Welcome to Day Twenty-Nine of Fiction University’s At-Home Workshop: Idea to Novel in 31 Days. For the rest of the month, we’ll focus on plot and the major turning points of a novel.
Today, we’re, looking at how to close out your novel.
The Wrap-Up
The wrap up is the happily ever after, or the burning apocalypse—what the protagonist is going to do now that he’s resolved his problem. If there’s a moral or lesson the protagonist was supposed to learn in the story, this is a good spot to sum it up.
Why the wrap-up is important: It allows a sense of closure for characters and readers, and allows the resolution of any important details or subplots that weren’t critical in the climax.
Key Elements of the Wrap-Up
- The protagonist is happy or satisfied in his new life
- A sense of things resolved
- A hint at where the characters will go from here
It’s not uncommon for the closing scene to mirror the opening scene as a way to show how the character has changed. If the protagonist was a selfish person, the final scene shows him being generous. If the opening shows him being scared of commitment, the wrap-up might have him getting married or making a commitment. It might even be a darker, more disturbing scene if the novel was about a fall from grace or the descent into darkness.
For series writers: If you’re writing a series, there might be plot elements or questions left hanging, and things might not wrap up quite so neatly. This type of wrap-up is often tricky, as you want to leave readers with a satisfying ending, yet still entice them to pick up the next book.
It might sound like a good idea to craft a cliffhanger ending with the protagonist in dire straits, but if the book just stops, you risk annoying readers. They spent an entire book waiting to see how a problem you posed to them is going to turn out, then you cheat by having the book end before that happens. That’s like turning off a movie fifteen minutes before it’s over.
There’s nothing wrong with a series ending that has loose ends, but try to resolve whatever promises you made to readers.
In essence, the final scene says, “Yes, there was a point to this novel and here it is.” It gives readers a sense of closure and reassurance that the novel was worth their time.
Here are some things to consider while developing your novel’s wrap-up:
1. What events might come after the climax?
2. What final image might mirror the opening image?
3. Where do you want your protagonist to be at the end of the novel?
4. What mood or emotion do you want to leave readers with?
5. What do you want readers thinking about after they’ve finished the book?
6. If it’s a series, what hints or questions do you want to dangle for the next book?
EXERCISE: Describe how and where the protagonist ends the novel.
Be as detailed or as vague as you’d like. Consider what image you want to leave readers with at the end of your novel.
If you’re not sure how much to write, aim for one to two paragraphs that show the change and where the protagonist is (physically and emotionally) at the end of the novel. Think about where he started out and how this final image works with that opening image.
Those following along with the PYN book: Workshop Ten goes into more depth on the individual turning points of story structure, as well and the basics of scene and sequel structure. It also shares tips on plotting and story development.
Tomorrow, we’ll look at writing your working synopsis.
Follow along at home with the book, Plotting Your Novel: Ideas and Structure. Get
more brainstorming questions and things to think about,
in-depth articles, and clear examples of every step from idea to
novel. Paperback: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Google Books | Books-A-Million | Chapters/!ndio
Ebook: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Overdrive | Kobo | Inktera | Chapters/!ndio
Go step-by-step through plotting and writing a novel. Learn how to find and develop ideas, brainstorm stories from that first spark of inspiration, develop the right characters, setting, plots and subplots, as well as teach you how to identify where your novel fits in the market, and if your idea has what it takes to be a series.
With clear and easy-to-understand examples, Plotting Your Novel: Ideas and Structure offers ten self-guided workshops with more than 100 different exercises to help you craft a solid novel. Learn how to:
- Create compelling characters readers will love
- Choose the right point of view for your story
- Determine the conflicts that will drive your plot (and hook readers!)
- Find the best writing process for your writing style
- Create a solid plot from the spark of your idea
- Craft your one-sentence pitch
- Create your summary hook blurb
- Develop a solid working synopsis And so much more!
Available in paperback and ebook formats.
Janice Hardy is the award-winning author of the teen fantasy trilogy The Healing Wars, including The Shifter, Blue Fire, and Darkfall from Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins. The Shifter, was chosen for the 2014 list of "Ten Books All Young Georgians Should Read" from the Georgia Center for the Book. She also writes the Grace Harper urban fantasy series for adults under the name, J.T. Hardy.
When she's not writing novels, she's teaching other writers how to improve their craft. She's the founder of Fiction University and has written multiple books on writing.
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