Writing the End of a Story

As you write to the end, keep in mind where your character is going, what she believes she needs to confront in order to be complete or to make up for what happened at the crisis, and that one thing she’s been waiting to do her entire life. Identify the special skills and knowledge she needs to succeed at the climax.

SPECIAL NOTE:

Next month is PlotWriMo when I guide you through re"vision"ing your plot arc for a major rewrite in the new year.

While awaiting December 1st, I offer plot tips via Twitter and Facebook to ensure your success in achieving your writing goals during NaNoWriMo and thus have a rough draft to revision throughout December.

I hope to periodically extend more in-depth plot support on this blog during November, though I'm mostly saving my energy for next month when I'll blog about each new revision step everyday for the entire month.

Of course, you can always create plot while you write during NaNoWriMo with the help of The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories.

Coming Soon! 
The Plot Whisperer Book of Writing Prompts: Easy Exercises to Get You Writing. Available for pre-order now. Ships 12/12.

More Plot Tips: 

1) Plot your story step-by-step with the help of

The Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories

2) For plot concepts and insight into the roller-coaster ride writing a novel, memoir, screenplay can be, read The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master

3) Watch the Plot Series: How Do I Plot a Novel, Memoir, Screenplay? on YouTube. Scroll down on the left of this post for a directory of all the steps to the series. 27-step tutorial on Youtube

4) Watch the Monday Morning Plot Book Group Series on YouTube. Scroll down on the right of this post for a directory the book examples and plot elements discussed.

For additional tips and information about the Universal Story and plotting a novel, memoir or screenplay, visit:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers
Plot Whisperer on Facebook
Plot Whisperer on Twitter

Energetic Markers in Universal Story

In preparing for my first ever Writers Plot Retreat in the redwoods on Thursday through Sunday (don't expect another post for a few days), I marvel again at how consistent the Energetic Markers arrive in the Universal Story for romance novels, to screenplays, to mysteries, young adult, memoirs, middle grade and yes, even picture books.

For instance: The Cay by Theodore Taylor.

Like To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee where the plotline dealing with Boo breaks off after the End of the Beginning and does not come back until the End, The Cay has an almost independent plotline running through the Middle (1/2) with the Beginning (1/4) linked back to the End (/14).

The End of the Beginning of The Cay is when Phillip is blind. The antagonists in the Middle are Phillip's prejudice of Timothy, blindness, a deserted island, fear, feeling sorry for himself, the weather and Malaria. Phillip's allies in the Middle are Timothy and Stew Cat.

In the Middle of The Cay, Phillip must maneuver, with the help of Timothy through a survival course, the Unusual World of living on an island blind.

The Crisis of the subplot on the island occurs about Halfway through the entire story. Phillip climbs a palm tree blind, makes it about 10 feet and then freezes. Comes back down and he feels Timothy's disappointment. This scene serves two plotlines:  

1) His personal Crisis point in the subplot 

2) The Halfway point in the overall story for a reason to recommit to the adventure, in this case, survival

The Climax of the subplot on the island comes when Phillip attempts the climb again, makes it all the way up, picks two coconuts, comes down and asks Timothy, "Are you still black?" showing Phillip has both overcome is fear and his prejudice.

The Crisis for the dramatic action plot of the overall story comes at exactly the 3/4 mark when a hurricane hits the island.

The Climax comes when Phillip himself is able to signal the plane.

In Resolution, he is rescued.

Anyway, my point is that the End of the Beginning, the Halfway marker, the Crisis(es) and Climax(es) all hit exactly where they "should".

And, that's only two of so many examples.

I keep throwing the concepts out there because they're helpful and valid. Something worth learning for your own stories.