When do you climax? - Page 2

OneandonlyDoc · 10-12-2011, 10:04 AM

My recently finished manuscript (ie, FINALLY finished it last night) has a couple mini-climaxes throughout, then a major bombshell in Chapter 19, followed by an epilogue. Done.

I don't see any problem with having your climax, say...three chapters from the end and use those last three chapters to wrap everything up. Some readers want to know what happens after. After saving the world, finding the murderer, etc etc.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 10-12-2011, 11:39 AM

Most of my books tie everything up within 2 chapters of the climax... said chapters usually of the "triumphant return" and "walk-off" type. The "triumphant return," an optional chapter depending on the story, allows the reader to celebrate with the characters. The "walk-off" explains to the reader what the characters have decided to do next/later, now that the adventure is over... the walk offstage/into the sunset.

Maybe I'm too conditioned by other media (especially movies and episodic television), but that is the post-climax pace I'm most comfortable with.

Keryl Raist · 10-13-2011, 06:49 PM

Well, I always figured the climax of a Columbo was the point where he outs the bad guy because that's what the story works up to. The beginning where we see the murder is a mini-arc of it's own, with it's own climax. So, I see it as a sort of short story with a longer story that shifts POV character and has it's own structure.

As for my own work, the climax usually goes somewhere in the last 10%. I write epic length books, so wrap up can take a while, but it's never more than a chapter or two.

I read Jim Butcher blogging about writing, and his advice was to wrap up as soon as you could after the climax. And, though I very much enjoy his books, I think he ties things up almost too fast.

Meanwhile I've also read one modern author who had a novel with two main plot lines, one of which did wrap about half-way through, and I remember finding that unsatisfying. It felt rushed, and clearly, with 150 pages still to go, there was tons of room to spread it out a bit.

GlennD · 10-13-2011, 06:59 PM

I think it depends a lot on the length and the tone of the story. A shorter novel might have a final chapter for resolution and be fine. A detective novel where all you're really learning about it the investigative process could get away with a very short resolution - the process is what you care about and it ended when the crime was solved.

A multi-volume story can have several chapters and be just fine - the LoTR has been mentioned, the Belgariad is another one that comes to mind where you've 'watched' the characters grow for several years (their years anyway) and it seems appropriate to devote more time to what happens to them in the 'happily ever after'.

If the Wheel of Time ends too quickly after the climax, after over twenty years of reading, I for one will be sorely disgruntled.

Keryl Raist · 10-13-2011, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlennD

If the Wheel of Time ends too quickly after the climax, after over twenty years of reading, I for one will be sorely disgruntled.

My sense is many people would probably happily see almost an entire book devoted to post climax wrap up.

You've also jogged my memory about Harry Turtledove's Timeline 151 stories. (How Few Remain to In At The Death) It's an eleven novel series with probably 6000 pages and a good twenty characters. The 'climax' is close to four hundred pages from the end of the last novel, and I did not begrudge Turtledove a single one of those pages for his wrap up. (Though it also occurs to me, that at about 400 pages shy of the end of the series, his climax is still within 10% of the end of the story arc as a whole.)

morriss003 · 11-06-2011, 03:35 PM

In my view, the way that Tolkien wrote the ending to the Hobbit and to the Rings is the best approach. After the climax, write at least five to ten pages that give the book a soft landing. In LOTR's it was lot longer and that's okay for a book of that length.

11-06-2011, 03:35 PM	#21
morriss003 Evangelist Posts: 438 Karma: 3409790 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Maui Device: kindle	A short but not too short ending In my view, the way that Tolkien wrote the ending to the Hobbit and to the Rings is the best approach. After the climax, write at least five to ten pages that give the book a soft landing. In LOTR's it was lot longer and that's okay for a book of that length.

10-12-2011, 10:04 AM	#16
OneandonlyDoc Fearless Writer Posts: 210 Karma: 375317 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: In a mitten! Device: Kobo Wifi	My recently finished manuscript (ie, FINALLY finished it last night) has a couple mini-climaxes throughout, then a major bombshell in Chapter 19, followed by an epilogue. Done. I don't see any problem with having your climax, say...three chapters from the end and use those last three chapters to wrap everything up. Some readers want to know what happens after. After saving the world, finding the murderer, etc etc.

10-12-2011, 11:39 AM	#17
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Most of my books tie everything up within 2 chapters of the climax... said chapters usually of the "triumphant return" and "walk-off" type. The "triumphant return," an optional chapter depending on the story, allows the reader to celebrate with the characters. The "walk-off" explains to the reader what the characters have decided to do next/later, now that the adventure is over... the walk offstage/into the sunset. Maybe I'm too conditioned by other media (especially movies and episodic television), but that is the post-climax pace I'm most comfortable with.

10-13-2011, 06:49 PM	#18
Keryl Raist Zealot Posts: 140 Karma: 379182 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Charleston, SC Device: Kindle for PC	Well, I always figured the climax of a Columbo was the point where he outs the bad guy because that's what the story works up to. The beginning where we see the murder is a mini-arc of it's own, with it's own climax. So, I see it as a sort of short story with a longer story that shifts POV character and has it's own structure. As for my own work, the climax usually goes somewhere in the last 10%. I write epic length books, so wrap up can take a while, but it's never more than a chapter or two. I read Jim Butcher blogging about writing, and his advice was to wrap up as soon as you could after the climax. And, though I very much enjoy his books, I think he ties things up almost too fast. Meanwhile I've also read one modern author who had a novel with two main plot lines, one of which did wrap about half-way through, and I remember finding that unsatisfying. It felt rushed, and clearly, with 150 pages still to go, there was tons of room to spread it out a bit.

10-13-2011, 06:59 PM	#19
GlennD Wizard Posts: 2,101 Karma: 17249026 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Pacific NW Device: sony PRS350, iPhone, iPad	I think it depends a lot on the length and the tone of the story. A shorter novel might have a final chapter for resolution and be fine. A detective novel where all you're really learning about it the investigative process could get away with a very short resolution - the process is what you care about and it ended when the crime was solved. A multi-volume story can have several chapters and be just fine - the LoTR has been mentioned, the Belgariad is another one that comes to mind where you've 'watched' the characters grow for several years (their years anyway) and it seems appropriate to devote more time to what happens to them in the 'happily ever after'. If the Wheel of Time ends too quickly after the climax, after over twenty years of reading, I for one will be sorely disgruntled.

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