While writing a story, you may have heard the term “climax” used to reference something that exists in the plot of a book. The climax is present in nearly every story out there, no matter the size or the scope. At some point, there will be a moment where things “climax” and allow for the story to make a major turning point. In my series, The Fallen Age Saga, my stories are part of a long and intensive sci-fantasy epic, but each book has its own climax and the series itself has its own climax. Case-in-point, it doesn’t matter what sort of length the story is, but what matters is understanding the placement and the existence of the climax and the why the climax exists at that point. So, for today’s post, we’ll be taking a look at what the climax of the story is, why the climax matters, and how the climax operates in most books.
What is the Climax of a Story?
The climax is, simply stating, the turning point of the story. It is the moment when everything that has been happening the whole time comes to a head and where the conflicts sort of intersect together in order to create a moment that will change everything for the remainder of the story.
The climax tends to be the moment of the story that has the highest tension and where the stakes are at their highest point as well. What follows the climax is the resolution of the story, but the climax is really what the whole story has been building up to. If you want to learn more about the three-act structure, check out this post!
The climax tends to occur after the middle of the story and close to the end of the story. It follows the rising action and precede the falling action and resolution.
The climax can be dramatic and it can be intense, but it’s more than just that for a story. It’s the moment where the protagonist will face the greatest challenge possible, and that doesn’t need to be an epic battle. It’s basically a moment where either the characters change for the better or for the worse–it’s a defining point.
Why Does the Climax Matter?
Alright, now that we understand what the climax is, we want to actually think about why the climax actually matters to the story and why so many writing instructors put emphasis on this point.
1. Emotional Impact
The climax is the point where your readers should, in theory, experience the highest emotional engagement in the story. They have basically been investing time and energy into following your memorably written characters and are now at the point where that investment should pay off.
The climax needs to be strong and deliver a point because if it’s disappointing, your readers will definitely not be as enthusiastic to finish the story or they may feel like they have ultimately wasted time which isn’t something that you want your readers to feel.
A well-written climax should leave readers in awe even after they finished reading the book. They also need to feel like the experience was memorable and impactful.
2. Resolves Central Conflict
Stories usually have to have some sort of conflict that the character(s) must solve over the course of the plot. There are seven different literary conflicts that most people know about, and these conflicts represent what will be dealt with over the course of the story. The climax is the point where the conflict basically must be resolved or something significant happens so that the conflict can actually be resolved.
For example, in a horror story, the main characters might come face-to-face with the poltergeist that has been tormenting them over the course of the story. They may either lose or beat the poltergeist, but the climax is when they really face off.
The reader’s satisfaction towards a story typically stems from how this conflict plays out over the course of the story.
3. Character Development and Growth
Another big role the climax has in the story is showcasing the growth and change of the character and how the character arc has been shaped over the story. The climax is basically the point where the protagonist is going to face the biggest challenge or fear they have and how they face off against it or handle it should showcase how much they have changed over the course of the story.
This is a crucial moment of decision-making for the character and is a defining point in the character’s arc, but if you fall flat here then you risk making the character arc feel unsatisfying or it will feel flat when it should be dynamic.
4. Theme Reinforcement
The climax is also the point in the story where the themes are on full display and are reinforced and supported. Whatever the themes you may exploring, the climax should showcase these properly. For instance, things like justice, love, sacrifice, redemption, honor, duty, revenge, etc… should be clear in the climax.
5. Reader Satisfaction
The climax is also important because it actually helps to make the reader feel satisfied with the story and it provides closure on a big conflict. This also basically allows the reader to leave the story feeling like they’ve been fulfilled and that it wasn’t all for nothing.
Even if your story is so interesting and the characters are so well written, if your climax falls flat, this will show in the reaction of the readers.
What Makes a Great Climax?
Now that we’ve discussed why the climax matters, let’s delve into what makes a great climax. While every story’s climax will be different, there are usually some common elements that help to make a climax the best that it can be in a story:
1. High Stakes
The first thing that helps the climax is to actually make the stakes of the conflict high. High stakes does not mean that it has to be a life-and-death type of scenario, but the climax’s outcome should actually carry consequences that affect the character and their environment.
High stakes makes for a higher impact on the reader and it allows for the story to feel like it had something real to care about.
2. Tension and Suspense
Another big thing is including tension and suspense in the build-up to the actual climax. Whatever your climax is supposed to be (a battle, a confrontation, a breakdown, etc…) there should be some sort of tension and suspense that helps the reader anticipate this. It’s sort of like a steady build-up. You also want to make sure that the conflict doesn’t escalate fast and without development because it’ll then feel rushed and forced.
3. Clear Resolution
The climax doesn’t have to resolve every single point in the story and it shouldn’t, but the climax should at least give the reader some closure regarding the central conflict. The reader basically should be able to identify the point when the main conflict was resolved and how it was resolved. If you’re writing a series, you may need some time to get to the real central conflict and climax, but ultimately, when the reader finishes the series, they need to understand the climax played out and what it did for the main conflict.
4. Character Choices
Another big thing in the climax that most books have is giving the main character(s) agency to make an important choice that will change how the story plays out. The choices made need to feel reasonable and earned based on what has been happening the entire story. You cannot make the choice have no meaning nor a purpose, because it can make the climax very anticlimactic.
Conclusion
The climax is one of the most important parts of the story and it is really the moment that should have the most impact, the most emotional payoff, and the most intensity out of the whole book. Even if your story isn’t supposed to be action-packed and insane, the stakes need to be high and it needs to feel memorable as well. The climax is a really important part of your story, so spend more time on it and think hard about how readers will react to it.
Before you head on out, be sure to check out my series, The Fallen Age Saga and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter to get updates on all my latest WIPs, book releases, posts and more!