How To Write A Gut-Wrenching Climax [NaNoWriMo]






1. Showcase the internal conflict



2. Showcase the external conflict


3. Prepare for the falling action


4. Allowing a surprise or twist




12 thoughts on “How To Write A Gut-Wrenching Climax [NaNoWriMo]

  1. Good points, Rachel! And it comes at the perfect time for me, as this is exactly the problem I’m having with my NaNo novel. Having figured out that my outline wasn’t actually for one (apparently ridiculously long) book but in fact, a trilogy, I have to end the first book in the next chapter or two… But I didn’t plan for a big climactic scene here, uh-oh! So I have to somehow make the wedding either the climax scene (adding more conflict) or add a climax scene before it and make the wedding the denouement (and take out some of the conflict that’s there). The arcs for the newly-planned second and third books contain good climactic scenes already from the original outline, but this one is trickier. Ah well, I’ll figure it out this weekend. Whee!

    • Thanks!
      You’ll definitely figure it out. I don’t know what’s happened in your book so far, but I do think a wedding would be perfect after a big climax… then again, it’d be so interesting for something to happen during the wedding!
      Let me know how it goes!

      • Some stuff is definitely happening during the wedding, and afterward too. The trick is getting a big climax scene before the wedding. I’m trudging through the first draft and it’s not totally clicking, but whatever, it’s the first draft: hopefully I can fix it in revisions.

Let me know your thoughts!
