank you!
You are TPL (The Plot Lady).
In Louisiana we cherish sports. One LSU past great is Shaquille O’Neal. He’s a tall, hunkering mass of a man with a dynamite basketball game, always lit and ready to blow past the competition and score. But, one never expects words of greatness from people that look like brutes. Imagine Bluto saying something intelligent to Popeye. Then one day Shaquille says, “Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do,” and my head fell off and bounced across the court and again, I didn�t score, he did.
I love your ideas because they are excellent and here in the South we might say to you, “Lady� you got a game of excellence and it goes down to your toes but I bet ya knew it would take the plot habit to get it and keep it.
Keep those e-mails coming,
as I am always,
your student,
Sid Chaney
What a thrill.
Hearing from a writer in New Mexico and another in Louisiana. Who knows where the other one harkens from.
And, I’m off now to do a two hour plot consultation with a writer in Arkansas.
Ah, the joys of the internet. Makes the world small indeed.
Thanks for your generous words now and now and now……….
Okay, I know I’m only up the hill in California, but…great timing on this post. I have a WIP I’m just brainstorming and guess what–I know the ending first. I mean, REALLY know it. Mabye that’s because it’s a historical fiction, and I know the history moment I want my character to step into as her…oh, shoot, now I have to figure out if its the crisis or the climax! Back to your book, I go. 🙂
I always know my ending before I begin. And I’ve always thought of it as the light at the end of the tunnel, lighting my way as I write. Interesting to hear your spin on things.
When I worked with kids with speech, language, and learning disabilities, I first helped the child modify a specific behavior– be it an incorrectly formed speech sound, inappropriate classroom behavior, or whatever. When the child was able to use the correct behavior for the first time, we would then say that the new behavior was emerging.
During the time of emergence, the child’s performance is inconsistent — able to correctly form the sound in isolation, but unable to in words. Able to in words, but unable to in sentences.
Under times of stress, like when their parent starts a new job or a new sibling comes into the home or whatever, the child generally backslides and we would begin again — only this time the new behavior would come more quickly and effortlessly as the child moved toward mastery.
In other words, for your character to demonstrate the new behavior or act with their newfound understanding based on what happened in the Crisis, they will be inconsistent at first.
Full mastery at the deepest level comes only at the Climax.
That’s a great addition/explanation, Martha. Thanks!
You make it sound so easy 🙂
Thanks, Martha. Really helpful support, especially your added comments above.
Interesting. I’ve taken your workshops and read your book, but still each time I hear from you I learn something new, from a new angle, a deeper understanding.:)
Hi,
A few years ago I started writing a novel. Then, for various reasons, including the arrival of our son, I stopped writing.
There were two reasons why. Firstly, I could not find the silence I needed to concentrate and turn my ideas into words. Secondly, I started a blog and it was much easier writing short posts than finding the time and silence to write a novel.
Writing is a complex process, and some form of planning is needed to keep things cohesive. This is not always easy…
I have tried to bring my book to it’s conclusion, but I cannot decide how to bring it to a conclusion and now, after reading your ideas about plot planning, I’m going to start thinking about how I can develop the plot and bring this story to a conclusion.
All I need now is the time and the silence!
Still, this blog may help my ideas to gel, and, possibly inspire me to finish the book off, even if it is not going to be easy after such a long time, and my blogging is developing/transforming my writing style.
So I might well read what I’ve written, and go aaaagh!
Regards,
Alex
Thank you!
See, this is why I do this. Sometimes life feels fractured and on the edge, and I forget. Then comes a comment like this and I’m all revved up again.
That the blog and everyone’s comments could help you with one piece of the equation fills me with joy.
P.S. you’ve already found the time. Oh, and now that you’ve started again, the story will drown out the noise……
For every one person who comments there are more writers who read your blog and feel exactly the same way. Your posts and all the concrete support rustle dormant ideas and the story begins to swirl.
I needed exactly this message. I’m sending it on to my writer sons.
The section on Crisis is excellent. thanks
I needed exactly this message. I’m sending it on to my writer sons.
The section on Crisis is excellent. thanks