As a person reads a story, tension should build. And build. And build. Until the reader has no fingernails left. What do we do with all this tension at the end? We release it. That’s the main purpose of the ending. To release tension. If you don’t, you’ll end up with frustrated readers.
How do we release tension?
While there are many ways, I’m going to discuss Dwight Swain’s method. Keep in mind, this is just one way.
One Way to End a Novel (Four Steps):
1. Place your character in a situation where he must choose between two specific, concrete courses of action.
Option A: material gain. This is the easy way. Practical considerations back this choice 100%. By choosing option A, your character will gain what he’s worked so hard for throughout the novel. Seems like the obvious choice. What’s the catch? There is a moral/emotional price to be paid by choosing option A, and the price is HIGH.
Option B: principle/morality. This is the hard way. If character chooses option B, the consequences are disastrous. He will lose everything he’s worked to accomplish by choosing Option B.
What your character chooses will determine if he’s worthy of reward. For maximum tension, create a choice that really nails your character to the cross. Think through-the-roof high stakes and consequences for choosing option B.
A very simplistic, lame example:
Joe has been saving his money for the past five years to buy this awesome boat. After facing all sorts of obstacles, he finally has the money he needs. But guess what? He just found out his girlfriend’s dad needs back surgery, and insurance won’t cover the cost.
Option A: buy the boat
Option B: use the money to pay for the surgery (no boat)
2. Force your character to make a choice.
Here are two possible ways to do this: urgency and gimmick (I will cover gimmick next Monday). This is where we force Joe into a corner. He HAS to choose between buying the boat or using the money to help his girlfriend’s dad.
3. Translate that choice into an irrevocable climactic act.
Make your character act on his choice. Make him do something. Make this something important and irreversible. Once he acts, there’s no going back. Joe might think about doing the noble thing, but thoughts don’t amount to much if he doesn’t ACT on them.
Important note: If character chooses option B, this often translates into his black moment, when all seems lost and your reader’s worry comes to a head. If you made the stakes high enough and the character proved himself worthy, the reader will be rooting like heck that this character gets his reward. For example, if Joe gives his money to his girlfriend, all hope of him getting his dream boat are lost. Black moment. And reader will root for him to get the boat, since he proved himself worthy of reward.
4. Give him his just reward.
If your character chose the easy way, punish him. He doesn’t get his reward.
If your character chose the hard way, reward him. Give him his heart’s desire (the boat).
How can you do this?
Use a reversal:
The reversal must include three ingredients for it to work:
– It must be desired. The reader must want your character to win.
– It must be unanticipated. If the reader can see it coming, the reversal loses its power.
– It must be logical. Don’t throw something into the mix that makes no sense and has no connection with the story. Your readers will roll their eyes and think, “Give me a break.”
The reversal for Joe’s story might be a number of things. If he proves himself worthy and gives his money to his girlfriend, maybe Joe inherits his grandfather’s boat, which is what made him fall in love with boating in the first place. If he proves himself unworthy and chooses personal gain, maybe he finds himself caught up in some sort of scam and doesn’t get the boat. I don’t know. Whatever fits with your story. I told you, this example is lame.
Escalating tension throughout the book + release of tension at the end of the book = deep, satisfied sigh from your reader.
Question to Ponder: What is one of the most satisfying endings you’ve seen or read? What made it so satisfying?
