Category: Plot

How to End a Scene and Keep Readers Turning Pages

Writing scenes for novels

Knowing when and how to end a scene takes a lot of practice for writers. Even though I’m working on my fifth book, sometimes, I forget to end a scene in the first draft and just keep writing and writing. When I review my work, I realize I need to make transitions. Even when I realize a scene needs an ending, it sometimes difficult to write it. Like I’m composing a tune and the last note sounds off. Here are tips on how to end a scene and keep readers turning pages.

Put tension in the last line of a scene.

This end to a scene is pretty obvious, ending with some kind of cliffhanger. Here’s a scene from Chapter 2 in my third novel A Riddle in the Lonesome October. My protagonist, Rae Riley, who’s twenty, is eating a late supper with her dad. They’re chatting at the dinner table in the family farmhouse. The landline rings, and Rae’s grandmother answers it.

*****

“That was Jeanine.” Gram placed the landline in its base, concern creasing her normal expression of quiet assurance. “Something’s wrong. Coral’s horse came back to their house without her.” 

*****

But you can’t, and shouldn’t, end each scene with the promise of dire circumstances.

Give readers something to think about.

Because I write mysteries, ending a scene with the thought process of my amateur sleuth Rae not only shows readers how Rae is considering the evidence, it gives them time to think about it too.

In A Shadow on the Snow, my first novel, Rae is trying to figure out on her own who is leaving increasingly threatening notes. In this scene, she’s organized the information she’s gathered so far.

*****

The stalker was someone who could have been out in the woods late on Wednesday morning and had an opportunity to leave the note between 8:30 a.m. Friday when I left for work and about 1:30 this morning. 

After jotting those conclusions in my notebook, I searched social media for any nasty comments about Mal or me. Then I reviewed my previous research. It wasn’t until dawn lit the sky that I finally collapsed on my couch. 

*****

The first paragraph gives readers something to think about. The second shows how committed Rae is to her investigation. And the toll it’s taking.

Asking questions in the mind of the protagonist is a great way to get people to think. The end of this scene is from A Storm of Doubts, and Rae is pondering the latest development in a missing persons case.

*****

Once out of the neighborhood, I hurried into a jog. Why had the Chief conducted the search? And did finding nothing make The Mystery of the Missing Ex-wife clearer or murkier? 

*****

Hint at what’s to come in the novel.

This kind of end to a scene makes a promise to readers and gives them something to look forward to as they read on. At the end of Chapter 4 in A Storm of Doubts, Rae’s father Mal is explaining to her younger half-brothers that while the family is attending a Memorial Day picnic, they have to stay with an adult because Mal just learned his con man uncle, who hates him, is in town.

*****

Stroking his cheek with one finger, Micah said, “What about if I have to go to the bathroom?” 

“Get Hank,” Dad called over his shoulder. 

“What if I can’t find him?” 

“Ma can stand outside the door.” 

“What if Uncle Troy comes into the bathroom?” 

“Ma!” Dad sent out an SOS. 

Gram put her arm around Micah. “We’ll be able to find Hank if we need him.” She took hold of his hand. “The fire department’s picnic is at the school, so let’s—” 

She looked up to the hill, and we all followed her gaze. 

Uncle Troy and China watched us a moment, then turned and disappeared among the evergreen bushes and headstones. 

*****

Here are more tips on writing scenes for novels.

Of the three examples for how to end a scene, which one do think is best at keeping readers turning pages?

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How to Write Your Novel Resolution Right

How to write a great ending for a novel

Denouement or wrap-up is another critical component of the ending to any novel. These are the scenes following the climax, in which you resolve all the remaining loose ends of the plot. Below are my tips on how to write your novel resolution right.

Why is the denouement so critical?

This resolution part of your novel is another reward for your readers. The intensity of the climax and how well you pull it off is the first one. Once readers have enjoyed that, they get the extra treat of sitting back and enjoying how you resolve the other plot points that have contributed to the novel.

