-10: The Climax

All good stories build to a climactic peak. I’m just not sure what mine is going to be.

I feel a little embarrassed to admit this, as surely most authors have this critical point in their heads well before they begin. But as you’ve undoubtedly noticed, this is what you’d call an “evolving” story. And I can approach my climax in several different ways.

Will it be the moment when the river crests and the flooding, for better or worse, is at its height? Or could it be something other than the flood, something that is happening in Finn’s life against the backdrop of the flood? Perhaps I could combine the two. Maybe the flood can sock it to Finn personally.

I’m leaning toward Idea #3, the “Sock it to Finn personally” approach. I am after all, a nasty son on a gun to put perfectly nice characters in such situations in the first place, right?

The only thing I know for sure is that it has to be a moment, an instant in time when readers will gasp and say, “Oh, no!” They will be horrified, and sad, and will wonder what happens next. How will our hero resolve whatever problem has just occurred? It’s Finn’s big moment, and it’s got to be epic.