4. Aristotle described a seven-point story incline. Three of them dealt with the story's ending
* The narrative climax is point 5. In it, the protagonist makes a strong moral statement. The statement can be in word, thought, or deed. It needn't be a statement; it can be implied. It signals a change of heart. Often, it's a statement of courage.
*The dramatic climax-point 6 grows out of the narrative climax. The reader gets to watch the protagonist put actions to her statement.
*The denouement, pt. 7, gives the reader a chance to say goodbye tothe character(s) he has come to love and care about. Often it's a chance to see the protagonist in her altered life.
5. We don't need to follow Aristotle's incline. It's a tool. And we mustn't let it get in the way of imagination. But it can be useful during rewriting.
*We can see whether a narrative and dramatic climax might strengthen our story.
*We can ask whether we've given the reader a chance to say goodbye.
6. During rewrite, we can ask ourselves:
*Did I tie up the loose ends?
Did I keep the ending honest?
My own notes:
*Surprise endings must be foreshadowed-can't come out of the blue
*If there are several subplots or even a few, they must all be resolved by the end of the book. Remember how we felt when "Lost" ended. So, so many subplots left unresolved...
* The narrative climax is point 5. In it, the protagonist makes a strong moral statement. The statement can be in word, thought, or deed. It needn't be a statement; it can be implied. It signals a change of heart. Often, it's a statement of courage.
*The dramatic climax-point 6 grows out of the narrative climax. The reader gets to watch the protagonist put actions to her statement.
*The denouement, pt. 7, gives the reader a chance to say goodbye tothe character(s) he has come to love and care about. Often it's a chance to see the protagonist in her altered life.
5. We don't need to follow Aristotle's incline. It's a tool. And we mustn't let it get in the way of imagination. But it can be useful during rewriting.
*We can see whether a narrative and dramatic climax might strengthen our story.
*We can ask whether we've given the reader a chance to say goodbye.
6. During rewrite, we can ask ourselves:
*Did I tie up the loose ends?
Did I keep the ending honest?
My own notes:
*Surprise endings must be foreshadowed-can't come out of the blue
*If there are several subplots or even a few, they must all be resolved by the end of the book. Remember how we felt when "Lost" ended. So, so many subplots left unresolved...
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