Pacing is the key element of the resolution

You don’t want a resolution that’s too fast or too slow. If you resolve the loose ends too quickly, readers will close the book dissatisfied because they didn’t get enough time to enjoy saying good-bye to the characters and the story. If you’re too slow, your resolution will come across like a houseguest who won’t take hints from the host that it’s time to leave.

How to write the correct pacing for the resolution

First, reread your manuscript and make sure you’ve caught all the plot points and loose ends of your novel.

Second vary how you tie up your loose ends. Since I write mysteries, readers expect a detailed resolution of all the plot points. So I tie up those points in various ways. A few I resolve before the climax, if it doesn’t hurt the intensity of it. For example, my amateur sleuth discovers one of the suspects has an iron-clad alibi before the climax, taking that character out of contention as the culprit. After the climax, I decide how much page space I should devote to a loose end depending on its importance. For example, if my teen sleuth and her dad have been at odds throughout the whole novel, then the resolution of their conflict should have a lot of space. But if the loose end is who moved the murder weapon after the murder, and it turns out the maid did because she did’t realize it was the the murder weapon at the time, then that resolution only needs a brief conversation.

Third, have someone who enjoys reading and understands your genre read your manuscript. I guarantee you will have overlooked at least one minor point that needs wrapped up. An author is so familiar with her manuscript that it’s easy to miss a loose end.

Fourth, you should also ask this reader about the pacing. If he or she feels the resolution is rushed or dragging, review your resolution to discover if you can add depth or tighten your writing.

What novels have you read which have a perfectly paced resolution?

Just wanted to let you know there won’t be a tip next week but I’ll be back two weeks from today.

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The Winning Formula for Writing a Killer Novel Climax

Writing a great climax for your novel

Before I get into the winning formula for writing a killer novel climax, let’s review the three aspects all endings should contain.

  • Climax: the most intense part of your novel
  • Denouement or Wrap-up: the section after your climax in which you resolve loose ends of your plot. In a mystery, this is where the detective explains how he unmasked the culprit and resolves red herrings.
  • Final scene and/or lines: the last scene and lines you want to stick with your readers as they close the book.

If any of these components are missing from an ending, or mishandled, the ending won’t be satisfying. Today, let’s examined the winning formula for the climax.

The formula every climax should follow.

Your climax must contain the following elements:

The protagonist. The protagonist of your novel must be the central figure of the climax. It can’t happen without him or her.

The antagonist. The climax also can’t happen without the antagonist. He or she has been the main obstacle to the protagonist achieving his goal. So the antagonist must be present at the climax as readers find out if and how the protagonist deals with the antagonist to reach his goal.

The theme. If your novel has a theme, then the outcome of the climax should resonate with it.

The genre. The climax must fit with the expectations of the genre you’re writing. If you write a rom-com, and the hero and heroine don’t end up as a happy couple, readers will not enjoy the climax.

So the formula is: Genre + (Antagonist x Protagonist x Theme) = Climax. This is the basic outline for a satisfying climax. But there are several more components to keep in mind.

Don’t forget these tips for a climax.

The climax is the most intense part of your novel. Your protagonist is at her greatest risk of failure in the climax. If you have any scene earlier in the novel, where the risk is greater, you either have to make the earlier scene less intense or the climax more intense. A climax that isn’t the most intense part of your novel will definitely disappoint readers.

Give your climax plenty of page time. The climax is the pay off for readers following your novel this far. So take the time make it memorable and meaningful. A rushed climax is dissatisfying, like your host handing you a dessert at the end of dinner, only to snatch it back after you’ve taken a couple of bites.

Don’t introduce new characters. The climax should be the culmination of the character arcs and the central plot. Throwing in a new character will feel like a cheat. You can reveal something new about the antagonist or protagonist, but you will have to have laid hints throughout the novel, so that the sudden revelation feels earned.

What novels do you think have killer climaxes?

Here are more posts on writing endings.

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The Fatal Flaws That Ruin a Novel’s Ending

How to write the ending of a novel

This month on JPC Allen Writes I’ll be posting about how to write an ending for your novel. Endings for novels are tough to write, and if the writer gets it wrong, the ending is what readers remember more than any other aspect of the plot. So what are the fatals flaws the ruin a novel’s ending?

