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Turning points are critical to a good story. What’s a turning point, you ask? It’s the moment in a story’s climax when the situation changes, when the hero goes from losing to winning, or winning to losing if this is a story that ends poorly. … read more »
When you finish a good story, your first instinct is probably to check if there’s a sequel. But then you hesitate. How can you be sure the sequel is going to be good? We’ve all seen more than our fair share of promising stories crash … read more »
Character karma is a useful concept that helps us understand how to craft stories that are engaging and satisfying. While I’ve mentioned the concept in many other places, it’s overdue for a full article on the ways it affects our stories. First, what is character … read more »
Most storytellers know that the climax should be more exciting than the rest of the story. However, many don’t know that climaxes need a critical turning point. Neglecting this turning point is one of the most common mistakes that writers make, and without it, endings … read more »
Ending with a well-executed reveal brings the whole story together. The audience finally knows what’s going on, creating enormous satisfaction. Unfortunately, reveals don’t always fit the rest of the story. They could be out of theme or contradict established facts. Instead of watching the story click together, the audience gets a bad taste in their … read more »
Basic story structure includes a problem at the beginning and a resolution to that problem at the end. But to make their work stand out, some storytellers reject the resolution. The romance ends without the audience knowing if the lovers will be together; the adventure ends with an undecided battle … read more »
Writers frequently obsess over their opening paragraph, hoping to make a great first impression. But the last impression also matters. It sets the mood that the reader walks away with, giving it a disproportionate impact on how they feel about the story or whether or not they recommend it … read more »
More than any other moment, the climax of your story determines whether your audience will walk away feeling satisfied with your work. A story that’s great until its lackluster finish is considered a terrible flop, while one that’s subpar until its fantastic finish will be … read more »
Traditional* wisdom says that there should be some kind of payoff at the end of a story. Typically called the denouement, it’s the point where everything comes together and leaves the reader satisfied. To heck with that! You’re a beautiful and unique snowflake; you don’t … read more »
Chris, Mike, and Oren discuss what goes into a strong climax. They describe examples that are masterful or weak, list common problems, and offer tips for making climaxes stronger. Read more »