Plot’s big finish. Located at the plot triangle’s bottom right corner, resolution is the event where protagonists face a main obstacle. If resolution fails to somehow involve the protagonist, a work is anti-climactic. Many mistakenly think a long denouement—that part of fiction that happens when the action is over—is an anti-climax. In denouement, theme, character change, relationships and sub-plots are drawn to proper conclusions in a way that should satisfy ones reader.
Clarksworld magazine editor and convention co-panelist Nick Mamatas puts it best. He rejects submissions with poor endings out-of-hand because authors may get lucky and open a story well, but authors who can’t end a story are still learning the craft. So how does one stick the fiction landing in a way that will please the editorial eye?
Like a framed house’s wiring and pipes, plot merges into main lines, the resolution, then lead to a source in the foundation. Denouement is that source: a fuse-box, or water-main. All of a piece’s threads are funneled to, and end at these points. End in a way that’s as obvious and dramatic as a big fat insulate copper cable, or large fat pipe, alive with voltage and pressure, supplied by some great literary-creative-artistic instinct hydro-plant.
Resolution should grab readers, and denouement should leave them thinking. You’ll know you have a good ending when the words the end are unnecessary.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Climax and Falling Action
Climax is arguably the most unclear part of plotting. Many people misunderstand either the difference between Climax and Resolution, or the proper relationship between them—that unfolds during falling action.
Climax is not the big-ending, but the point of highest conflict for the main character. Commonly, the point at which the plot’s major obstacle is revealed, or how the major obstacle may be defeated is revealed. The flow of action launched by the inciting incident has built in rising action, and culminates at the climax.
Falling action is events between climax and resolution. In a story that is anti-climactic the plot’s major obstacle resolves outside the protagonists actions, leaving only sub-plots. This usually means falling action is what’s flawed, but it is possible that the wrong major obstacle was set-up earlier, in rising action.
While word count in each section of plot can vary, falling action has a short word count in many manuscripts. Don’t take brief falling action to be a bad sign—it depends on the size and flow of events that have been set in action. As long as the plot’s major obstacle is addressed by good-guys during falling action, a manuscript is on the right track.
Climax is not the big-ending, but the point of highest conflict for the main character. Commonly, the point at which the plot’s major obstacle is revealed, or how the major obstacle may be defeated is revealed. The flow of action launched by the inciting incident has built in rising action, and culminates at the climax.
Falling action is events between climax and resolution. In a story that is anti-climactic the plot’s major obstacle resolves outside the protagonists actions, leaving only sub-plots. This usually means falling action is what’s flawed, but it is possible that the wrong major obstacle was set-up earlier, in rising action.
While word count in each section of plot can vary, falling action has a short word count in many manuscripts. Don’t take brief falling action to be a bad sign—it depends on the size and flow of events that have been set in action. As long as the plot’s major obstacle is addressed by good-guys during falling action, a manuscript is on the right track.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Rising Action
The Inciting Incident has sent your reader along the trail of breadcrumbs, and now the plot thickens. This is often seen as the easiest part of fiction plot. That’s only the case when one has begun a tale properly.
The main things to pace in rising action are unpeeling layers of action and dropped details. Little bits of data about a character’s past and true nature need to be shown to your reader while waypoints of plot come to pass. After a writer has avoided the dreaded data—or info—dump in the exposition, now is the right time to dole out details. Dole out. The metaphor refers to a kitchen serving spoon; a utensil that’s designed for small portions.
In rising action, small portions are the rule. As action peels like an onion and details dropped like portions, anything to big should act as a warning. Look to break up sizable chunks in this part of plot. Even distribution is a sign of healthy rising action.
The main things to pace in rising action are unpeeling layers of action and dropped details. Little bits of data about a character’s past and true nature need to be shown to your reader while waypoints of plot come to pass. After a writer has avoided the dreaded data—or info—dump in the exposition, now is the right time to dole out details. Dole out. The metaphor refers to a kitchen serving spoon; a utensil that’s designed for small portions.
In rising action, small portions are the rule. As action peels like an onion and details dropped like portions, anything to big should act as a warning. Look to break up sizable chunks in this part of plot. Even distribution is a sign of healthy rising action.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Exposition and Inciting Incident
Most consider exposition and inciting incident to be the most difficult parts of fiction plotting to pull off well. Grabbing a reader at the beginning of a work—without flaw—can be intimidating. This is why publishers usually want to see the first three chapters. The challenges are starting a story in the right place without dumping too much on your reader.
In exposition, the reader is introduced to characters and setting. The old adage says to begin stories with conflict. This method drops one’s reader right into the middle of some difficult situation where it’s easy to see heroes’ hearts. Action that’s outside your overall plot is allowed for the sake of characterization and in exposition is where this best fits. If a character is in law enforcement, readers see the protagonist in his truest form as he wraps up a case and confronts a minor antagonist.
The slow start caused by excessive back-story is a common exposition mistake. Even if you start with action, your reader only needs the most basic of details before the inciting incident kicks off the rising action.
Be afraid of giving too much away early. There’s a whole novel through which you can drop details. Be patient.
In exposition, the reader is introduced to characters and setting. The old adage says to begin stories with conflict. This method drops one’s reader right into the middle of some difficult situation where it’s easy to see heroes’ hearts. Action that’s outside your overall plot is allowed for the sake of characterization and in exposition is where this best fits. If a character is in law enforcement, readers see the protagonist in his truest form as he wraps up a case and confronts a minor antagonist.
The slow start caused by excessive back-story is a common exposition mistake. Even if you start with action, your reader only needs the most basic of details before the inciting incident kicks off the rising action.
Be afraid of giving too much away early. There’s a whole novel through which you can drop details. Be patient.
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