HelloOoOo everybody!
Today we're talking about how to write the very last chapter of your book–AKA the resolution. Sometimes people confuse the climax of the book with the resolution because they both occur toward the end, but they are very different plot points. The climax is the most intense moment of your novel. It’s when the conflict of the story comes to a head, and it usually happens within the last few chapters of your novel. The resolution is the aftermath of the climax. It's once everything gets resolved, and it is the very last chapter of your novel. Think of the climax as the explosion and the resolution as the dust settling.
Writing a solid final chapter is pivotal to the success of your novel because it's the last impression you're leaving your readers with, so it could make or break their impression of your book. No pressure! Because of this, I'm giving you the tips and tricks you need to keep in mind when writing “The End.”
Today's topic is dedicated to two of my patrons from over on Patreon, Alex and Jesse. Alex is super active over on my Patreon. He is constantly throwing out super cool video topic suggestions. Jesse is also amazing. He happens to be one of my beta readers for The Savior’s Sister and he is hysterical. They wanted to know all about writing an impactful ending, so I'm listing my top 10 tips for doing just that.
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Number 1: Understand Its Purpose
The end of your book is the resolution, which means shit needs to get resolved. When you write a novel, you are typically introducing some kind of conflict at the beginning, and by the end you need to introduce some form of finality to that conflict. But sometimes people get so wrapped up in world-building or the characters that they lose sight of the purpose of their story. This ultimately boils down to a lack of understanding regarding structure. Every chapter of your novel should be moving the plot forward in some way. The resolution is no different. I have read books where, by the final chapter, the conflict wasn't remotely resolved. This didn't make me feel excited to read the next book. It just made me feel like I wasted my time.
Number 2: Know Where You’re Headed
You're writing the last chapter of your book. Where do you go from there? If this book is a standalone, then that's it. This is literally the end. That means you need to resolve everything. All the loose ends need to be tied up because there is nowhere else to go. If anything isn't resolved, then it needs to be intentional. Something that you want to remain mysterious.
If this book is part of a series, then the last chapter is the end of one plot within a much bigger story. That means you still need a resolution, but you'll probably introduce some new problems, as well. For example, the conflict of The Savior's Champion is, “Will Tobias survive the tournament and get to be with the woman he loves?” In the last chapter, these questions are answered. However, a new problem is introduced that will be explored in the next book in the series. Writing a series is not a green light to leave your readers hanging; you need to resolve the conflict while still introducing a new problem in order to incentivize them to read further.
Number 3: Don’t Forget Your Subplots
Your subplots are important! You can't just let ‘em piss off into the wind. If you're writing your last chapter, you need to take a look at your subplots and see if they were resolved. Now, you don't have to resolve them in the last chapter. They could have been touched on before then, but they need to have been tied up by that point, or else readers are gonna take notice. Of course, the exception is if you're writing a series and the subplot is going to continue on into the next book, but there still needs to be some sense of finality before then.
Number 4: Look to Your Beginning
Quite often the resolution of your story is somehow a mirror of or the antithesis of the beginning. The resolution gives you an opportunity to show where your character started and how much they've changed since then. People grow through conflict, so the comparison between the start and the end is going to highlight that. Now, please don't think you have to be overt with this. No one wants to read a rambling soliloquy about how far they've come. However, an effective ending typically showcases a major dichotomy between the introduction and the resolution.
Number 5: Bring Your Themes Home
Many books have some kind of message the author is trying to convey and the resolution is an ideal time to bring these messages home. The resolution is supposed to be thought-provoking and emotional, and this is largely because of the themes. This is your last chance to make whatever point you're trying to make. You don't have to be blatant about it. In fact, you probably shouldn't be. But if you're relying on themes, the resolution should support them through the action and dialogue.
Number 6: Don’t Jerk Yourself Off
There have been many books that I absolutely loved, but once the author got to the resolution, they became so prolific and self-indulgent and preachy. Why? Why’re ya doing this? This is the final impression you're leaving your readers with and you don't want it to be the taste of vomit in their mouth.
That's not to say you can't write an emotional ending. In fact, most of the time you totally should. But there's a big difference between tuggin’ at your reader’s heartstrings and tuggin’ at your own dick.
“But Jenna, how do I know if I'm jerking myself off?”
Clue number 1: Your hand is on your dick and you're rubbin’ back and forth.
Clue number 2: You're telling your reader how to feel rather than evoking emotion through the story.
Clue number 3: You're stating your themes explicitly. Themes are meant to be understated, not spelled out in neon lights.
And clue number 4: You are feeling way too fuckin’ smug while writing this crap. If you're writing your resolution thinking, “I'm a genius! Look at the wisdom I’m bestowing upon the masses!” Then you've probably busted a literary nut.
Number 7: Convenience Is Your Enemy
This point is most relevant to the climax of the story. However, it pertains to the resolution, as well. If your conflict is eliminated too conveniently or coincidentally, readers are gonna be pissed. They're gonna feel like they got invested only for all the drama and pain to have been worthless. A lot of writers do this by relying on old cliches, like, “It was all a dream,” or, “The answer was inside of you all along.” This is a storytelling cop-out, and best believe readers will not be picking up your next book.
Number 8: Not Everything Needs To Be Spelled Out
In the climax of your novel, the sidekick sacrifices his life to save the main character. His parting words are, “You are my everything.” Then in the resolution, we get a page-long explanation telling the reader, “Guess what? The sidekick was in love with her the whole time!” Ya think?
Sometimes writers treat their readers like idiots, especially in the last chapter. They're afraid readers might miss a thing or two, so they decide to spell it out for ‘em. I get it. Some readers are really stupid, but you shouldn't cater your work to the lowest common denominator.
Number 9: Satisfy the Reader–With Their Consent, of Course!
If there is one goal for the resolution, it's to leave the reader feeling satisfied. They need to get what they were promised out of the novel. For example, if you're writing a romance, that means the resolution needs to have a happy ending. It's a requirement of the genre, and thus, that's what readers expect.
“But Jenna, don't I want to deliver the unexpected?”
Not at the expense of ruining your book! It's great to shock readers, but surprise and outrage are not the same thing. People gravitate to certain genres with specific expectations, so pulling a 180° on your readers during the resolution isn't gonna fly.
Number 10: Shut Up!
I once read a book where the climax happened in the middle of the story and the last 100 pages were the resolution. That's really boring! Some writers want to show every detail of the aftermath, but that's what epilogues are for, and epilogues are short. Ultimately, the resolution is supposed to resolve the story and open up some new questions. It's not there to introduce a brand-new cast, expand upon the world, or show the day-to-day life of the existing characters. If you're tempted to go this route, stop yourself before you start.
So that's all I've got for you today!
A huge thank you to Alex and Jesse for requesting today's video! If you'd like the chance to have a video dedicated to you or if you want access to tons of other awards, check me out on Patreon! We've got an exclusive writing group, we have early access to videos, we have a monthly live stream, and we've got signed merch! The link is listed right here. Get on it!
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These tips are really practical and insightful. Highlighting resolving central conflict, tying up subplots, and maintaining emotional impact what a helpful post it is. You reminded me of USA IB Expert writers who give tips on writing high-quality assignments. Thanks Jenna!