In most cases it's the climax and resulting conclusion that stay with the reader long after the book is shelved, and therefore has the greatest impact. For a writer, the goal is to provide an ending that makes sense of everything but also generates a deeper understanding.
Every successful novel has three elements; a beginning that hooks the reader (the unreachable goal for the protagonist), a middle that sets up the crisis (what prevents our hero from obtaining his goal), and the climax (what he's forced to do to reach the goal) which leads to a resolution.
Example:
Harry discovers Quirrell not Snape is the two faced villain
Simply put, the climax is the moment of crisis when the protagonist has no way out and has to make a decision or act in such a way to reach the story goal. Up to this point, the reader has observed the hero struggle to reach the story goal and is familiar with his particular behavior or pattern of problem solving. It's this personality trait that either helps or hinders him.
Example:
When Deckard barely hangs on in Blade Runner
The moment the stakes are highest our hero is faced with the toughest situation. In order to solve the story goal he must choose to stick with the same behavior or switch to an alternative. However, each choice comes with the risk of failure or loss of whatever he values most.
Example:
When Sheriff Brody runs out of boat in JAWS
TENSION
Think 'danger and opportunity'. Our hero has to make a decision to save the story goal, but we don't know if it's the right one until the very end. All we know is that he's doomed if he does nothing, but at the same time there's an unseen/unexpected potential for growth or new beginning.
EXPLANATIONS
Depending on how you want your story to end, helps determine what questions or issues need clarifying. Once you've established what should be answered, imagine an extensive, irreversible event that will force those issues to be addressed.
YOGURT
Like bacteria that continue to live and grow, your protagonist should have evolved from who he was at the awesome beginning that hooked us in the first place. It's imperative to show how our hero's behavior is challenged by pursuing the story goal. Ultimately, it's the decision the hero makes in the end that leads to personal growth and showcases the moral or theme of the story.
A reader will invest hours of time into your novel, make sure their last impression is the greatest one.
Cheers and good luck with your own writing!
You can also check out the original post here http://bethanymyers.blogspot.ca/2012/06/ka-boom-how-to-write-nail-biting-climax.html
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