Writing a Novel: The Climax

When you're writing a novel, your entire story is going somewhere. It's leading to something. That something is the climax of your story, the high point, the entire point of the novel. If you're reading Lord of the Rings (and treating the trilogy as one large book), for example, the climax is when Frodo and Sam finally reach Mount Doom and the ring is destroyed. That's a very obvious example, but all stories reach a peak. That is your climax.


Whatever the climax of your story, it should generally affect the protagonist in a deep and meaningful way. It should be a pivot point, a point where everything changes for your characters. What this means will differ based on the context of your story. Going back to Lord of the Rings, Frodo not only almost dies at Mount Doom, but he is forever changed.


So how do you craft this climax? Well that will depend entirely on your story and what the point of your novel was. It's a good idea to have your climax in mind before you even begin writing your story. That way you can guide your story towards your climax. You can put hints and allusions throughout your story that almost foreshadow your climax. Your climax might even be clear from the beginning. Sticking with the Lord of the Rings example, you know quite early on what the climax of the entire story is. The Council of Elrond makes it clear that Frodo is going to take the rings to Mount Doom and destroy it. That's the climax. It's revealed early on. You know where the story's going.


That can be a blessing. It gives your readers something to look forward to. They know what to expect, know where they're going, and just need to see how you're going to take them there. But this isn't the only way to get to your climax. You can be more subtle, you can even outright mislead your readers if that's what serves the story you're trying to tell. If you're writing a mystery, for example, you can often surprise your readers with the climax. Perhaps the perpetrator isn't who anyone thought. Or is exactly who everything thought it could be. There are so many ways to approach the climax of your story.


The really important part of the climax is that it be satisfying. It should be the payoff for sticking with the story or an entire novel. It should also wrap up the vast majority of loose ends. It doesn't have to address them all. That's what the denouement is for.

Practice Writing: Many Beginnings

You can't get good at something unless you practice, practice, practice. This is true of just about everything, including beginning a story. If you want to improve the beginnings you write, you must practice writing beginnings over and over again. You have to practice different types of beginnings as well.


To practice, pick a beginning you have already written or write a new beginning to a story that is burning to be written. There are no rules to this beginning at first. Just get it down on paper, or on the computer screen, as the case may be.


Now take this beginning and rewrite it several times. Start by rewriting it in a way that puts your main character in the middle of the action. Make sure this beginning leaves the reader with at least one unanswered question, but it should not be confusing. Action, not confusion. Tweak your beginning several times until you have accomplished this.


Rewrite it again, but this time not with a main character performing an action. Instead, begin your story by focusing on an important thing, place, or animal. Make your beginning full of description. Bring it to life with your words. But also include some type of catalyst. Maybe the location or thing is what springs the story into action. Maybe it's the motivation for your main character. Whatever it is, try to begin the story absent any actual characters. It may not always be a practical way to begin a story, but it's good practice.


Begin the story again, but this time try being funny. Write amusing lines or anecdotes. Have characters amused by everything. Intrigue the reader with all that is funny. Make sure this leads to interest. Keep the reader reading by amusing while at the same time leaving questions unanswered.


Finally, rewrite the story beginning by adding an essay or prologue. Perhaps it's the main character reflecting on what happens in the story before you actually get to telling the story. Perhaps it's the narrator giving information that the reader needs in order to understand the story that will follow. It might just be the history of the setting you're using. It doesn't matter. Begin with exposition. It may sound dreary sometimes, but it can also be helpful..


Look back on the beginnings you've written. They should all be to the same basic story, but they will vary dramatically. Return to these beginnings. Pursue them. See which one takes you further. Perhaps you are now well on your way to writing a novel.