If you’re a writer, the climax of the story is the easy part. Right?
Just add some blood and guts, raise the body count, and throw in an explosion or two.
This is all good and exciting, which a climax should be, but it’s not always right. A climax is not just the moment of high action, big bang in the story. It’s the moment when everything in your core conflict and plotline, comes together, in a dramatic way.
Take, for instance, my original manuscript. I originally wrote the climax as the moment (spoiler) where the emperor sends his army in to crush the rebellion and enslave everyone. Which was all epic and dramatic, with bombs dropped, people screaming, bodies everywhere, and all your good usual climax stuff.
But the core conflict in this story wasn’t Falcon trying to stop the emperor and save her city from doom. The core conflict was her trying to keep her family together.
So, I kept the bombs dropping and bodies everywhere, but in order to make it a climax for her story, I had to make it the worst and most dramatic event for her personal conflict. I tore her family apart, and not all of them survive.
Do you see what I’m getting at?
It took me a long time to truly understand even these most basic elements of story. Not because I didn’t know what they were, but because I used them wrong. I thought exposition=explain, climax=boom, resolution=happily ever after (or not).
But in a talk with my CP based on agent feedback on her story, I realized that I had all of these wrong. You have to look at your own story, and pare everything else away until all you’re left with is the core conflict. Even just that took me a while. I was too caught up in grand schemes of good vs. evil and tyrannical emperors and war and politics. Yes, all of that happens, and it’s a huge part of the story, but the heart of the story is Falcon and her family, trying to survive and stay together in this hell.
Without that, the climax isn’t effective. It might be exciting, but it doesn’t work for this story.
What about your story? Is your climax right for the conflict, or is it just explosions and high body count with no meaning?
Coffee. Write. Repeat. 
Great post. Explained in simple terms even I can understand.
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Haha, thank you!
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I don’t tend to write speculative fiction, so I don’t know about body count (although of course, I’ll write the occasional death when the plot demands it). In fact, I’ll admit that I don’t write with a climax in mind. When I reach a point where everything comes to a headway–well, that’s my climax. Sometimes it works out, and often it doesn’t.
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I used to start with just a concept, and no real idea of climax or eventual direction. But it has really helped my writing and stories now that I do! 🙂
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I’m envious! I started out as a plotter, but whenever I try to plot anymore my mind gets bored and moves on to other projects.
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Haha! I can understand that. I never used to be a plotter, I was a notorious pantser. But it has really helped my writing to have some level of organization and planning. 🙂
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My rewrite is going pretty slowly so the climax is far off, but I’ve had to spend a lot of time thinking about it. I’ve got two protagonists and I feel like I have to make it central to both of them. I’m also afraid it will be come a bit too convoluted
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It can be really tricky to get this down! Especially with two protagonists. I would agree, that it would have to be what is central to both of them. In my manuscript, I have multiple POVs, and arguably multiple protagonists, but the heart of the overall story still remains the same: Falcon and her family trying to stay together and survive in their world. Try looking at the big picture and even ignoring the individuals altogether, maybe that will help. Good luck 🙂
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Awesome post! I know for me I often find myself getting super broad with the scope of my story, though I usually don’t recognize it. I think I’ll make an effort to narrow things down now. 🙂
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Thank you! Yes, I have that problem too. Good luck 🙂
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Thank you for sharing! This is helpful!
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Thank you!
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Yes, I agree. In my novel, it’s about a girl trying to find her family. I reread and realized that wasn’t very apparent. So I need to rewrite. It’s not about the world, it’s about Breeze’s family.
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Yes, exactly. Sometimes it takes a little while to realize that. Good luck with writing 🙂
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Very true. The big attack can build up to the climax, and would still serve to increase the tension up to this point, but there still needs to be one core climax. One theme. One point to be made. One character to reach tipping point…
Looking forward to seeing the final story.
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Yes, exactly! Thank you so much 🙂
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Reblogged this on Smile Click Write and commented:
Some good thoughts in here
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Good point, I am trying to work something like you did into my story, and emotional climax facilitated by action. And by the way, I know you already have one, but I tagged you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award! – http://carolinegsibley.com/2014/08/05/awards/
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Awesome! It really helps. And thank you so much 🙂
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