The fatal flaws that hide in plain sight

The fatal flaws are the beginning and middle of your novel. The purpose of the beginning is to introduce and establish the plot, characters, and the main problem the protagonist faces. The middle takes the beginning and explores and complicates the plot and characters. If you don’t have a strong beginning or middle, their flaws will be reflected in your ending.

The purposed of the ending is to echo points introduced in the beginning and explored in the middle. It’s also supposed to resolve the problems established in the beginning and complicated in the middle. If your beginning or middle falls down on these basic components of story structure, your ending will be not be compelling, meaningful, or memorable.

Flaws in the beginning of the novel

If you haven’t taken the time to establish who your characters are, what their personalities are like, and how those aspects affect the plot, the ending won’t have much meaning. The major characters will seem remote, and readers won’t be invested in them. So their victory in the end will read like a news story. Nice but something that happened to strangers on the other side of the country.

If the beginning doesn’t establish what’s at stake for your protagonist, or the ramifications of achieving or missing his goal, then again the ending is hollow.

Making clear who the characters are and what the stakes of solving or not solving the problem are goes a long way to enriching your ending.

Flaws in the middle of the novel

The middle is the bulk of your novel. You have the space to explore your characters and how they will solve their problem. You also have the space to throw complications in their path as they pursue the problem. An ending won’t be satisfying if the problem is solved too easily. Take the time in the middle to deepen relationships and make the happy solution to the problem less and less possible. Both of those techniques will invest readers in the characters, making them root for their success at the finish.

If you find your ending is boring, hollow, or dissatisfying, reread your novel. The flaws that are ruining your ending are probably staring you in the face.

Here are more tips on writing endings for novels.

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How to Write the Middle of a Novel Without Losing Momentum

Advice on writing a novel

When writing the middle of your novel, you can run into two common problems with momentum: it’s either too short or too long. Here are my tips for how to write the middle of a novel without losing momentum.

If the middle of your novel is too long

By too long, I mean you exceed your word count for a novel in the particular genre you write, you find it boring, or you’ve lost your plot, your point, your protagonist, or all three. Since the middle of your novel is the largest part of it, it’s easy to overwrite this section or lose your way. To trim it or drastically reduce it, try these techniques.

  • Write a one to three sentence paragraph that sums up your novel. It sounds impossible, but you should be able to describe who your protagonist is, what the problem of the novel is, and how the protagonist intends to solve the problem in just a few lines. Post those sentences where you can see them while you edit. Cut the subplots that don’t support the problem listed in those sentences. For example, my amateur sleuth’s young half-brother always invents some device during each of my novels. But I only include his invention because I can use it to effect the course of Rae’s investigation to solve the mystery.
  • Is your protagonist the active agent? It’s easy to let secondary characters take over in the middle. But your protagonist(s) should be front and center of most scenes. If the novel is written from 1st person POV, then the protagonist is the mover and shaker of every scene. Cut those scenes where the protagonist isn’t actively involved.

If the middle of your novel is too short

By too short, I mean you are way under your word count, the middle isn’t the longest part of your novel, or your novel feels rushed or boring.

  • Examine your beginning. The beginning introduces and establishes characters and plots for the novel. The middle complicates and explores those introductions and establishments. Have you explored relationships you set up at the beginning? Have you complicated the path your protagonist is following to solve the main problem of the story? Don’t be afraid to put serious obstacles in the way of your protagonist as he tries to solve the problem of the novel. The more challenging the obstacles, the more satisfying the resolution.
  • Are there subplots you’d like to add? Maybe you thought of some subplots but didn’t think you had the space to include them. Now that you see that you do, add them and see if they support your one-to-three sentence synopsis. For example, in my third Rae Riley novel, A Riddle in the Lonesome October, I introduce Rae’s cousin Claire. It may look like she’s just an extra in the ticket booth at the Halloween attraction where Rae has a temporary job. But that would be silly to introduce her if I can’t give her a pivotal role in solving the problem of the novel, which is discovering a lost inheritance.

Here are my other posts this month on writing the middle of a novel.

What have your learned about the middle if you’ve written a novel?

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